Tax deductions for it professionals
As an IT professional you can generally claim home-office running costs, work hardware and software, self-education, and professional memberships.
Build your checklistIT work is home-office-heavy, which is exactly where the claims are — and where good records make the difference. Here’s what usually counts.
The three rules for any claim
- You paid for it yourself and weren’t reimbursed.
- It directly relates to earning your income.
- You have a record — a receipt, invoice or bank statement.
Checked against ATO guidance: August 2026
What you can usually claim
Home office running costs
A portion of electricity, internet and phone for the hours you work from home, using an ATO-accepted method. If you contract from a dedicated space there may be more to consider — worth a chat with your agent.
Hardware and software
Laptops, monitors, peripherals and work software or subscriptions. As an employee, an item costing $300 or less that you buy for work can be claimed in the income year you start using it for work, less any private share, if you use it mainly to earn your wage and it is not part of a set, or one of identical items, costing more than $300 together. Anything dearer, anything that fails those tests, and anything you already owned privately before using it for work is claimed over its effective life, for the work share only.
Self-education and certifications
Courses, certifications and conferences that maintain or improve the skills in your current role, plus technical books and subscriptions.
Professional memberships
Memberships of relevant professional bodies and industry associations tied to your work.
Buying bigger gear: what happens at tax time
Contracting on an ABN with GST registration, a new laptop or monitor gives you the GST credit on the activity statement straight away, with the cost claimed over its effective life. Employees have no GST side and claim hardware over $300 the same way — personal use reduces the work-related share of each year’s claim, while the register keeps carrying the full cost.
General information, not personal tax advice. What you can claim depends on your circumstances — check the ATO's own occupation guides or a registered tax agent, and keep records for every claim.
Keep in mind
- The cost of the trip between home and a regular office.
- Study to switch into a different career.
- The private-use portion of a device you also use personally.
Where mistakes happen
The claims most likely to get adjusted — not because they're disallowed outright, but because the split or the timing was off.
- Claiming internet or phone at 100% without apportioning for personal streaming, browsing or calls.
- Using the fixed-rate home-office method and then separately claiming an expense the fixed rate already bundles in, like electricity.
Take it further
Your income tax, Medicare levy and take-home pay on any salary.
2Fin for freelancers →Know what’s yours to keep, every month
2Fin for employees →Work expenses found, your refund in view
Track it: the asset register →Log the purchase once and 2Fin carries the effective life, the yearly deduction and the private-use share for you.
Depreciation (decline in value) →Claiming the cost of a big asset gradually over its life.
Instant asset write-off →Immediately deduct an eligible asset instead of depreciating it.
Effective life →How many years an asset is expected to be used — the base of every depreciation rate.
Capital purchase (GST on Capital) →An asset you buy to use over years — G10 on the BAS, then depreciated.
IT professionals — common questions
Can I claim a home office?
The running costs of working from home are generally claimable using an ATO-accepted method — keep a record of your hours or actual costs. Claiming occupancy costs (like rent) is more restricted and situation-specific, and for an owner it can affect the main residence exemption — the business space at home tool shows that trade-off. This is general information, not personal tax advice — what you can claim depends on your circumstances, so check with the ATO or a registered tax agent, and keep records to back up every claim.
Can I claim a new laptop?
A laptop used for work is generally claimable — in the income year you start using it for work if you bought it for work, it cost $300 or less, you use it mainly for work, and it is not part of a set or one of identical items costing more than $300 together; otherwise, or if you already owned it privately, over its effective life for the work share — apportioned for any private use. Contractors on an ABN had a $20,000 instant asset write-off per asset for 2023-24 through 2025-26; the 2026-27 limit was unpublished at the time of review, so check the ATO for the current figure. This is general information, not personal tax advice — what you can claim depends on your circumstances, so check with the ATO or a registered tax agent, and keep records to back up every claim.
Can I claim my full internet bill if I work from home in IT?
Generally no — you claim the work-related portion, not 100%. Personal streaming, browsing and calls have to be apportioned out, and if you use the fixed-rate home-office method, internet and phone are already bundled into that rate rather than claimed on top. A record of your hours or costs is what supports the split. This is general information, not personal tax advice — what you can claim depends on your circumstances, so check with the ATO or a registered tax agent, and keep records to back up every claim.
Can I claim a certification course for my current role?
Generally yes. Courses, certifications and conferences that maintain or improve the skills in your current role are typically claimable, along with technical books and subscriptions. Study aimed at switching into a different career sits outside the claim, so the question to ask is whether the certification builds on the work you are already paid for. This is general information, not personal tax advice — what you can claim depends on your circumstances, so check with the ATO or a registered tax agent, and keep records to back up every claim.
Can I claim electricity on top of the fixed-rate home-office method?
Generally no. The fixed-rate method already bundles in running costs like electricity, so claiming it separately on top is a common mistake that doubles up. Whichever method you use, keep the records that support it. This is general information, not personal tax advice — what you can claim depends on your circumstances, so check with the ATO or a registered tax agent, and keep records to back up every claim.
Deductions for other occupations
See all occupations.
Let Fin surface these for you
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