Can I claim my mobile phone, laptop, internet or car on tax?
EOFY tech deals aren’t just a great way to save, they could also help you get more back at tax time.
If you’ve bought a laptop, phone, or other work-related tech in the last financial year, or are thinking about grabbing a deal before June 30, you might be eligible to claim it as a deduction on your 2025 tax return. And if you’ve used your own car for work, there may be something in that too.
Here’s what you need to know about claiming mobile phones, laptops, internet and car expenses on tax in Australia, and how our free Tax Return Checklist can help you get it right.
Should I buy tech now to claim this year?
If you’re eyeing off a new laptop, phone, or tech gear in the EOFY sales, purchasing before 30 June 2025 means you can include it in this year’s tax return, either fully (if under $300) or partially (via depreciation).
Just remember:
- keep the receipt
- use it for work
- track your usage.
Download the free Tax Return Checklist
Need help remembering what to claim and what to prepare?
Get MyBudget’s Tax Return Checklist emailed to you for free. It’s designed to make tax time easier and help you avoid missing any eligible deductions.
Claiming your mobile phone
If you use your personal mobile phone for work (calls, emails, texts or apps), you can claim the work-related portion of your bill as a deduction.
What you’ll need to do:
- work out the percentage of work vs personal use (e.g. by reviewing your itemised bills over a typical 4-week period)
- only claim the work-use portion
- keep phone bills and your usage record for five years.
Useful tax tip: if your employer reimburses your phone bill, you can’t claim it.
Claiming your laptop, iPad, or other tech device
Bought a laptop, tablet or phone you use for work? You may be able to claim a deduction, but how you claim depends on the cost:
- if it cost $300 or less: you can claim the full amount as an immediate deduction
- if it cost more than $300: you must claim the depreciation over its effective life (e.g. 2 years for laptops)
Useful tax tip: you can only claim the portion used for work. So if you use your laptop 70% for work and 30% for personal use, you can only claim 70% of the value (or depreciation).
Claiming internet expenses
If you work from home and use your personal internet connection for work, you can claim a deduction based on your work-related usage.
What to know:
- estimate your work usage (e.g. 50% of the time)
- keep records or a diary of your typical usage
- use the fixed-rate or actual-cost method (not both).
Useful tax tip: if you’re using the fixed rate method for working from home (currently 67–70 cents per hour), your internet is already factored in, so don’t claim it again.
Claiming car expenses
Do you use your own car for work purposes? You may be able to claim expenses like fuel, maintenance and insurance. But there are rules:
What can be claimed:
- driving between job sites
- attending meetings offsite
- delivering items for work.
What can’t be claimed:
- commuting from home to your regular workplace.
You can claim in two ways:
1. Cents per kilometre method
- up to 5,000 work-related km per year
- 88c per km for 2024–25
- no need to keep receipts, just a log or record of trips.
2. Logbook method
- track business and private use over 12 weeks
- claim a percentage of actual expenses (fuel, rego, insurance)
- more accurate, but requires more record-keeping.
What the ATO expects
No matter what you’re claiming, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) expects you to follow their three golden rules:
- You paid for it yourself (and weren’t reimbursed)
- It directly relates to your income
- You can prove it (with a receipt, usage diary or logbook).
Common mistakes to avoid
- overestimating personal vs work use: the ATO has advanced data-matching tech, so stay honest
- claiming both the fixed rate and actual expenses: you can’t double dip
- missing records: no receipt = no deduction
- commuting claims: travelling to and from your usual workplace isn’t deductible
- claiming the full cost of shared-use items: only claim the work-use percentage.
Final tip: don’t leave it to guesswork
Tech, travel and remote work expenses are some of the most common, and commonly misclaimed, deductions in Australia. But if you keep good records and stick to the rules, they can reduce your taxable income and increase your refund.
Our free Tax Return Checklist makes it easy to remember what to gather and claim, from phone bills and tech receipts to car use and internet logs.
How can MyBudget help at tax time?
MyBudget can help you get organised, stay on top of bills, and feel confident when it’s time to lodge your tax return.
Book a free consultation with MyBudget or call us on 1300 300 922 and we’ll help you budget smarter, plan for tax time, and make real progress towards your financial goals.