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Income and allowances

Income and allowance amounts you need to include in your tax return and amounts you don’t include.

Last updated 2 June 2024

Amounts you do and don't include

You must include all the income you receive as a train driver during the income year in your tax return, this includes:

  • salary and wages, including cash or bonus payments
  • allowances
  • compensation and insurance payments – for example, payments made under an income protection insurance policy to replace salary and wages.

Don't include as income any reimbursements you receive.

Your income statement or a payment summary will show all your salary, wages and allowances for the income year.

Allowances

You must include all allowances your employer reports on your income statement or payment summary as income in your tax return.

An allowance is where your employer pays you an amount as an estimate of costs you might incur:

  • to help you pay for a work expense – for example, tools and equipment
  • as compensation for an aspect of your work such as working conditions or industry peculiarities – for example, dirty work
  • as an amount for having special duties, skills or qualifications – for example, first aid qualifications.

Your employer may not include some allowances on your income statement or payment summary. Find out about declaring income and claiming deductions for Allowances not on your income statement or payment summary.

Allowances not on your income statement or payment summary

If you receive an allowance from your employer, it does not automatically mean you can claim a deduction.

Your employer may not include some allowances on your income statement or payment summary, you will find these amounts on your payslip. You don't need to declare these allowances as income in your tax return, unless you're claiming a deduction. Examples include travel allowances and overtime meal allowances.

If you spend the allowance amount on work expenses, you:

  • don't include it as income in your tax return
  • can't claim any deductions for the work expenses the allowance covers.

If you're not claiming a deduction, you don't need to keep any records of the amounts you spend.

If you spend your allowance on a deductible work-related expense, to claim a deduction you:

  • include the allowance as income in your tax return
  • include a claim for the work expenses you incur in your tax return
  • must have records of your expenses.

If you can claim a deduction, the amount of the deduction is not usually the same amount as the allowance you receive.

Allowances and claiming a deduction

The following table sets out allowances you may receive and when you can claim a deduction.

Allowance types, reason for the allowance and if you can claim a deduction

Reason for allowance

Example of allowance type

Deduction (Yes or No)

Compensation for an aspect of your work that is unpleasant, special or dangerous or for industry peculiarities

Dirty work allowance

On-call allowance

No

These allowances don't help you pay for deductible work-related expenses

An amount for certain expenses

Overtime meal allowance

Yes

If you incur deductible expenses

An amount for special skills

A first aid certificate

Yes

If you incur deductible expenses

 

Example: allowance assessable, no deduction allowable

Mario is an employee train driver. His employer requires him to relocate to another depot. Mario's employer pays him an allowance to cover the cost of finding accommodation at the new location and moving his household items. The relocation allowance is shown on Mario's income statement.

Mario must include the allowance as income in his tax return.

Although the allowance is paid to help Mario pay for his relocation expenses, he can't a deduction for the expenses he incurs. This is because he doesn't incur the relocation expenses in earning his income and they are private.

End of example

 

Example: allowance assessable, deduction allowed

Jasmine is a long-haul train driver. Jasmine requires certain hand tools on each of her shifts, so her employer pays her a tool allowance each week.

At the end of the income year, Jasmine's employer shows the total tool allowance ($350) on her income statement.

During the income year, Jasmine buys a new hammer for $49 and spanner set for $125. She only used the tools for work.

Jasmine must show the allowance of $350 as income on her tax return.

Jasmine can claim a deduction for the cost of the tools she buys and uses for work ($174).

End of example

Reimbursements

If your employer pays you the exact amount for expenses you incur (either before or after you incur them), the payment is a reimbursement.

A reimbursement isn't an allowance.

If your employer reimburses you for expenses you incur:

  • you don't include the reimbursement as income in your tax return
  • you can't claim a deduction for them.

Find out about train drivers:

 

QC59080