Income Tax Assessment Act 1997

CHAPTER 5 - ADMINISTRATION  

PART 5-30 - RECORD-KEEPING AND OTHER OBLIGATIONS  

Division 900 - Substantiation rules  

Subdivision 900-E - Written evidence  

Operative provisions

SECTION 900-115   Written evidence from supplier  

900-115(1)    

You may use this set of rules for any type of expense except the decline in value of a *depreciating asset.

900-115(2)    
You must get a document from the supplier of the goods or services the expense is for. The document must set out:

(a) the name or business name of the supplier; and

(b) the amount of the expense, expressed in the currency in which it was incurred; and

(c) the nature of the goods or services; and

(d) the day the expense was incurred; and

(e) the day it is made out.

900-115(3)    
There are 2 exceptions to these requirements:

(a) if the document does not show the day the expense was incurred, you may use a bank statement or other reasonable, independent evidence that shows when it was paid;

(b) if the document the supplier gave you does not specify the nature of the goods or services, you may write in the missing details yourself before you lodge your *income tax return for the income year.

900-115(4)    
The document must be in English. However, if the expense was incurred in a country outside Australia, the document can instead be in a language of that country.