myTax 2020 Cost of managing your tax affairs

Complete this section if you incurred expenses for managing your tax affairs.

Things to know

You may be able to claim a deduction at this section for expenses you incurred for:

• managing your tax affairs, including:
  • the preparation and lodgment of your tax return and activity statements, including the costs associated with
    • buying tax reference material
    • tax return preparation courses
    • lodging your tax return through a registered tax agent
    • obtaining tax advice from a recognised tax adviser
      A recognised tax adviser is a registered tax agent, barrister or solicitor. You can see a list of registered tax agents at Tax Practitioners boardExternal Link or call 1300 362 829.
    • dealing with us about your tax affairs
    • purchasing software to allow the completion and lodgment of your tax return. You must apportion the cost of the software if you also used it for other purposes
  • travel to obtain tax advice from a recognised tax adviser
  • obtaining a valuation needed for a deductible donation of property or for a deduction for entering into a conservation covenant; visit Gifts of property to learn more.
• interest we imposed on you
• litigation costs, including court and Administrative Appeals Tribunal fees, and solicitor, barrister and other legal costs you incurred in managing your tax affairs
• any costs you incurred in complying with your legal obligations relating to another person’s tax affairs. This includes
  • complying with the PAYG withholding obligations, for example, where you withheld tax from a payment to a supplier because the supplier did not quote an Australian business number
  • providing information that we requested about another taxpayer.

You incur an expense in the income year when:

• you pay for the expense during the income year
• you receive a bill or invoice during the income year for an expense that you are liable for and must pay (even if you don't pay it until after the end of the year)

For more information, see ATO interest – calculation and reporting.

You can't claim

You can't claim a deduction for:

• the cost of tax advice given by a person who is not a recognised tax adviser.
• tax shortfall and other penalties for failing to meet your obligations.
• any judgment debt interest that may arise for a court case involving your tax affairs.

Completing this section

We pre-fill your tax return with cost of managing your tax affairs information:

• you uploaded from myDeductions
• for interest and other charges we imposed on you

Check them, and add any costs of managing your tax affairs that have not pre-filled.

To personalise your return to show cost of managing tax affairs, at Personalise return select:

• You had deductions you want to claim.
• Gifts, donations, interest, dividends, and the cost of managing your tax affairs.

To show your costs of your managing tax affairs, at Prepare return select 'Add/Edit' at the Deductions banner.

At the Cost of managing tax affairs banner:

1. For each cost of managing tax affairs expense not pre-filled in your tax return, select Add.
2. Select the Type of deduction and enter information into the corresponding fields.
   The Depreciation and capital allowances tool can help you work out any decline in value deduction. It can also work out any deductible balancing adjustment when you stop holding a depreciating asset. Access this tool in the Deductions section.
   Fields from this tool can't be adjusted in myTax. To make any adjustments, or to add new assets to the tool, select the 'Use the depreciation and capital allowances tool' link.
3. Select Save.
4. Select Save and continue when you have completed the Deductions section.

These myTax 2020 instructions are about expenses you incurred in managing your tax affairs.