Common first-job tax gotchas
Second job, WFH myths, “my mate said I can claim it”. Watch the potholes.
First-year tax surprises are usually admin, not you being careless. A few patterns show up a lot.
More than one job
Two employers can both withhold as if they’re your only job. You might owe, or you might get a refund. Claim the tax-free threshold on one job only. What even is the tax-free threshold?. The calm walk-through: How do I even handle tax with two jobs?. The ATO has a withholding tool. Worth a look if you’ve stacked casuals.
Working from home
There are ATO methods for some home costs. They’re specific. “I sat on the couch” isn’t automatically a deduction. Read their current page if this is you.
Mates and reels
“Just claim your whole wardrobe” is how people get messy. If a claim exists, the ATO will describe it. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t, no matter how confident the story was. The calm version: How do I even claim work-related expenses?.
Gotchas are fixable. Use ATO sources or a registered agent. We’re here to name the traps, not file the return.
See also
More in Tax
- How to do your first tax return in Australia
- What even is tax?
- What even is take-home pay?
- What even is the tax-free threshold?
- What even is PAYG?
- What even is HECS-HELP?
- How do I even tell work I have HECS?
- What even is indexation (on HECS)?
- How do I even read my first payslip?
- What even is overtime / penalty rates?
- What even is base pay vs a salary package?
- Tax basics when you start work
- What even is a TFN?
- Tax-aware investing 101 (educational)
- What even is Medicare levy?
- How do I even get a tax refund?
- How do I even handle tax with two jobs?
- What even is an ABN?
- What even is LITO?
- How do I even claim work-related expenses?
- Why did my first pay get taxed so much?