Tax Deduction?

Please seek your own tax advice in your country before trying to claim this training as a deduction against your taxable income. If you are not looking for a tax deduction then disregard this page. The following is NOT tax advice, it is only general information. In Australia if you currently earn a taxable income in a related health/therapy field to this training and this course will enhance your current skills then you may be able to claim this course as a tax deduction. For example if you currently earn a taxable income working in the following professions you may be eligible to claim a tax deduction for your airfare, accommodation, expenses and training in this course: Doctor, Nurse, Physiotherapist, Physical Therapist, Chiropractor, Osteopath, Myotherapist, Masseuse, Massage Therapist, Podiatrist, Sports Trainer, Athletic Trainer, Personal Trainer, Relaxation Therapist, Acupuncturist, Yoga Teacher, Gym Instructor, Aerobics Instructor and related fields. In some cases if at least half of each day or more is taken up with training you may be able to claim your expenses for your trip. Doing less than this may mean you can only claim a portion of your expenses. In some cases if you do 5 days training you may be eligible to claim expenses for a further 2 days without training as your weekend off. The following information was taken from the Australian Tax Office website and has been provided as general information only. This is NOT TAX ADVICE. We will not be responsible if you make tax claims related to this course and your tax claims are rejected in your country. Please seek your own advice first.

Australian Tax Office (ATO) Ruling 98/9

Income tax: deductibility of self-education expenses

http://law.ato.gov.au/atolaw/view.htm?docid=TXR/TR989/nat/ato/00001

Claiming self-education expenses

You can only claim self-education expenses that related to your work as an employee at the time you were studying. If your self-education was to help you get a new job or commence a new income-earning activity, you cannot claim your expenses.

You can claim expenses for travel between:

• your home and your place of education
• your place of education and your home
• your workplace and your place of education, and
• your place of education and your workplace.

Types of self-education expenses allowable (ATO)

23. Subject to the general tests under section 8-1 being met, the following types of expenses related to self-education are allowable:

(a)course or tuition fees of attending an educational institution, work-related conference or seminar, including student union fees

(b)   the cost of professional and trade journals, text books and stationery;

(c)airfares incurred on overseas study tours or sabbatical, on work-related conferences or seminars, or attending an educational institution. They are part of the necessary cost of participating in the tour, etc.;

(d) subject to paragraph 24(c) of this Ruling, where a taxpayer is away from home overnight, accommodation and meals expenses incurred on overseas study tours, on work-related conferences or seminars, or attending an educational institution; and

e)   interest incurred on borrowed monies where the funds are used to pay for self-education expenses associated with a course of education, that enables a taxpayer to maintain or improve his or her skill or knowledge or is likely to lead to an increase in income from the taxpayer's current income-earning activities. Regard must be had to the connection between the interest expense and the income-earning activity in each income year interest is claimed because a change in circumstances, for example, a change of employment, may mean that the necessary connection no longer exists.

It is recommended you use a work related travel and expenses DIARY

Format of the Travel Diary

The diary is to be a record of each business activity undertaken during the travel. The Australian Taxation Office has stated that the purpose of a travel diary is to provide a record of events so that the travel expenses can be broken down into business and private expenses.

The Australian Taxation Office requires that the diary must be signed by the employee and contain all of the following details for each work activity during the trip:

• the place where the activity was undertaken;
• the date and approximate time when the activity commenced;
• the duration of the activity;
• the nature of the work activity; and
• the date on which the entry (in the diary) was made.

Diaries must show:

• departure date (from home or office);
• return date (to home); and
• any private, free-time days within the period of the trip.

The description of the activity must give enough detail to relate that activity to the employee's job. With respect to field trips, it is not appropriate simply to enter "field trip". The employee must give a description of the activity on the field trip, for example, for Earth Sciences - "field trip - collecting rock and sand samples - auguring". With respect to conferences, the entry cannot simply state "attendance at conference"; it must refer to specific sessions attended or refer to a conference agenda where the employee has initialed a listed session as having attended. Such entries on the conference agenda must be dated. OUR COURSES TAKE AT LEAST 4 HOURS OR MORE THAN HALF OF AN 8 HOUR WORK DAY. YOUR DIARY SHOULD REFLECT THIS AND INCLUDE BOTH YOUR THEORY AND PRACTICAL TIMES AND WHATEVER TIME OF DAY THEY OCCUR. Diaries should also include travel times.

ATO Self-education eligibility – tool (ATO Website link)

http://calculators.ato.gov.au/scripts/axos/axos.asp?CONTEXT=&KBS=self_ed_el.xr4&go=ok

You are eligible to claim work related self-education expenses at item D4 on your tax return.

·         IF You were a student at a school, college, university or other place of education.

·         IF You were engaged in work activities at the time you undertook your course of study.

·         At the time the self-education expense was incurred, there was a direct connection between your self-education and your work activities such that the study:

§  enabled you to maintain or improve the skill(s) or specific knowledge used in your work   activities, and

§  will lead to (or is likely to lead to) increased income from your work activities.

§  You did not undertake the course to get a new job or to open up a new business or income earning activity.

Claiming Self Education expenses (ATO Website link)

http://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/content.asp?doc=/content/18843.htm

ATO - Claiming work related expenses (ATO Website link)

Extra information for some occupations

http://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/content.asp?doc=/content/16077.htm&page=10&H10

If you study for 5 days you may be entitled to claim costs associated with a further 2 days which may reflect your normal weekend off.

Please seek your own TAX advice BEFORE enrolling if you are considering claiming your training as a tax deduction.

Remember everyone deserves a Traditional Thai Massage!

:)