Chefs - Personal Tax Allowances and Deductions

As a chef you work hard for your money. Don't throw your money away by giving the tax man more than you need to. By claiming for all the personal tax allowances and deductions you are entitled to, you will be able to get more of your money back.

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Uniforms and Work Clothing

As a chef you would be entitled to claim for the cost of:

• Buying and repairing a compulsory uniform e.g. chefs whites or checkered pants

• Purchasing specialised and protective clothing such as aprons, hairnets & chefs hats

• Washing your uniform at home

• Dry cleaning or repairs to your uniform

FIND OUT MORE: Xpnsit Video – Uniform Expenses

Work Related Equipment

• Working as a chef allows you to purchase additional equipment related to your job. You can get a tax refund for buying high-quality kitchen knives, pans and other specialised equipment you need in order to do your job

Work related travel expenses

• As part of your job you may, at times, be required to work at locations outside your usual workplace. If you have to attend an off-site event or function, the costs of traveling from your normal workplace to another location can be tax deductible, as are the costs of traveling while transporting bulky equipment.

• If you are studying you can claim for the travel from home or work to your place of study and back

FIND OUT MORE: Xpnsit Video – using your car for work

Meals and Accommodation

• If you work beyond regular working hours, the cost of purchasing overtime meals—provided that you’re given an allowance for this expense—is tax deductible.

• The cost of purchasing meals when traveling to other work locations can also be tax deductible, as is the cost of eating meals when attending seminars, trade shows etc.

FIND OUT MORE: Xpnsit video – Overtime Meals and Accommodation

Training & Self Education Expenses

• You can claim the cost of your self-education expenses, as long as they are directly connected to your present job as a chef. These can include courses or seminars on types of cuisine you’re not familiar with (e.g. French, Italian, Chinese cuisine), seminars on knife techniques, courses on kitchen sanitation and more.

Other Work Related Expenses

Depending on your specific job there may be other work related expenses you can include in your tax return, including:

• The cost of subscribing to journals, magazines, and periodicals that feature content specifically connected to your job

• The cost of maintaining a home office if you write menus, research / order ingredients or use your computer for work related activities

• You can also claim for work related phone calls from your landline or mobile phone and a % of your monthly internet costs.

Other General Expenses

These are not specific to Chefs, however you may have incurred some of these expenses during the tax year:

• Accountants fees & the cost of travelling to see your accountant or tax agent
• Bank fees for investment accounts
• Most types of donations are tax deductible
• The cost of income protection or sickness and accident insurance premiums

Xpnsit saves time and gets you more tax back
Find, log and track all your personal tax deductions
Find out more about Xpnsit