Tax return 2026 season is open, and two things have changed this year that catch people out. The deadline is not the date most people expect. And the work from home rules now demand a record almost nobody kept.
Sort both out early and this is a quick job. Leave it to late October and it turns into a scramble, or a smaller refund than you deserved.
Which Year Are You Actually Lodging?
Start here, because this trips up almost everyone in 2026.
The return you lodge now covers the 2025-26 financial year, which ran from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026. It uses the tax rates that applied during that year.
You may have heard that the bottom tax rate dropped from 16% to 15%. True, but that started on 1 July 2026. It affects the pay landing in your account right now, and it shows up in the return you lodge next year. It does not change the return sitting in front of you today.
So if your take-home pay nudged up in July, that’s the cut working. Your refund this year is calculated on the old rate.
When Is the Tax Return 2026 Deadline?
The usual deadline for lodging your own return is 31 October. In 2026 that date falls on a Saturday, so the ATO pushes it to the next business day. Your deadline is Monday 2 November 2026. Lodging through a registered tax agent can buy you considerably more time, but only if you’re on their books before 31 October.
That last point matters more than the extra weekend. A registered agent works to a separate lodgment program with later due dates. Sign up with one in September and you may have months of breathing room. Ring them on 30 October and you get the same deadline as everyone else.
Worth doing early.
What Changed With Working From Home Claims?
The fixed rate sits at 70 cents per work hour for 2025-26, covering electricity and gas, home and mobile internet, phone usage, and stationery and computer consumables. Multiply your hours at home by 70 cents and that’s your claim for those costs. You cannot then claim those same expenses separately.
Here’s the part that costs people money. The ATO now requires a record of your actual hours across the whole year, kept as you went. A timesheet, a roster, a diary, a spreadsheet, a calendar entry. An estimate will not do.
The ATO’s own guidance spells out what happens when you get this wrong. In their example, a worker estimates her hours for eight months and only keeps proper records from March onwards. She can claim the four months she recorded. The other eight months are gone, even though she genuinely worked from home the whole time.
If your records for last financial year are patchy, you have two options. Claim only the period you can back up, or switch to the actual cost method and work from your real bills. We can look at both and tell you which lands better.
Then start a record now for this year. The myDeductions tool in the ATO app takes seconds a day and saves this exact headache next August.
What Else Can You Claim?
The fixed rate does not cover everything. You can claim these separately:
- Equipment under $300 such as a keyboard, mouse, desk lamp or chair, deducted in full the year you buy it.
- Equipment over $300 such as a laptop or desk, claimed as it declines in value over its useful life.
- Repairs and maintenance on that equipment.
Split the cost where you use something for both work and personal life. You claim the work share only.
Beyond the home office, the usual claims still apply: work-related travel, professional subscriptions, self-education tied to your current role, income protection premiums, and the fee you paid last year to have your return prepared. That last one surprises people. Your accountant’s fee is deductible.
Keep your records for five years from the date you lodge. That’s the ATO’s standard, and audits do reach back.
Where People Go Wrong
Three mistakes account for most of the trouble we see across Blacktown, Mount Druitt and Penrith.
Lodging too early. Employers, banks and health funds report to the ATO through July and into August. Lodge before that data lands and you may leave out income you didn’t know was reported, which brings an amendment and sometimes a penalty. Late August onwards is usually safer.
Guessing at deductions. A round number with no receipt behind it draws attention. Claim what you can prove.
Rental property deductions. Repairs and improvements get taxed differently, and plenty of owners claim the wrong one. If you own an investment property, our guide to tax deductions for property owners walks through what actually qualifies.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the tax return deadline for 2026?
Monday 2 November 2026 for people lodging their own return. The usual date of 31 October falls on a Saturday this year, so the ATO moves it to the next business day. Lodging through a registered tax agent gives you longer, provided you engage them before 31 October.
Does the new 15% tax rate apply to this year’s return?
No. The rate dropped from 16% to 15% on 1 July 2026, which is the 2026-27 year. Your current return covers 2025-26 and uses the old rate. The cut is already showing up in your take-home pay and will appear in the return you lodge next year.
How much can I claim for working from home in 2026?
Seventy cents for every hour you worked from home during 2025-26. That covers energy, internet, phone and stationery. Equipment such as chairs, desks and laptops gets claimed separately, either in full if under $300 or across time if more.
What if I didn’t record my work from home hours?
You can only claim the period you have a genuine record for. The ATO does not accept estimates or hours reconstructed later. Where records are thin, the actual cost method may work better, since it relies on your bills rather than an hourly count.
Can I still get an extension if I lodge myself?
Not usually. The 2 November date is firm for self-lodgers. Engaging a registered tax agent before 31 October is the reliable way to get more time, because agents lodge under a separate program with later due dates.
Is my accountant’s fee tax deductible?
Yes. What you paid last year to have your return prepared is deductible in this year’s return. Travel to see your accountant can also count. Keep the invoice.
Get It Right the First Time
SMG Group is a CPA Practice with offices at Rooty Hill, Wareemba and Liverpool, and we’ve lodged returns for individuals and businesses across Greater Sydney for years. We’ll find the claims you’re entitled to, keep the ones you’re not well clear of your return, and handle the deadline for you.
Engage us before 31 October and you get the extended agent deadline as well.
Contact our team or call 02 9832 2078. You can also read more about our taxation services.
This article is general information only and does not replace personal tax advice. Rates and dates apply to the 2025-26 income year unless stated otherwise. Speak with our team about your circumstances.