Tax Deductions for Bookkeepers in Australia (2026 Guide)

Who this page is for: Bookkeepers, BAS-focused admin workers and small bookkeeping service providers in Australia.

Page purpose: Add a service-business page with stronger role-specific coverage around software, CPD, devices, home office and client-facing admin tools.

Parent page: Services category

Scope note: Bookkeeping work can sit inside employment, contracting or business ownership, so the page stays practical and avoids entity-structure advice or BAS-specific lodging advice.

Last reviewed: 29 March 2026

Trust note: This page is educational only and checked against official ATO guidance or closely related ATO topic pages.

Quick answer

Bookkeepers may be able to claim unreimbursed software, devices, phone use, home-office admin costs, training and other work-related expenses where they paid the cost themselves and kept records. Private use, reimbursed subscriptions, vague home claims and broad study costs are common weak areas.

You usually need to have paid the cost yourself.
The expense should relate directly to earning income or running the business.
Only the work-related or business-use share is usually claimable for mixed-use items.
Records matter just as much as the expense itself.

The real value here is showing how office-style expenses become claimable only when the work-use split and records are actually solid.

Intro: who this guide is for

Bookkeeping work creates a very specific type of deduction question. It is not just 'office worker expenses'. It is usually about software subscriptions, secure document storage, client communication, devices, home-office admin, CPD and the work-related split on tools you also use privately.

That means the claim usually depends less on the category name and more on whether you can show the work-related portion, the current-role connection and whether someone else reimbursed the cost.

Common deductions bookkeepers may be able to review

Bookkeeping, payroll, document-signing, file-storage or practice-management software used to earn income.
Laptop, monitor, scanner, printer or other equipment used for the work, subject to the current asset rules and private-use split.
Phone and internet use tied to clients, software access, bookkeeping systems or work admin, to the work-related extent.
Home-office admin costs where the current ATO rules support the method and records used.
Training, CPD, licence renewals, memberships or insurance that maintain or support your current bookkeeping work.

What usually is not claimable

Private use of laptops, phones, monitors, printers or home internet.
Any software, device or subscription a client or employer reimbursed.
Home costs claimed without a clear work-related method or records.
Training or study only aimed at moving into a different occupation.
Purely private stationery, printing, cloud storage or internet use.

Employee vs sole trader or contractor differences

Employees usually focus on unreimbursed work expenses connected to the current role, such as software, devices, phone use and qualifying CPD.
Contractors or sole traders may also review business admin costs, professional insurance, software, file storage and business-use phone or internet costs.
If you work partly from home and partly on client systems, keep records that show how the work-use split was worked out.

Record-keeping and evidence requirements

Keep receipts and subscription records for software, technology, office equipment, secure storage tools and professional development.
Keep a fair method for working out the work-related share of mixed-use internet, phones, laptops and home-office use.
Keep enough evidence to show whether the cost was employee-related, client-reimbursed or genuinely yours.
If you claim working-from-home costs, understand which method you used and what that method already includes.

Common mistakes

Claiming full home internet, laptop or phone costs without removing private use.
Double counting costs already covered by a working-from-home method or reimbursement.
Treating every accounting or finance course as deductible without checking the current-work connection.
Forgetting that even low-cost subscriptions and admin expenses still need records.

Frequently asked questions

Can bookkeepers claim Xero, MYOB or payroll software?

They may be able to where the software is used to earn income and the expense was paid by them rather than reimbursed by an employer or client.

Can bookkeepers claim home-office expenses?

Sometimes, but the answer depends on the method used, the actual home-based work pattern and the records kept.

Can bookkeepers claim devices they also use privately?

Possibly, but only the work-related share and the tax treatment can depend on cost and how much private use there is.

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Review note, sources and disclaimer

Reviewed by: Australia Tax Deductions editorial team

Last reviewed: 29 March 2026

How this page is framed: This page is written in plain English, anchored to official ATO guidance and designed as educational information only.

Methodology: See the Editorial Policy and Review Methodology pages for how the site handles source checking and updates.

Primary references

General educational information only. Tax outcomes depend on your circumstances, records, business structure and the current ATO rules. Check the latest official guidance or speak with a registered tax professional before acting on any deduction claim.