Description
FIND OUT HOW CHANGES TO NEGATIVE GEARING, CAPITAL GAINS AND TRUSTS WILL AFFECT YOU
The most up-to-date Australian tax guide, covering all the key changes for the 2026–2027 financial year
Most books just sit on your shelf. This one pays you back every year. 101 Ways to Save Money on Your Tax — Legally! includes all the latest deductions, thresholds and ATO updates, so you can save hundreds (or even thousands!) on your next tax return.
Bestselling author Adrian Raftery — aka Mr Taxman — has helped countless Australians lodge their returns smarter and claim more money back. Ever wondered about the secrets the rich use to avoid overpaying tax? Most of them aren't complicated. You just need to know where to look. Whether you're an employee, investor, business owner or retiree, this guide makes tax time stress-free.
Inside, you'll discover how to:
- claim every deduction you're entitled to — including ones most people miss
- avoid the common errors that trigger audits, penalties and overpayments
- understand exactly how this year's changes to personal tax and super contributions will affect your return
- navigate tricky areas like family trusts, capital gains, rental properties and negative gearing
- lodge on time, with confidence, and without the accountant's bill.
Now in its 16th edition, 101 Ways to Save Money on Your Tax — Legally! remains Australia's most trusted, easy-to-follow and up-to-date tax companion. The ATO isn't going to tell you how to pay less. Mr Taxman will.
Table of Contents
About the author ix
How to use this book xi
Introduction xiii
PART I YOU AND YOUR FAMILY 1
1 Marriage 2
2 Income splitting 4
3 Invalid and invalid carer tax offset 6
4 Children 8
5 Payments for new parents 10
6 Child care 12
7 Low-income earners 14
8 Senior and pensioner tax offset 16
9 Other government benefits 18
10 Family breakdown 22
11 Death 24
12 Family trusts 26
PART II YOUR EMPLOYMENT 29
13 Car usage 31
14 Methods to claim car travel 33
15 Travel 35
16 Uniform 37
17 Home off ice 39
18 Other work-related deductions 42
19 Keeping those receipts 45
20 ATO hit lists 48
21 Redundancy 51
22 Working a second job 53
23 Salary sacrifice 54
24 Fringe benefits 57
25 Living-away-from-home allowance 61
PART III YOUR EDUCATION 65
26 Claiming self-education expenses 66
27 Student loans 70
28 Austudy and ABSTUDY 77
29 Scholarships 79
30 School building funds 81
31 Education savings plans 83
PART IV YOUR INVESTMENT PROPERTY 87
32 Negative gearing 90
33 Interest 92
34 Depreciation and low-value pooling 95
35 Repairs and maintenance 99
36 Borrowing and legal expenses 101
37 Other rental property deductions 105
38 Foreign investment properties 107
39 Capital gains tax 109
40 PAYG withholding variation 112
41 Co-ownership of your investment property 114
42 Build-to-rent properties 116
PART V YOUR SHARES 119
43 Dividends 120
44 Shares owned by low income earners 126
45 Borrowing to buy shares 128
46 Other share deductions 131
47 Capital gains tax on shares 132
48 Realising capital losses 134
49 Inheriting share portfolios 136
50 Share traders versus share investors 138
51 Rights and options 140
52 Employee share schemes 141
53 Share portfolios within self managed superannuation funds 143
54 Cryptocurrency 145
55 Non-fungible tokens 150
PART VI YOUR SUPERANNUATION 153
56 Contribution limits 156
57 Transfer balance cap 159
58 Downsizer contribution 162
59 Compulsory employer contributions 165
60 Salary sacrifice 168
61 Division 293 tax 171
62 Super co-contribution 173
63 Transferring foreign super 176
64 Self managed superannuation funds 177
65 Buying property within SMSFs 180
66 Gearing through a super fund 183
67 Accessing your super 185
68 Transition to retirement 187
69 Account-based pensions 189
70 Death benefits 191
71 Lost or unclaimed super 192
PART VII YOUR BUSINESS 197
72 Choosing the right business structure 198
73 Tax obligations 203
74 Record keeping 206
75 Deferring tax 209
76 Trading stock 210
77 Bad debts 212
78 Home-based businesses 214
79 Sharing Economy 216
80 Employing people 218
81 Single Touch Payroll 222
82 Tax concessions and offsets 224
83 Selling or closing down 230
84 Personal services income 232
85 Non-commercial losses 234
86 Division 7A loans by private companies 235
87 Franchising 237
88 Crowdfunding 239
PART VIII MISCELLANEOUS 243
89 Overseas income 243
90 Getting a great tax accountant 246
91 Lodging your tax return 249
92 Amending returns and objecting to assessments 251
93 ATO data matching 254
94 Problems paying your tax 258
95 Estate planning 259
96 Private ancillary funds 265
97 Levies 267
98 Zone and overseas forces tax offsets 270
99 Tax-effective investments 272
100 Tax planning as a 365-day process 274
101 Just do it! 275
Glossary 279
Bibliography 297
Index 299
