Tax deductible union fees
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Across all industries and workplaces, over two-million workers in unions across Australia continue to negotiate higher pay to ensure all members get a fair wage for a fair day’s work. Join your union today and make it happen.Get your tax on track with union membership.
Did you know union membership fees are tax deductible? That means at the end of every financial year, you can claim your union fees as a tax deduction. Union fees are often in the list of most overlooked tax deductions each year, so make sure you include them when you finalise your tax return.
Why are union fees tax deductible?
Union membership fees are tax deductible because they are a work-related expense. Union membership contributes to improving your workplace, your rights, higher wages and generally making Australia better and fairer for all.
Your union membership shares the costs of negotiating higher pay and better working conditions, and union members share the cost of enforcing the agreements that your union makes with employers. All of these are business expenses and that’s part of the reason why your union fees are tax deductible.
How will I know how much to claim?
Most unions will send members a tax statement directly at the end of each financial year by mid-July (usually by email). You will then need to add the information under ‘other work-related deductions’ when you complete your tax return.
Tax Time Checklist
- Claim your union fees as a tax deduction
- Make sure you’re subscribed to Member Benefits and check with your union to see if they offer their own benefits programs
- Remind any friends, family or workmates who aren’t yet a member of their union to join (and claim the deduction in their tax return next year!)
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