I know you can claim up to whatever it is per child in primary school etc. That I get, but what I am not understanding is that in our situation we can only claim for running costs and internet usage of our computer as we don't buy txt books etc for the kids.
That is fine, but how do I work that out. I have the last 5 bills from our ISP provider, but surely I don't claim the whole cost of the internet, cause this PC is used for other stuff not just school related stuff. So how do I work out a portion. We also got rid of the bills from Optus when we used to be with them, not knowing at the time about the ETR and what was fully involved. So I have lost the first 7mths of the financial year with internet costs.
I also have two kids in primary school, so do I split the cost of what I claim between them.. I am guessing yes. But yeah my biggest issue is how do I get a figure if I am only claiming part of internet usage etc.
I don't want to go to an accountant just for a double sided form.
You can claim your whole internet costs, doesn't matter what it's used for. You should be able to get a statement from Optus so you can claim the $ that you spent with them as well. There's a list of the things you can claim on the ATO website, plus FAQ which are worthwhile checking out. If you do it over the phone, you don't need to send the receipts in unless they request them later on, so you've got a bit of time to collect those you don't have.
Did you keep the receipts from the school supplies you bought for this year (pencils, books, etc.)? That's claimable as well.
For my 2 school age kids, I claimed the whole $750 for one child on a new computer, then the other child had the remainder of the computer cost for hers, plus several months worth of internet costs to take it up to the $750 for her.
Oh I thought you could only claim part of the internet fees if it wasn't solely used for school use?.
As for the stationary, and books we dont buy it. It is all inclusive of the fees. Actually I will have to dig it out to see if it lists the cost of stationary etc independantely
I am unsure about it as well.. Dh did his tax the other day and was told he can't claim it this year?? I am almost certain thats wrong. He is going to query it..
Q30: Is there any need for apportionment of computer and internet costs if they are not used exclusively for educational purposes?
For the purposes of claiming the Education Tax Refund, no apportionment of costs is necessary
Nic - Do you claim the FTB for your kids, or is it in hubby's name. The ETR must be claimed by the person who receives the FTB, maybe that's why your hubby can't claim it?
Okay I have lodged it over the phone. I only ended up lodging for the 5mths with Adam, cause I really can't be stuffed with Optus as it may take them 6mths and they will probably charge me a fee to get the details.
Anyway I think I stuffed up our banking details with the phone lodgement. It sounded like she asked for account number so I did it and she repeated it back which was correct, then she asked for the financial institution account number and I am sitting there thinking well what did you ask for first then LOL. So I'll probably end up with a cheque rofl.
I found Kam's school fee's and stationary was listed seperately on his school fees yay, so I claimed that but Lachlan's didn't have it all listed seperately. Was just a lump sum
I thought it was really weird too. I did the calculation sheet and all you have to put is the max amount you can claim for them (In my case $375 each) and you don't seem to have to verify that? I brought a laptop for $1500 so it's more than covered, but it seems like anyone can just ring up and make a claim.
Kat, they ask first for your BSB number and then your acct number.
You can't claim in online unfortunately - that would be so much easier! There is a form on the ATO website that you can download and print, then you fill it out and either phone your lodgement in or post the form. I did mine by phone yesterday.
We only have DS in school, but with internet and his stationery and the new printer we bought, that brought us up to over the $750 mark, which means we were able to claim the full $375 refund.
You don't need to verify your claim unless they ask you to further down the track - bit like doing your tax each year, you have to keep the records for five years or so just in case they decide to check up on you. But you do have to have children of school age - they check all that up through the family assistance office, which is why only the parent who gets FTB A paid to them can claim it.
Trillian yeah that is what I thought it said BSB which I did then account number which I did then it asked for the financial institution account number LOL
We will only get back around $170, cause I only claimed for what we had receipts for just in case they asked at any time down the track. Rather be safe than sorry.
About to claim mine over the phone, how do you know exactly how much to claim per child? I have two in primary and one in secondary. With internet we pay $60 per month so how much of that do I claim. So confusing.
Not understanding the Education Tax Refund
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