$1,000 standard work-related deduction

From 1 July 2026, the ATO is introducing a $1,000 standard work-related deduction.

If a client’s deductions are $1,000 or less, they can claim it without receipts.

If they’re over $1,000, nothing changes. Records still matter. Advice still matters.

This change doesn’t make accountants redundant. It exposes where time has been wasted.

Chasing receipts for basic deductions was already low-value work. The standard deduction just draws a hard line under it.

The real opportunity for firms now is simple:

Stop spending time on what’s been standardised — and double down on what can’t be. That means:

• Occupation-specific deductions
• Structural and asset-use strategies
• Business and investment planning
• Forward-looking tax conversations, not backward compliance

This is exactly where TaxFitness fits.

TaxFitness gives accountants:

• A structured tax planning process
• Strategy databases and occupation-based insights
• Tools to identify real tax savings quickly
• A system to turn tax conversations into paid advisory work, not freebies

The $1,000 standard deduction doesn’t reduce the value of accountants. It removes the noise and makes it clearer where the value really is.

Compliance keeps you relevant. Systems and advice keep you profitable.