Many of those in business will incur expenditure that blurs the lines between business and private such as needing reading glasses when working at an office-based job or requiring treatment for a bad back when working a physical job. In this article we explore the factors contributing to what makes health expenditure deductible or private.
The main concept is that maintaining health and wellbeing is a private expense, it is part of being a human being. So generally, when there is expenditure relating to the body, the expenditure is considered private, however there are some exemptions.
Factors that affect your health include genetics, lifestyle and age. If expenditure arises from these factors, then the expenditure will be considered non-deductible.
To claim a deduction, you need to be able to show sufficient nexus (connection) to the income earning process.
Insufficient nexus:
“I couldn’t do my job without this aid or treatment”
“If I didn’t work, I wouldn’t need this aid or treatment”
eg. carpal tunnel or bad backs, “If I wasn’t a milking cows, I wouldn’t have carpal tunnel” or “If I wasn’t a builder, I wouldn’t have a bad back”
Both the above examples are not enough to justify claiming a deduction as not everybody that is milking cows gets carpal tunnel, and not everybody that is a builder gets a bad back
Sufficient nexus:
“Would everyone doing that job need that treatment/aid”
eg. safety glasses for a welder, it doesn’t matter how old or healthy you are, you are going to need safety glasses for welding (this is because genetics, lifestyle and age don’t have an impact)
Basis for the rules:
All expenditure must have nexus (ie. connection) to earning income
If you are self-employed (ie. sole trader or partnership) then we must consider if there is a private limitation that applies
If you are a shareholder employee of a company, then we must consider the fringe benefit tax rules
Health and Safety exemption:
Expenditure related to an employee’s health and safety and that is aimed at hazard management in the workplace is deductible
Deductible examples:
Eye tests
Hearing tests
Flu shots
Non-deductible examples:
Gym memberships
Medical specialists or operations for work related ailments eg. Carpal tunnel (as not everyone needs this treatment)
Case examples:
Claiming hearing aids as deafness was exacerbated by a loud workplace and was dangerous without the hearing aids = no deduction allowed as person was already slightly deaf (genetic factor) and not everyone at the workplace required hearing aids
Noise cancelling headphones that are required for a noisy workplace (ie. in place of ordinary earmuffs) AND needed the blue tooth functionality to answer work phone calls AND not used off site = full deduction allowed. If also used at home, then need to consider the private element so most likely 50% deductible
Key points:
Expenditure relating to the body is generally considered private as maintaining health and wellbeing is part of being a human being
To claim a deduction, you need to be able to show sufficient nexus (connection) to the income earning process.
Deductible = Would everyone doing that job need that treatment/aid
Just because the expenditure arose from a work-related ailment doesn’t make it deductible as not everyone suffers from that ailment when doing that job
This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction.
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