Individual tax return checklist for the 2025-26 tax year
For a 2025-26 individual tax return, gather income statements, bank, dividend and distribution details, rental and capital gains records, and evidence for deductions. Working from home under the fixed rate method is 70 cents per work hour and car expenses under the cents per km method are 88 cents per km, capped at 5,000 km.
This checklist is for an individual's income tax return for the 2025-26 tax year, the year from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026. Send it to clients before their appointment so the documents arrive in one go.
How to use it
Tick what applies, gather the paperwork, and send it through with any questions noted beside the item. Leave anything that does not apply. Most employment income, bank interest and private health details are prefilled by the ATO, so the list focuses on what the ATO cannot see.
About you
Income
Rental property
Capital gains, including crypto
Work-related deductions
Working from home
For 2025-26 the ATO's fixed rate method is 70 cents per work hour. It covers internet and data, phone usage, electricity and gas, and stationery and computer consumables, so those cannot also be claimed separately. (ATO fixed rate method)
Car expenses
The cents per kilometre rate for 2025-26 is 88 cents per work kilometre, capped at 5,000 kilometres per car. (ATO D1 Work-related car expenses 2026)
Other work expenses
Other deductions
Offsets, levies and loans
Keep your records
In most cases the ATO asks you to keep working from home records for 5 years from the date you lodge your return. (ATO fixed rate method)
Related: new client checklist and client request message templates.
Questions
What is the working from home fixed rate for 2025-26?
The ATO lists 70 cents per work hour for 2025-26. You need a record of actual hours worked from home for the whole year and at least one bill for each expense the rate covers.
What is the cents per kilometre rate for 2025-26?
88 cents per work-related kilometre, up to 5,000 kilometres per car. You need records showing how you worked out the work kilometres.
Can I estimate my hours worked from home?
No. The ATO says an estimate of hours will not be accepted under the fixed rate method. Keep a timesheet, roster or diary as you go.
Do I need to report crypto swaps?
The ATO says swapping one crypto asset for another is a disposal, so a CGT event happens to the original asset. Bring the full transaction history for every wallet and exchange so the gain or loss can be worked out.
How long should I keep my records?
In most cases, 5 years from the date you lodge your tax return.
Sources
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