Investment-related deductions.
If you earn interest, dividends, distributions or rental income, you probably have deductible costs sitting alongside them. These are often overlooked because they don't come off your salary — but they still reduce the tax you pay.
The general principle
You can generally claim expenses you incurred to earn assessable investment income — as long as they aren't private, capital or specifically excluded. As with work expenses, if a cost has both an investment and a personal side, you can only claim the investment portion.
Interest and dividend investors
- Interest on money borrowed to buy income-producing investments
- Ongoing investment platform, brokerage and account fees
- Investment newsletters, research subscriptions and journals
- Portion of internet and phone used to manage investments
- Depreciation on assets used to manage investments (e.g. a computer)
Brokerage and stamp duty on the purchase and sale of shares generally form part of the capital gains calculation rather than an income deduction — but Night Tax handles that for you.
Rental property owners
- Interest on the loan used to buy the property
- Council rates, water rates and land tax
- Property management fees and advertising for tenants
- Repairs and maintenance (but not initial repairs or improvements)
- Landlord insurance
- Depreciation on the building and eligible plant & equipment
Owners of newer properties often miss thousands in depreciation deductions each year. A quantity surveyor's report is usually a one-off cost that pays for itself many times over.
Managed funds and ETFs
Fund management fees paid directly by you (not those already netted off within the fund) can generally be claimed. Night Tax reads the details on your annual tax statement and slots them into the right places.
How Night Tax finds these deductions
When you tell Night Tax you have shares, ETFs, managed funds, crypto or a rental property, the AI opens a targeted set of prompts for that investment type. Your registered tax agent then reviews the full picture before lodgement.
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Night Tax always applies ATO rules on substantiation and compliance. AI suggestions are reviewed by a registered tax agent before lodgement.