How small businesses use part of their home

The way you use part of your home for business will affect the expenses you can claim as deductions. Here are some very broad examples. 

There is a dedicated room set aside exclusively for business.

For example, a dressmaker who does all their work at home, with clients coming to their home for fittings. This is the dressmaker’s main place of business.

Another example is a house painter who doesn’t have dedicated business premises. They travel to their clients’ houses each day from home and they do their bookkeeping in a dedicated home office.

A dedicated space in a communal area of the home is another way part of a home is used for a small business. 

For example, Jenna has an online business and does all her work from a desk in her lounge room. 

Sometimes there is no dedicated space set aside for business.

For example, a plumber who doesn’t have dedicated business premises. They travel to their clients’ houses each day from home and do their bookkeeping on the sofa or at the kitchen table.

Claiming deductions for your home-based business

Steps Progress

What is a home-based business?

3 mins

Types of expenses

7 mins

Calculating running expenses

10 mins

Calculating occupancy expenses

3 mins

How your business structure affects your deductions

3 mins

Case studies: home-based business

5 mins

Home-based business deductions records

1 mins

Related courses

1 mins

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