Job Discussion Forums

[cafebleu]

Since my time in Japan I have always spent money on buying English magazines to use for articles in class. I have never been reimbursed by any employers for this. Now I don`t work for one employer but a few. Can I take my receipts with my tax form to the tax office and ask for a deduction for this honestly work related expense?

[PAULH]

cafebleu

unless you own your own language school, you are self-employed and the magazines come under a business-related expense, you will have a hard time claiming them as a tax deduction, if you are merely an employee of your company. If you work for a school and they come out of your own pocket its unlikely you will be able to claim it an an expense (though you can claim things like health and life insurance payments and spouse deductions).

The school you work for can claim various school-related expenses such as rent and phone, equipment etc, but not you.

[PAULH]

I might add that if you want to claim expenses you would have to incorporate yourself with the tax office as a self-employed independent 'hired-gun' hiring out your services, than a regular part-time employee on a fixed income. That opens up a whole new can of worms re paying your own taxes, contracts, salary, insurance etc if you are consider yourself a sub-contractor, though.