Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland
Tax Accountant in Coolum Beach
The uniform, the washing and the receipts the ATO now wants
Individual tax returns and deductions for Coolum Beach workers, and super deductions for sole traders, from a CPA practice.
The suburb's name comes from gulum or kulum, an Indigenous word for the shape of Mount Coolum. Among the 9,152 people living in Coolum Beach in 2021, the largest industries of employment were hospitals at 4.2%, cafes and restaurants at 3.5%, and primary education and residential aged care at 2.9% each, and 36.8% of the labour force worked part-time.
Coolum Beach at work
The 2021 Census for the suburb.
Coolum State School had 1,025 students in 2018 and Coolum State High School 1,092. The median age of residents in 2021 was 45, and 17.5% of employed residents worked at home.
Three questions at tax time
Which work clothes can be claimed
Why it happens
A nurse, chef, aged care worker or cafe employee buys clothing for work and washes it at home.
Why it matters
Clothing can be claimed only if it is occupation-specific, protective, a compulsory uniform or a registered non-compulsory uniform. Plain conventional clothing doesn't qualify, and neither does anything the employer pays for or reimburses.
How we help
Filing your tax return should feel straightforward and accurate. Check whether your employer's uniform is compulsory or registered before you claim it.
Laundry, and the change from 2026-27
Why it happens
Uniforms are washed at home, often with other clothes.
Why it matters
The ATO accepts $1 per load of work clothing only and 50 cents per mixed load. Up to 2025-26, laundry of $150 or less could be claimed without written evidence. From 2026-27, written evidence is needed for all clothing, laundry, repair and dry-cleaning claims; on the per-load basis, that means a record of the number of washes and whether each load was full or mixed.
How we help
That may include record keeping habits, timing of deductions, treatment of capital gains, and managing private health and HELP considerations. Start a simple wash log on your phone from 1 July.
Sole traders and personal super contributions
Why it happens
A sole trader has no employer paying super and puts money into super personally.
Why it matters
To claim a deduction for personal super contributions, you send a notice of intent to your super fund, not the ATO, and receive the fund's acknowledgement before claiming. The notice must reach the fund by the earlier of the day you lodge your return for that year and the end of the following income year. You can wait for the acknowledgement or lodge without the deduction and amend later.
How we help
Keep the notice and the fund's acknowledgement with your tax records.
Frequently asked questions
Can I claim my uniform as a Coolum Beach hospitality worker?
Yes, if it is a compulsory uniform, a registered non-compulsory uniform, or occupation-specific or protective clothing, and your employer didn't pay for it. Plain everyday clothing can't be claimed.
How much can I claim for washing my uniform?
$1 per load of work clothing only, or 50 cents per mixed load. From 2026-27 you need a record of the number of loads.
Do I need a notice of intent to claim my super contributions?
Yes. The fund must receive it, and you must receive its acknowledgement, before you claim the deduction.
Where to next
Have a question?
Before you lodge
Maximise your refund, simplify your annual tax obligations.
Lomandra Accounting is a CPA Practice, registered with the Tax Practitioners Board and an SMSF Specialist. Emma, the Director, is a Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA) with extensive experience in commercial business management, and specialises in Self-Managed Super Funds (SMSFs).
- 07 5234 9201
- admin@lomandraa.com.au
- Sunshine Coast, QLD
- Monday to Friday, 9am to 4:30pm