Platform fees

Allowable Expense?

Risk level?

Allowable 🟢

Low risk 😃

Summary

Charges by third party websites that list your product for sale and/or connect you to customers can be claimed as expenses in your tax return.

Detail

Many platforms will deduct their fees from your total income before they transfer your earnings to you. You should include the total amount of your income earned (that's the figure before any fees are deducted) in your tax return.

If you only report the earnings from the platform after these deductions (rather than your total income), you cannot expense these platform fees again.

Examples of platforms charging fees that can be expensed: Etsy, eBay, UpWork and StockX.

These expenses might be relevant too

Website

The various costs that are incurred when you set up and run a website for your business can be claimed as expenses (e.g., hosting costs and domain name costs).

Allowable?

Risk level?

Allowable 🟢

Low risk 😃

Utilities

If you have separate business premises, you can claim the full cost of utilities for that space. If you work from home, you may expense a portion of your bills.

Allowable?

Risk level?

Possibly 🟡

Low risk 😃

Travel

Expenses you incur when you travel for business can normally be expensed if you're a sole trader. This does not include costs of travel between home and work.

Allowable?

Risk level?

Allowable 🟢

Low risk 😃