The most outlandish things Australians have tried to claim back on tax

A $58,000 wedding, dental work, a first birthday party, Lego, and gambling losses are among the most bizarre things Australians have tried to claim back on tax.

Karen Foat, Assistant Commissioner at the Australian Taxation Office, said the tax office had seen an increase in the value of claims filed by Australians in the ‘other deductions’ category.

“We’re seeing the full range, from people who don’t understand that they can’t claim for things that are the basic cost of living… and then at the other end of the spectrum we do have some people who are, quite frankly, pushing the envelope,” she told 3AW’s Tom Elliott.

In 2017, the total value of these claims was $1.97 billion, up from $1.74 billion in 2015.

Ms Foat said people who deliberately misled the ATO can be fined.

“If people are making a genuine mistake then we just remove the claim,” she said.

“But if people are deliberately over-claiming not only do they have to repay the tax but they can incur a penalty as well.”

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