28/04/2026
🚗 Don't Leave Your Tax Refund to Chance! Why a Logbook is Your Best Friend 📈
Tax time might feel far away, but if you use your car for work, the best time to start your logbook is right now.
If you use the "Logbook Method" for your motor vehicle expenses, you could be looking at a significantly higher deduction compared to the "Cents per Kilometre" method. But without a valid logbook, the ATO can simply knock back your claim.
Why bother?
✅ Maximize the claim: Claim the actual percentage of the car's running costs—including fuel, insurance, registration, repairs, and even depreciation.
✅ Proof for the ATO: A valid logbook serves as essential documentation to support claims in the event of a tax review or audit.
✅ Efficiency: A continuous logbook usually only needs to be kept for 12 weeks, and it is generally valid for 5 years unless driving patterns change significantly.
What needs to be recorded?
📍 Date of the journey
📍 Odometer readings at the start and end
📍 Total kilometres travelled
📍 The purpose of the trip (e.g., "Client meeting in Parramatta")
Pro-Tip: Consider moving away from paper books in the glovebox. Many mobile applications use GPS to track trips automatically, making the process much easier. 📱
Is the "Cents per Km" method preferred, or is the logbook method the standard choice? Share thoughts in the comments! 👇
