Allowable Tax Deductions for Working from Home


🏠 1. Home Office Expenses

(Only if you have a dedicated area used exclusively for work)

  • ✅ Portion of rent or bond interest (based on square meter % of your office area)
  • ✅ Rates & taxes (property taxes, waste removal, etc.)
  • ✅ Electricity and water (proportional)
  • ✅ Internet expenses (based on business use %)
  • ✅ Cleaning costs for the office space
  • ✅ Repairs and maintenance to the home office
  • ✅ Office insurance (or a % of household insurance)

🖥️ 2. Office Equipment & Furniture

(Depreciated over time or expensed depending on cost thresholds)

  • ✅ Laptop, desktop computer
  • ✅ Printers and scanners
  • ✅ Desks, chairs, shelving
  • ✅ Monitor, mouse, keyboard, webcam
  • ✅ Lighting and ergonomic tools

Note: For SARS, items > R7,000 typically need to be capitalised and depreciated over time.

📦 3. Office Supplies (Consumables)

(Fully deductible if used for business purposes)

  • ✅ Paper, ink, pens, folders
  • ✅ Stationery and notepads
  • ✅ Printer cartridges
  • ✅ USB drives or hard drives (under capital threshold)

📞 4. Communication Costs

  • ✅ Cell phone contract or airtime (proportional use)
  • ✅ Landline (if used for work)
  • ✅ Data bundles or monthly Wi-Fi
  • ✅ Zoom, Teams, Skype premium tools

🧑‍💼 5. Professional and Business Services

  • ✅ Accounting and tax preparation fees
  • ✅ Legal advice
  • ✅ Virtual assistants or consultants
  • ✅ Subscription to business platforms (e.g., Canva Pro, Zoom Pro, Notion)

🎓 6. Training and Development

  • ✅ Online courses related to your trade (e.g., Udemy, Coursera)
  • ✅ Books and eBooks on business, finance, skills
  • ✅ Webinars or coaching programs

🚘 7. Travel Costs (If occasionally leaving home for work)

  • ✅ Mileage for business trips (logbook required)
  • ✅ Uber or Bolt for business trips
  • ✅ Fuel, tolls, parking (if vehicle is used for business)

👥 8. Marketing and Advertising

  • ✅ Website hosting, domain fees
  • ✅ Business email subscription (e.g., Google Workspace)
  • ✅ Facebook/Instagram ad spend
  • ✅ Graphic design tools
  • ✅ Social media management tools

📦 9. Product or Service Costs (if applicable)

  • ✅ Stock or inventory used for business
  • ✅ Raw materials (for makers or creatives)
  • ✅ Software licences needed to create digital products
  • ✅ Shipping supplies and packaging (if you sell physical goods)

🛠️ 10. Maintenance of Equipment

  • ✅ Repairs to your laptop, printer, or office tech
  • ✅ Servicing or support subscriptions (AppleCare, antivirus, etc.)

⚠️ Important Notes:

  • Only expenses directly related to your business activities are deductible.
  • Keep all receipts and document your usage percentages (e.g., 40% of your home is office = 40% claimable on utilities).
  • Pro-rata claims are critical — SARS, IRS, or other revenue authorities require proof of split between personal and business use.
  • You must have a dedicated work space (not your kitchen table or shared space).

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By suletta - Get Financial Savvy

Welcome to Get Financial Savvy Little did I know when I enrolled for my postgraduate qualification in Financial Planning that, within a year, I would be diagnosed with a dread disease. I almost gave up on the idea of completing the course, fearing that the added stress might worsen my multiple sclerosis. But a wise client — a professor at Groote Schuur Hospital — encouraged me to put my shoulder to the wheel and just do it. Two years later, after many relapses, I had no choice but to stop working. My neurologist was concerned about the frequency of these relapses, and as with most autoimmune conditions, stress played a major role. I stopped working at the same time the world was hit by COVID-19. At first, I didn’t feel “left out,” since everyone else was confined too. But now, five years later, I’m grateful to be in a remission phase — and ready to start a new chapter. Encouraged by my friends and family, I’ve decided to share my knowledge of financial planning and help demystify the legal and technical terms that can feel so overwhelming. My journey into the world of finance began decades ago, translating a rate book from English to Afrikaans for National Mutual — long before computers were introduced in South Africa. That experience gave me a strong foundation, teaching me the basics of every financial product word by word. Over the next 40 years, I built a career as a financial advisor, received numerous awards from various insurers, and had the privilege of working with incredible clients and dedicated administrative staff. I hope you’ll enjoy the building blocks and bits of wisdom I’ll be sharing — real-life lessons, stories, and insights gathered from a lifetime in the world of finance.

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