The EOFY Tax Checklist for Sole Traders (2026)
The moves to make before 30 June — and the ones that are too late after it
The Australian financial year ends on 30 June — and a handful of the most valuable tax moves only work if you make them before that date. Miss the window and you wait a whole year. This checklist is what to do in the weeks leading up to EOFY so you walk into your tax return having already done the smart things.
General information only, not personal tax advice. Verify current caps, thresholds and dates with the ATO (ato.gov.au) or a registered tax agent.
Before you start: get your numbers visible
You can't plan what you can't see. Reconcile your income and expenses so you know your likely profit for the year — that figure drives every decision below. (If you've been scanning receipts into TaxBot as you go, this is already done.)
The EOFY checklist
1. Bring forward deductible expenses
If you were going to buy work-related items soon anyway — software renewals, stock, consumables, repairs — purchasing before 30 June brings the deduction into this financial year. Some prepaid expenses (like prepaying certain costs up to 12 months ahead) can also be deductible now; check the prepayment rules.
2. Make your super contribution (and get the timing right)
Personal concessional super contributions can be deductible up to the annual cap. Critical timing: the money must be received by your super fund before 30 June to count this year — and clearing houses can take days. Don't leave it to the last minute, and lodge a notice of intent to claim.
3. Use the instant asset write-off
Need equipment? Buying and installing an eligible asset before 30 June can let you write it off immediately (verify the current threshold) rather than depreciating over years. Don't buy things you don't need for the tax break — but if you needed it anyway, timing matters.
4. Review and write off bad debts
If a customer genuinely won't pay and you've done what you reasonably can to recover it, writing the debt off before 30 June can be deductible (where you'd previously returned it as income).
5. Do your logbook and asset check
Is your car logbook still valid (within five years)? Have you recorded your work-from-home hours? Have you noted any assets bought or sold for depreciation/CGT?
6. Reconcile income and set tax aside
Confirm all income is captured (platforms report to the ATO, so it must match), and make sure you've set aside enough for your tax bill and any PAYG instalments.
Pro tips
- Don't spend a dollar to save 30 cents. A deduction reduces taxable income, not your bill dollar-for-dollar. Only buy what you genuinely need.
- Book your agent early. A registered tax agent's deadline is often later than 31 October, and they're a deduction too.
- Keep the evidence for everything you do this month.
Mistakes to avoid
- Leaving super to 29 June — it may not reach the fund in time.
- Forgetting income the ATO already knows about (data-matching catches this).
- Buying assets purely for the write-off when you don't need them.
How TaxBot makes EOFY calm
Because TaxBot has been capturing your income and receipts all year, EOFY isn't a scramble — your profit, your deductions and your records are already there. Run the report, see where you stand, make your last moves before 30 June, and lodge with confidence.