Salary Sacrificing a Mobile Phone - Substantiating Data Usage?

Lfleetfeather on 04/07/2018 - 00:09

Hi everyone,

I have been looking into the possibility of Salary Sacrificing a Mobile Phone. I use my device primarily for work purposes.

It's my understanding that, generally, you need to provide proof that whatever you want to salary sacrifice is being used for work purposes. With a car, it seems fairly straight forward - you'd likely provide a log book of work trips over a month long period or something…

What would I do for a mobile phone though? Particularly because most of my mobile phone use (for work) is data usage for monitoring multiple email inboxes and replying to emails from work stakeholders, rather than making phone calls. My mobile phone bill doesn't break down usage on data particularly specifically.

Financial

Comments

  • Davo1111 on 04/07/2018 - 00:30

    why doesnt work provide a good phone?

    • fleetfeather on 04/07/2018 - 12:16

      probably wouldnt be a practical program for my employer

  • DaveD on 04/07/2018 - 06:41
    +1

    Use different number for your personal use for typical month or 2( hope you have 2 handset), and take average across 12 months.

  • Gandalf the Thrifty on 04/07/2018 - 08:27
    +2

    Think you are mixing up salary sacrifice and tax deductions.

    Your car example is for claiming tax deductions against using personal car for work, where need log book. And similar rules for claiming phone use at tax time.

    If I salary sacrifice a car then can do what ever want with it eg 100% personal use. Not sure I can sacrifice a phone, think my employer needs to provide statement that need it for work.

    • fleetfeather on 04/07/2018 - 12:20

      Ah, could be mixing up my example there then. But okay, so maybe showing substantiation for a mobile phone simply requires a statement. That could work

  • ShortyX on 04/07/2018 - 09:52
    +1

    I've salary sacrificed a phone and laptop before. You don't need to substantiate anything after you purchase - you simply need to declare when you get it (via employer or third party salary sacrifice company) that it will be used for primarily work purposes.

    • fleetfeather on 04/07/2018 - 12:21

      Interesting. I was going to go via third party salary sacrifice company, but they seem keen on you providing some sort of substantiation - particularly for digital electronics purchases. Is the substantiation simply a written declaration by yourself?

      • ShortyX on 04/07/2018 - 12:25
        +1

        It was just a condition on the form from the third party that the item being claimed is primarily for work purposes. It required my signature and a signature from my manager.

        • fleetfeather on 04/07/2018 - 14:34

          If you don't mind me asking, which third party did you go with?

        • ShortyX on 04/07/2018 - 14:42
          +1

          @fleetfeather: Just sent you a PM.

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