Home Office Tax Hacks: What NZ Business Owners Should Know

Home Office Tax Hacks: What NZ Business Owners Should Know

Running your business from home? Whether you’ve carved out a corner of your kitchen or have a fully set up spare-room office, you might be able to claim more than you think this tax year.

As we inch closer to EOFY in NZ, now’s the time to make sure you're making the most of your home office setup.

⁉️ What Can I Claim if I Work From Home?

If part of your home is used for business, you can claim a portion of your household expenses in your tax return. The percentage you can claim is usually based on how much of your home (by floor area) is used for work.

Here are some common claimable expenses:

• Power and internet

• Rent or mortgage interest

• Rates (council)

• Home and contents insurance

• Cleaning

• Repairs and maintenance (related to the office area)

• Depreciation on office furniture and equipment

👉 Important: If you’re a sole trader or partnership, you claim these directly on your return. If you're a company, your business can reimburse you personally instead.

💬 Quick Tips for Claiming

📌 Know your floor space – Measure your office and compare it to your total home area to get your % use.

📌 Keep receipts and records – Just in case IRD ever asks to verify your claim.

📌 Don’t claim private use – If the space is used for both business and personal reasons, you may need to reduce your claim accordingly.

📌 Use a separate space if possible – Having a dedicated area strengthens your claim and keeps things tidy.

Download Our Free NZ Home Office Calculator

Not sure where to start? We’ve made it easy with a free spreadsheet that calculates your home office claim based on floor area and annual expenses.

👉 Click here to download the calculator

It’s pre-loaded with:

• Editable categories (power, rent, internet, etc.)

• A % calculator to figure out how much of your home is your office

• Totals to help you plug figures straight into your tax return (or send to your accountant!)

  
  

Not Sure What to Claim? We Can Help.

We work with small business owners across New Zealand, helping them sort through expenses, get clear on GST, and file with confidence. If you’re not sure what applies to your setup or want us to handle it all, let’s chat.

Book a free call and we’ll help you take care of it.

Download Your Free NZ Home Office Calculator

Let tax time be less confusing – and maybe even a little rewarding.