Magic tricks and condoms - what sole traders are (and aren't) claiming at tax time - Hnry

25 Jun 2025 1:06 PM

Media Release

Magic tricks and condoms - what sole traders are (and aren’t) claiming at tax time

 

Sydney 25 June 2025 - Lingerie, magic performances, video games and heavy-duty sound gear are just some of the expenses Australian sole traders are entitled to claim as the end of the financial year approaches - yet only just over half say they’re claiming all they’re entitled to.

 

Approximately 1.6 million Australians are sole traders - including magicians, sex workers, voice actors and music festival audio engineers. 

 

Research by Hnry - Australasia’s fastest-growing accountancy service, a digital all-in-one platform designed for sole traders - reveals that while 90 per cent claim expenses, only 58 per cent claim all they’re entitled to, meaning they’re failing to claim thousands of dollars worth of expenses. On average, Hnry customers claim around $14,000 a year in expenses.

 

Magic Mike is a magician who’s performed for the likes of Nicole Kidman and Chris Hemsworth. In 2022, he went viral after appearing on Australia’s Got Talent. Working full-time as a magician means his expenses differ from more traditional professions. 

 

"You wouldn’t believe how many decks of cards I burn through in a year. One of the best parts of being a magician is that “professional development” sometimes means watching world-class shows at places like the Sydney Opera House… all in the name of research, of course!”

 

Australia has a fast-growing number of OnlyFans creators and sex workers, who, depending on their work, can claim everything from whips and tantra workshops to stage name branding and photoshoots.  Alexis Mae is a Brisbane-based OnlyFans creator who has a range of unique expenses.

 

“The lingerie I use for filming or escorting is considered a uniform. Then there are things like condoms and lube, the things I use day-to-day. I’m also able to claim my nails and hair twice a year - anything that helps contribute to my job and income, she says.

 

Dan Moonie is an audio engineer who spends his summers at music festivals, including Esoteric and Strawberry Fields, installing sound systems and setups for some of the world’s biggest acts. He says his expenses include speakers that weigh up to 150kg.

 

“I work at anywhere between 12 and 15 festivals each year, and need everything from speakers to AV equipment and other sound equipment, which make up most of my expenses”.

 

Dan traded a full-time job in the music industry to become a sole trader during the pandemic, and while he originally used an accountant, he’s found it much easier to monitor expenses since changing to Hnry  - the service lets users upload receipts immediately, which they say reduces the need for a “mountain of receipts” to be tackled at EOFY.

 

“Claiming expenses used to be painstaking, holding onto paper receipts, but since switching to Hnry, it’s got much easier. When I pay for something, I upload receipts straight away,” he says.

 

Nina Nikolic is a voice artist, streamer, and actor who traded a full-time job in the games industry to pursue a childhood dream of performing. The voice behind WeightWatchers and Google Chrome campaigns, she has also recently voiced several characters in Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon.

 

“I need to consume a lot of media - books, games, and movies - and take singing and acting classes every week. Then there are the expenses that come from marketing myself and equipment for my home studios, which enable me to record everything from video games to commercials and audiobooks.

 

“Before Hnry, I was managing my tax return myself and struggled with how to categorise or audit my expenses. Since switching, it’s become super easy because they take care of everything, and I don't have to stress that I've missed something! I can do what I love,” she says.

 

Karan Anand, Managing Director of Hnry Australia, says the number of sole traders who say they claim all they’re entitled to dropped from 64 per cent to 58 per cent in the 12 months to March 2025

 

“Reasons for this include calculations being too complicated (23 per cent), being unsure about what they can claim (55 per cent), lost receipts (45 per cent), or can’t be bothered with the admin it takes (24 per cent). 

 

“If you’re not claiming all you’re entitled to, then you will be paying more than what you need to at tax time. No two sole traders are the same, so our message is to find out what you’re entitled to and make sure you claim it - you don’t want to be leaving anything on the table,” he says.

 

ENDS

 

About us:

About Hnry:

Hnry is the world's first digital accountant and tax automation service for sole traders, designed to make self-employment simple, affordable and stress-free. Available in the UK, Australia and NZ and processing more than $3 billion in payments each year, Hnry automatically calculates and pays taxes as you earn and takes care of invoicing and expenses with on-demand accountancy support - meaning you never have to think about tax again. Hnry is Australia’s fastest-growing accountancy service, and won the People’s Choice Award for ‘Fintech Organisation of the Year’ in 2022 and 2023. Find out more at www.hnry.com.au.

Contact details:

For further information:

Jacinda Thorn, Public Relations | +614306207616 | jacinda @thornpr.co

 

Morgan Spencer, Public Relations | +61447234419| [email protected]

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