It is the first week of June and that means tax time is just around the corner, and the good news is that there are still some things you can do right now with your accountant to get tax time ready.

"Getting ready for the end of the financial year is one of the things that gets harder and worse, the longer you leave it," Susan Franks, CA ANZ Senior Tax Advocate said.

"It is also one of the things with a near immediate benefit. There are things that you can do this month, that will benefit you next month. A bit of honest and immediate effort will go a long way.”

So here are six tax time tips to get ahead of your taxes this year.

1. Start to make a record of when you worked from home this year

“If you are one of the many Australians who have been working from home this year, the good news is that the ATO has extended the simplified method of claiming work from home expenses,” Franks said.

“You can claim 80 cents per hour for each hour you work from home and this method covers phone and internet costs, gas and electricity costs and the depreciation of office furniture. You cannot make a separate deduction for these costs.

“If you have a large expense, such as buying a new computer or office chair and your employer has not reimbursed this cost, you may be entitled to a larger deduction if you are prepared to spend some extra time documenting all your working from home expenses rather than using the 80C per hour short cut method.

“If you are using this method to claim work from home expenses you will need to be able to produce a record of your hours worked from home, such as timesheets or a diary.

“Be aware that ATO is on the lookout for anyone trying to claim work from home expenses, but in the same return are making lots of claims for travel and uniform expenses.

2. Now is the best time to give to a charity

“With the end of the financial year right around the corner, the next 30 days is the best time to squeeze in those last couple of donations to your favourite charity,” Franks said.

“Not only are you helping out great causes, but it feels good, it can boost your mental health, and you can claim the donation in your next tax return to give it a real boost.

“A word of warning though – you need to make sure that the donation was to a registered charity. Donations for example, through crowd-funding sites, are often not tax deductible.

3. Put money into your own superannuation account

“A little-known feature of the tax system is that in many cases you can often voluntarily send extra money to your superannuation, then claim a tax deduction for the difference.

“For example, if you earn the average wage of about $89,000 in Australia, you are paying 32.5 cents in tax for most of the dollars you earn. For most people however, superannuation is only taxed at 15 per cent.

“Depending on your circumstances, what this means is that for each dollar you voluntarily put in super, above the amount paid by your employer, you will be able to claim a deduction of 17.5 cents.

“This is a highly tax effective investment in your own comfortable retirement, with benefits both now and in the long term!

“There are several conditions which need to be met and forms which may need to be completed, which your Chartered Accountant can help you with.

4. Make a tax-deductible purchase

“If there is a tax-deductible purchase like a course you have been thinking of, or a purchase of some home office furniture, now is a great time to do it,” Franks said.

“Similarly, if there is a legitimate tax-deductible purchase that you know is coming up in August or September, considering pre-paying and that way you can claim the deduction sooner.

“Be aware that if you are claiming for a course, it needs to be related to your job now – not a job you would like to get in the future and that you cannot claim a deduction for the proportion . Your accountant can hep you navigate the rules.

5. Organise the rest of your paperwork now

“The ATO can call on you to provide receipts and evidence up to five years from the date you’ve lodged a claim. Just don’t forget the golden rule - if you can’t prove it, don’t claim it,” Franks said.

“Make an early start on getting your tax records and paperwork in order. It’ll take the stress out of tax time after the end of the financial year (and your accountant will thank you).

“Documents to start herding together include proof of work related expenses, bank interest statements, and rental property income, to name a few.

Franks also has a word of warning. The ATO has already flagged heavier scrutiny and penalties for ‘copy/pasting’ claims.

“While the ATO is sympathetic to genuine and legitimate mistakes, anyone deliberating claiming things they are not entitled to will have to suffer the penalties.

“Get your paperwork in order to get yourself in the best position.

6. Ask for help from your local chartered accountant

“No one expects you to be an accounting expert (that is, after all, our job), particularly if your work situation has changed, so talk to your local Chartered Accountant and get professional advice before tax time.

“Although it can sometimes be an added (tax deductible) expense, it could end up saving you more in the long run by ensuring you are being taxed correctly and are providing the right information to the tax office.

“Let us help you to get your tax right.”