Eugene Vargas
Trying to decide if you should add window tinting to your home windows? There are countless advantages of having your home's windows tinted, and there are even more advantages to having it done before the end of the year.
Here are the top reasons you should get your home windows tinted before the new year:
1. The sun is at its peak.
On the summer solstice on December 22nd, the southern hemisphere experiences its longest day and shortest night of the year. As this is the longest day, it is also the one with the highest sun and the most risk of unnecessary sun exposure.
By tinting your window prior to this day, you avoid that intense sunlight and help to protect your skin.
2. Window tinting is a great way to safeguard your health in the new year.
If you are like many people, you probably make a new year's resolution about being more healthy. By investing in window tinting before the end of the year, you make this resolution easier to keep. Window films can block up to 100 percent of UV lights, the rays that are linked to skin cancer.
3. You may be able to write off the expense as a home office expense.
If you have a home office and you are tinting the windows in your office, you may be able to write off the expense as a business expense. The Australian Taxation Office allows you to write off home office expenses including repairs or improvements made to your home office.
By scheduling your window tinting before the end of the year, you incur the expense this year, and this means you can claim it against this year's income. This effectively lowers your income on paper and reduces your tax burden as a result.
4. You may be able to write off window tinting as a business expense
Tinted windows don't just have to be part of your home office deduction. Depending on the type of business you have, you may be able to claim window tinting as a general business expense. For example, if you own investment properties, you can typically write off repairs and improvements to your rental properties including window tinting.
Alternatively, if you own a commercial office building, you may also be able to write off this type of expense as a business expense.
If you cannot get your home window tinting scheduled by the end of the year, don't worry. There are still countless advantages to the practice, and if you qualify for a tax write off, you can always claim it the following year.