FIFO incomes are above average — make yours work harder. Budgeting, investing, super and financial planning for roster workers.
Boots, hi-vis and safety gear feel like obvious deductions, but the ATO has strict rules that trip up thousands of site workers every year. Here's exactly what you can and can't claim before the October 31 deadline.
If you're staring down the October 31 tax deadline mid-swing with zero paperwork sorted, there's a legal way to buy yourself until May. Here's exactly how it works and who qualifies.
The ATO has flagged specific FIFO claims for extra scrutiny in 2026. Here's what could get your return pulled aside and how to claim it correctly the first time.
If you work in a remote zone you could be leaving hundreds of dollars on the table every year without knowing it exists. Here's how to check if you qualify before your return goes in.
Most FIFO workers assume their flights and travel days are automatically tax deductible. The ATO disagrees, and getting this wrong could mean an audit instead of a refund.
If you still haven't done your 2026 tax return, the clock is closer to running out than you think. Here's exactly what happens if you miss it and how to avoid the penalty.
The strike is ending and back pay is coming. Here's the order you should actually pay things back in so you don't waste it.
That big back pay cheque might push you into a higher tax bracket and leave you owing the ATO instead of getting money back. Here's how to work out what you'll actually keep.
If your refund landed this week, where you put it first could decide whether you keep your car. Here's the order that actually protects you.
If your credit card balance is creeping up and the strike still hasn't ended, there's a formal process to freeze or reduce repayments before it hits your credit file.
Handing back the keys doesn't always clear the debt. If the bank sells your car for less than you owe, you can still be chased for the difference.
Voluntary surrender sounds like giving up, but for some FIFO workers still off the roster it's the cheaper option. Here's the actual math before you decide.
Missing a car payment is one thing, but there is a formal process to freeze or reduce repayments before it wrecks your credit. Here is exactly how to use it while you are off the roster.
Missing one premium payment can void your cover completely, and if you're in an accident while lapsed you could be personally liable for the full cost of repairs or a write-off.
Missed strike pay doesn't stop your Afterpay and Zip repayments from hitting your account. Here's what actually happens when those small weekly debts start stacking up on no income.
Missed a personal loan repayment while you're off the roster? Here's exactly what your lender can and can't do next, and how fast it escalates.
Every week without a paycheck pushes more expenses onto plastic, and the interest doesn't stop just because your roster did. Here's how fast a manageable balance turns into a serious problem.
If your car is a novated lease through payroll, no pay doesn't just mean no wages, it means the lease payments and tax benefits you're counting on can unravel fast. Here's what actually happens to the paperwork most FIFO workers never read.
Weeks off the roster mean less taxable income this year, and that changes your compulsory HECS repayment. Here's what actually shifts on your tax return and what still keeps growing in the background.
If you've been off the roster for weeks this year, your tax return is about to look very different. Here's what a lower income year actually means for your refund.
If a creditor took you to court while you were off the roster, your first pay cheque back could already have a chunk missing. Here's how garnishee orders actually work on FIFO wages.
Utes, boats, jet skis and tools are hitting Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree as strike pay runs dry. Here's what FIFO workers are quietly offloading just to make it to next payday.
When missed payments turn into a bankruptcy notice, the fallout doesn't stop at your bank account. Here's what it actually does to your mine site job and site access.
If your car, phone or credit card payment is now 30-plus days late, the calls have probably already started. Here's what debt collectors can and can't do while you're off the roster.