In an online update, the ATO said it will soon issue a weekly tax return status email that will provide information on the actions the Tax Office is taking in processing clients’ tax returns.
“This new email will eventually replace the current 30-day delayed report, but initially you may receive both,” the ATO said.
“Your clients will first appear on the tax return status report 10 days after lodgement, and their return’s status will be included in the email each week until we finish processing their returns.”
The new email will provide details about what might be causing processing delays, including bankruptcies and debt agreements; clients’ relationships to other entities (such as directors, trustees or partnerships); current or non-pursued debts with the Tax Office or other government agencies, such as Centrelink; and if the ATO needs to review multiple lodgements or amendments, or manually verify information within a tax return.
Agents using the new online services for agents will also be able to check the progress of their clients’ tax returns at any time.
However, as multiple actions may be underway as the Tax Office processes a client’s tax return, the status and outcome appearing in online services for agents may differ to the details reported in the tax return status email.
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Jotham Lian
Jotham Lian is the editor of Accountants Daily, the leading source of breaking news, analysis and insight for Australian accounting professionals.
Before joining the team in 2017, Jotham wrote for a range of national mastheads including the Sydney Morning Herald, and Channel NewsAsia.
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