Login
iscover
Fresh figures from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) show more than 2.7 million returns have been lodged by NSW residents.
Newsletter
NSW ‘leading the charge’ in lodged tax returns: ATO
30 October 2020
•
9 minute read
As at 29 October, the ATO said the state was “leading the charge” with the 2.7 million returns lodged, followed by Victoria at 2.1 million and Queensland at 1.8 million. The lodged returns have seen more than $19.5 billion refunded so far.
You’re out of free articles for this month
To continue reading the rest of this article, please log in.
Create free account to get unlimited news articles and more!
With many still yet to file, assistant commissioner Karen Foat encouraged Australians to either lodge their tax return or register with a tax agent before 31 October.
“We are noticing some people are yet to lodge. If you plan to lodge with a tax agent, you may have a later lodgement date, but it’s important to contact your agent and get on their books now. If you are putting off your taxes because of a potential debt, don’t worry. Contact us if you need help to understand what support options may be available,” Ms Foat said
“You still need to lodge your tax returns on time if you can, even if you can’t pay by the due date. This will show us that you’re aware of your obligations and doing your best to meet them. Once we understand your situation, we can discuss whether a deferral or a payment plan is best for you.”
Ms Foat noted the average lodgement through the ATO’s myTAX service takes under 30 minutes.
“While much of your information will already be in your return, we recommend taking the extra minute to get your return right,” she said.
“Things like not updating bank account details, forgetting to include all income, or claiming deductions you are not entitled to can result in your refund being delayed.
“We’ve also been asking people to be aware of how their work-related expenses might be different this year. Of course, as expected, we’ve seen more people than ever make claims for working-from-home expenses. Unfortunately, we are seeing a small number of people not taking care to adjust their claims to their altered circumstances or making claims without sufficient evidence. Not being able to support your claim, if asked, may delay your refund and result in a penalty in the most serious cases.”
You need to be a member to post comments. Become a member for free today!
