Australian Tax FAQs

For Australian Citizens and Residents

Australian citizens and residents pay between 15% and 45% income tax on all earnings over $6000. The amount you are taxed at depends on how much you earn.

Taxback.com can minimise your tax obligations and maximise your legal tax refund. Our customers get an average tax refund of $1700 from Australia.

Our tax agent John Comino and his team in Sydney ensure all our returns are 100% compliant with Australian tax law and that we apply for the maximum legal refund possible.

Try our FREE online refund calculator today.

When can I get my tax back?

The Australian tax year is from July 1st to June 30th the following year. The 2008 tax year started on July 1st 2007 and the 2009 tax year on July 1st 2008.

2009 Australian tax refunds: If you're working in Australia since July 1st 2008 we can lodge your tax return once the tax year ends in June 2009 so download the Australian tax forms and send them in when the time comes.

If you're a resident for tax purposes and finish working in Australia before the end of the tax year in June 2009, we can file your tax return early – you'll need to send us originals of your documents so we can paper file for you. Register online to get the process underway today.

2002 – 2008 Australian tax refunds: We can lodge income tax returns for the 2002 – 2008 tax years immediately so apply for your Aussie tax refund today.

NOTE: We can still claim taxes from as far back as 1998 with special return applications so contact us on australia@taxback.com to see what we can do for you.

How do I know if I'm a resident or non-resident for tax purposes?

If you've moved to Australia on a working holiday, student, sponsorship, or any other kind of visa, you can be deemed a resident for tax purposes if you have lived in Oz continuously for at least 6 months (183 days) and have been in one job and have lived in one single place for that whole time. If you are a resident for tax purposes you need to lodge your tax return in the same way an Australian citizen would.

Download our Aussie TaxPack to apply for your tax refund today.

If you think you're a non-resident for tax purposes, visit our Australian Working Holiday, Foreign Student or Superannuation sections.

How much money will I get back?

Taxback.com gets you back as much overpaid Australian tax as legally possible. That amount depends on factors like:

• Your occupation
• Your earnings
• Your marital status
• Whether you have dependents
• Any work or study-related expenses you incurred

The average income tax refund we get for our Australian clients is AU$2500.

Try our FREE online tax refund calculator to see how much cash you could get back.

Do I have to file a tax return?

Yes. Australian tax law requires all citizens and residents to lodge an income tax return if they earn more than $6000 in the tax year.

The Australian tax year is from July 1st to June 30th of the following year and you have until October 31st to file your tax return. After this date, you could incur penalties and late fines. Let taxback.com sort out your Australian income tax return today.

What are the penalities for not filing a tax return?

If you earn more than $6000 in the tax year and do not lodge a tax return by October 31st you may be charged penalties by the Commissioner of Taxation.

The base penalty is currently $110 for every 28-day period that the tax return remains outstanding up to a maximum of $550.

If you do not owe any money to the Australian Tax Office the penalty is usually waived, unless you consistently file late each year.

Download the Australian TaxPack to get your tax affairs sorted today – better late than never.

How long will it take to receive my Australian tax refund? Where's my refund?

As soon as we have it, you'll have it because we contact you immediately when we receive your refund to organise the easiest way to get your cash to you.

You can watch the step-by-step progress of your application on your online account. It'll go something like this:

For 2004 – 2008 Australian income tax refunds:

When we get your documents it takes us just 24 hours to get your Aussie tax return ready to go. This includes:

• Reviewing your application
• Estimating your refund
• Completing your forms and support documentation
• Quality check and sign-off by our Australian accountant in our Sydney office – John Comino
• Lodging your tax return

Once at the Australian tax office your application should take about two working weeks to process, but at busy times like the end of the tax year it can take a little longer. Our tax team will keep chasing up the tax office to see how your application is going.

As soon as the tax office sends us your refund, we'll contact you to sort out the best way to get your cash straight to you.

The total estimated time for your 2008 Australian income tax return is 2-3 weeks. For earlier years it can take between 4-8 weeks.

For 2004 and earlier Australian tax refunds:

If you're lodging an income tax return for 2004 or earlier, the process for your tax return will be the same as above, but the tax office will take about 6-8 working weeks to process your application.

How does taxback.com work?

Here's how our easy three-step service works:

1. Register online or use our FREE tax refund calculator and then download the TaxPack for Australian tax returns.
2. Scan and send us your documents and signed forms. We'll estimate your refund and give you an online tracking account. If you're missing any documents we can get replacements for you.
3. Chill out while we lodge your tax return and get you the maximum possible legal refund.

Are you authorised to file my tax return?

Yes. This is because we have an Authorised Tax Agent – John Comino in our Sydney office – who is registered with the Australian Tax Agents' Board.

A person or company cannot legally charge you a fee for preparing and lodging your tax return unless they are registered with the Australian Tax Agents' Board.

John has been a registered Tax Agent for 10 years dealing with individual, partnerships, trusts, superannuation and company returns. As an Authorised Tax Agent, he is legally able to deal with the Commissioner of Taxation or the Commissioner's delegates on behalf of Australian taxpayers.

John's legal status as a tax agent also means he is able to lodge appeals or review proceedings with the Tax Department. His expertise means we can minimise your tax obligations and maximise your refund in a legal way.

John and his team in our Sydney office prepare and lodge every Australian tax return we file. They make sure all our returns are 100% compliant with Australian tax law. Our tax experts also check for any allowances or benefits you could get to make sure we apply for the maximum legal refund possible.

Having John and his team on board not only guarantees that your tax return is totally legal and compliant with Australian tax law, it also makes the process of filing your tax refund application faster and more efficient. If the tax office has any query about your return, they can contact John directly and discuss it with him straight away on his direct line.

Let John and the taxback.com team take care of your tax headaches. Apply for your Australian tax refund today.

How do I know what's happening with my tax return?

You can follow the progress of your Australia tax return on your online tracking account. It allows you to see every step of your application. As soon as we have your refund we'll contact you to sort out the best way to get your money straight to you.

Rather talk to a human being? We have staff available to talk to you in 21 taxback.com offices in 18 different countries. Click here to find your local office number or use our Live Chat.

What are the advantages of using taxback.com?

Thousands of people choose our service because:

• We get you the maximum legal refund
• FREE online refund estimations
• Every customer gets a personal online tracking account – you can follow your tax return every step of the way
• All our tax returns are legal and compliant with Australian tax law.
• Document retrieval service
• 24-hour customer support and tax refund help
• Free phone, free fax, free post, free online tax help with our live chat
• No language barriers - our services are available in: Bulgarian, Chinese, Chinese-Taiwanese, Croatian, Czech, Dutch, English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Spanish, Thai, Turkish, and Ukrainian.
• Money sent worldwide and in your local currency. You can get your refund in: Euro, US Dollars, Australian Dollars, UK Pounds, Bulgarian Lev, Lithuanian Litas, Polish Zloty, Russian Rubles, Slovak Koruna, Romanian Lei, Canadian Dollars, South African Rands, Czech Koruna, New Zealand Dollars, Latvian Lat, Ukrainian Hryvna.

How much will it cost?

First of all, our FREE Online Tax Estimation costs you nothing - just a few minutes to fill it out. We'll email your refund estimation straight to your personal email with no obligation to use our service.

For Australian tax returns for citizens we charge a flat rate of AU$99.

For Australian residents tax returns we charge 12.5% of the refund received, subject to a minimum fee of AU$150.

For mid-year early filing returns we charge 15% of the refund received, subject to a minimum fee of AU$175 + VAT.

These fees cover the costs incurred in filing a tax technical and compliant return, supported by great customer service.

I earned income overseas – do I need to declare it?

Yes. Australian citizens and residents are taxed on their worldwide income and must declare all foreign income on their Australian tax return – even if that income was taxed overseas already. This includes:

• Foreign employment income – if you've been working overseas
• Foreign income from passive investments – if you've been investing overseas
• Foreign income from active business activities – if you're doing business overseas

Because your foreign income can potentially be doubled taxed (in Australia and in the source country), Australia has a system of foreign tax credits and exemptions, and has signed tax treaties with over 40 countries to avoid this problem.

You must also declare any foreign income that is exempt from Australian tax, as it is still taken into account in the amount of tax you pay on your total income.

Can I claim on expenses or deductions?

Yes! When we file your tax return, we can claim a number of expenses and deductions to help increase your tax refund.

You may be eligible for tax deductions such as:

• Work-related expenses
• Self-education expenses such as seminars to improve your skills
• Travel expenses directly connected to your work
• Gifts and donations
• Baby bonus – which can be claimed every year until the child turns 5
• Medical expenses
• Private health insurance rebate

When lodging your tax refund application, our team of tax technicians check all your documents for any allowances or benefits you could get to ensure we apply for the maximum rebate possible.

To claim your expenses we'll need any receipts or proof of payments you have for those expenses. Make sure you send it all in to us with your other forms and documents. Any questions? - contact us on Australia@taxback.com.

I'm a student - can I claim back my course fees or course-related expenses?

Yes! If your studies relate to the job you're working in, we can claim back some of your course-related costs. For example, if you're a barman studying hospitality, we can claim back on some of your expenses. However if you're a barman studying psychology, that doesn't count.

We can claim back study-related expenses such as:

• Your course fees
• Your stationary and text books
• Your student union fees
• Repairs to education equipment such as computers
• Car expenses

To claim your course-related costs we'll need any receipts or proof of payments you have for those expenses. Make sure you send it all in to us with your other forms and documents. Any questions? - contact us on Australia@taxback.com.

What about my superannuation?

Your employer in Australia is obliged by law to pay 9% on top of your wages into a superannuation fund nominated by you. If you haven't nominated a fund, your employer will be paying it into a fund nominated by their company or the tax office.

Unfortunately, Australian and New Zealand citizens are not able to withdraw their Australian superannuation fund contributions until their retirement, even if they move to another country.

If you're not an Australian or New Zealand citizen you can claim your superannuation if you leave Australia permanently. Visit our superannuation section.

Oops - I lost my documents/Help - I never got my documents – what do I do?

We know it's easy to lose documents or to not even receive them in the first place. That's why we have a dedicated document retrieval team who deal with employers all over the world and can organise replacement documents for you.

You'll find a declaration form authorising us to do this in your Australian TaxPack, or if you no longer have it, click here to download another one.

What is a Payment Summary/Group Certificate?

To claim your Australian tax refund, we need your Payment Summary or PAYG (Pay As You Go) form. This used to be called a Group Certificate. The PAYG is the official tax form you'll get from your employer at the end of the tax year in June. It shows the amount you earned and the amount of tax you paid.

In most cases we can use your PAYG or your final payslip to claim your Aussie tax rebate.

What is a final pay slip?

A final payslip is the payslip you receive with your final pay cheque when you leave a job. It shows your total earnings and how much tax you have paid for that employer.

We can use your final payslip to get your tax back if we're filing your return at the end of the tax year - as long as it has your year-to-date earnings and tax paid. If you don't have a final payslip, our document retrieval team can organise a PAYG form for you.

Can I claim my Australian tax refund myself?

Every tax office in the world is set up to accept applications directly from taxpayers so yes, you can lodge your return yourself. The reality is though once you submit it, there's no updating process and no feedback until you get a yes or a no, which is frustrating and very worrying.

Preparing your Oz tax return will involve getting all the tax forms and trying to put all the information together properly – and it's not as easy as it looks.

The Aussie tax system is very complex and more than 70% of Australian taxpayers use local accountants - like John Comino in our Sydney office – to prepare and lodge their tax returns.

At the end of the day ask yourself -
Would I wire my own house?
The reality is no, I wouldn't. I'd use an electrician.
It's a technical professional piece of work, so I'd get a technical professional to do the job properly. I don't want to risk my house blowing up!

Our taxback.com customers rely on us as technical professionals to lodge their Australian returns and get their tax back - last year we filed over 20,000 Aussie tax returns.

Lodging your tax return yourself won't make your house explode, but it can result in lots of stress and leave you out of pocket if you miss out on refunds you're owed.

It's easier to let us put our 11 years of experience filing Aussie tax returns to good use by doing all the work for you. It makes sense to use an expert.

Just use our FREE online refund calculator to see how much tax you could get back.

Can you guarantee that I'll get the refund amount you estimated for me?

No, but we do guarantee to get you the most money back that we legally can.

Our estimate is based on your documents and our experience in filing thousands of tax returns every week since 1996. Naturally, the Australian tax authority has the final decision in your tax refund based on their systems and tax codes.

When we process your application, our team of tax technicians check all your documents for any allowances or benefits you could get to ensure we apply for the maximum rebate possible.

What's the difference between lodging my tax return and getting my tax refund?

A tax return is the annual submission of tax forms documenting your earnings, taxes paid, deductable expenses, and allowances that you send to the tax office for review. They review it according to the information submitted by your employer and the current laws that apply to your case.

If you get a tax refund, this means the tax office review found you have overpaid Australian tax and are due some back.

Our estimate of your refund is based on our prediction of what the tax office will decide when they review your tax return - providing they have the same information as us.

Use our FREE online refund estimator to see how much tax you could get back.

I've worked abroad - can you help me claim refunds from other countries?

Absolutely! We've been organising tax refunds for people working all over the world since 1996. If you've worked in any of the following countries click on them to apply for your refund!

Austria tax refund	Belgium tax refund	Canada tax refund
Denmark tax refund	Germany tax refund	Gibraltar tax refund
Guernsey tax refund	Holland tax refund	Ireland tax refund
Japan tax refund	Luxembourg tax refund	New Zealand tax refund
Norway tax refund	UK tax refund	US tax refund

Our research team is constantly developing tax return services for new markets so if you've worked in a country not mentioned above, email our team on newtaxes@taxback.com to see what we can do for you.