Tips for maximising your tax refund

As much as possible, keep your payslips from your jobs, and when leaving work ask your employer for your payment summary, or ensure they have the correct contact details for you to send yours out at the end of the tax year. Keep records of any other income you have earned – see our Tax Return Checklist.

The maximum amount of expenses you can claim without receipts is $300. It’s a shame to miss out on what you are entitled to claim because you haven’t kept your receipt. We recommend you take a picture on your phone of your receipts as you get them, and e-mail them to yourself to keep in a separate folder. This is especially important for those annoying heat-sensitive paper receipts that magically go invisible over time, or for people who tend to put their receipts through the wash… 🙂

We deal with a lot of people who feel disappointed by other tax agents, either because they have paid a really large fee or have signed up for something without fully understanding so. Shop around to ensure you are getting a good deal, and a personal recommendation is always the best!

This year, you’ll need separate payment summaries for your work before, and after the 1st Jan 2017. The rules around the tax treatment of Working Holiday Makers changed on this date, and so your income is taxed differently. If you have worked in one job spanning over this date, they will need to issue you with two payment summaries. Click here for more information

You should lodge your tax returns on time each year to comply with ATO deadlines and to avoid late lodgment penalties. If you have overdue returns however, we can help.