ATO: Need a Helping Hand this Tax Time?
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is continuing to provide dedicated support to taxpayers this tax time.
Assistant Commissioner Tim Loh acknowledged that for some, tax can seem overwhelming.
‘The ATO is here to help with the support you need to get it right this tax time.’
Tax Help
The Tax Help program is a free and confidential service open to people who earn $60,000 or less each year and have simple tax affairs.
‘Our ATO-trained volunteers are there to walk you through all stages of your tax return – from creating a myGov account, to navigating lodging through myTax, letting us know if you don’t need to lodge, and even how to lodge an amendment if you’ve made a mistake. They can also help you find any superannuation you may have forgotten you had,’ Mr Loh said.
The Tax Help program also supports First Nations people and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, providing support and assistance in many community languages.
The program is available now until the end of October. More information about Tax Help is available at ato.gov.au/TaxHelp
Tax Clinics
Taxpayers who are not eligible for Tax Help may be able to access the National Tax Clinic program, a government-funded initiative to help those who may not be able to afford professional advice and representation with their tax affairs.
The tax clinic program is available to eligible individuals, small businesses, not-for-profit organisations and charities.
More information is available at ato.gov.au/TaxClinic.
Support for First Nations people
The ATO’s Indigenous helpline provides specialised tax and super assistance, tailored to meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The ATO Indigenous helpline staff can answer questions on a range of topics, including what to do if you:
- run a business
- have a second job
- received income from the gig economy
- received an education scholarship or bursary
- received a government payment
In addition to the Indigenous Helpline, the ATO has several programs on offer to make managing tax and super affairs simpler. Assistance can also be provided online or by phone so even those living in rural or remote locations can access the service.
‘We want Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to feel confident in managing their tax and super affairs and know that they can come to us for assistance at any time of the year. If you have a registered tax agent or BAS agent, we can work with them to manage your affairs.’ Mr Loh said.
The Indigenous Helpline is available on 13 10 30 on Monday to Friday between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm excluding public holidays.
Assistance for culturally and linguistically diverse taxpayers
We have translated information to help people understand tax and superannuation in Australia in their preferred language.
‘To help the community prepare and lodge tax returns, we have resources and guides available in over 20 languages. These include information to help you know if you need to lodge, how to lodge, and what deductions you may be able to claim.’ Mr Loh said.
These resources are available at ato.gov.au/TaxTimeResources.
Self-help options
The ATO also provides digital tools, including myTax, the ATO app, and online services for individuals, businesses, tax agents which can be used to resolve a range of queries and perform specific actions on accounts.
‘The other great resource worth checking out is ATO Community – our online peer to peer discussion platform that allows members of the community to ask and share information about tax and super issues with other community members. With more than 122,000 members involved and over 235,000 posts, it’s likely your query has already been answered,’ Mr Loh said.
Source: ATO