The Kalculators Answer Frequently Asked Questions

For electronically lodged tax returns (via myTax or through a registered tax agent), the ATO typically issues a Notice of Assessment within two weeks of lodgment. Refunds are deposited to your nominated bank account within one to two business days of the assessment being issued. Most returns lodged in late July or August are fully processed by mid-August.

Paper returns take significantly longer: 6 to 10 weeks. If your return is selected for additional review by the ATO, processing may take longer and the ATO will contact you directly. Lodging electronically and ensuring all your pre-fill data is correct before submitting are the two most effective ways to avoid delays.

You must lodge a tax return if: (1) your taxable income was more than $18,200 (the tax-free threshold for full-year Australian residents); OR (2) any tax was withheld from your income during the year. Even if your income was below $18,200, you should still lodge if tax was withheld, as this is how you claim that withheld tax back as a refund.

If you are not required to lodge, notify the ATO by submitting a non-lodgment advice through myGov. Different rules apply to foreign residents (who have no tax-free threshold) and part-year residents. See our full guide to who needs to lodge for all circumstances.

Tax season opens on 1 July each year, as soon as the income year ends on 30 June. However, the ATO recommends waiting until late July before lodging, because employers have until 14 July to finalise their STP data, and bank interest pre-fill data from financial institutions typically does not appear in myTax until August.

The deadline for self-lodging via myTax is 31 October. Clients of registered tax agents receive an extended deadline of up to 15 May the following year, provided they register with the agent before 31 October. See our early tax lodgment guide for the full timing advice.

Failing to lodge a tax return when you are required to triggers the ATO’s Failure to Lodge (FTL) penalty: $330 for each 28-day period the return is overdue, up to a maximum of $1,650 for individuals. Penalties apply separately for each outstanding return, so multiple overdue years accumulate independently.

Any unpaid tax also accrues the General Interest Charge (GIC) from the original due date. If you have outstanding returns, contact a registered tax agent immediately. Voluntarily lodging before the ATO contacts you typically results in reduced or waived penalties.

You can claim deductions for expenses directly related to earning your income that you have paid yourself and have not been reimbursed for. Common deductions include: vehicle expenses (88 cents per km for 2024-25 and 2025-26, max 5,000 km); working from home (70 cents per hour under the fixed rate method); occupation-specific clothing; self-education expenses related to your current job; tools and equipment; professional memberships; income protection insurance; and investment loan interest.

You must have written evidence (receipts, invoices) for claims where your total work-related deductions exceed $300. The ATO’s three golden rules: you must have spent the money yourself, not been reimbursed, and the expense must be directly related to earning income. See our complete tax return guide for a full deduction breakdown.

The amount you receive as a refund depends on how much tax was withheld from your income during the year versus your actual tax liability after applying all deductions and offsets. For most PAYG employees who claim standard work-related deductions, refunds of $300 to $3,000 are common. Significant deductions (rental property losses, capital losses, large work-related expenses) can produce larger refunds.

The ATO also automatically applies tax offsets, including the Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) of up to $700 for incomes up to $37,500, and the Low Income Superannuation Tax Offset (LISTO) for low-income earners with super contributions. If you believe you have been withholding too much or too little tax from your wages, your employer can adjust your withholding via a PAYG variation.

You must register for GST if your business’s current or projected annual GST turnover reaches $75,000 (or $150,000 for non-profit organisations). Turnover means your gross income before expenses, not your profit. Once you reach or expect to reach this threshold, you have 21 days to register with the ATO.

Businesses below the threshold can register voluntarily for GST. Once registered, you must include GST in your prices, collect it on taxable sales, lodge regular BAS returns (quarterly or monthly), and claim GST credits on your business purchases. Taxi and ride-sharing services (Uber, DiDi) must register from the first dollar of income regardless of turnover.

For businesses lodging quarterly BAS, the standard due dates are: Q1 (July-September) due 28 October; Q2 (October-December) due 28 February; Q3 (January-March) due 28 April; Q4 (April-June) due 28 July. If a date falls on a weekend or public holiday, it moves to the next business day.

Registered BAS agents receive extended deadlines: Q1 extended to 25 November; Q3 extended to 26 May; Q4 extended to 25 August. Q2 has no BAS agent extension. Monthly BAS is due on the 21st of the following month. See our BAS lodgment service if you need help meeting your BAS obligations.

GST is 10% of the sale price for taxable goods and services in Australia. To calculate GST to add to a price: multiply the price by 0.10 (or by 1.10 to get the total price including GST). For example: $500 price + $50 GST = $550 total. To find the GST already included in a price: divide the total price by 11. For example: $550 / 11 = $50 GST component.

Not all goods and services attract GST. GST-free items include most fresh food, medical and health services, educational courses, exports, and water. Input taxed items (such as financial services and residential rent) do not attract GST but also do not allow the seller to claim input tax credits. Your BAS reconciles the GST you collected on sales against the GST credits you can claim on purchases.

A BAS agent is a professional registered with the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) who is legally authorised to prepare and lodge Business Activity Statements for clients for a fee. Under the Tax Agent Services Act 2009, anyone who charges for BAS preparation and lodgment must hold BAS agent registration. An unregistered person providing this service is operating outside the law.

BAS agents must hold a minimum qualification (Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping), relevant experience, and professional body membership (such as the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers). They are also required to maintain ongoing professional development. Always verify your bookkeeper’s BAS agent registration on the TPB register before engaging them. The Kalculators are registered BAS agents.

PAYG withholding (Pay As You Go withholding) is the system by which employers deduct income tax from employee wages each pay period and send it directly to the ATO. This ensures tax is collected throughout the year rather than in a lump sum at year-end. The withheld amounts appear on your income statement in myGov and are credited against your total tax liability when you lodge your tax return.

Employers must register for PAYG withholding and use the ATO’s tax tables to calculate the correct withholding amount based on each employee’s declared tax rate. Under Single Touch Payroll (STP Phase 2), PAYG withholding amounts are reported to the ATO with every payrun. If too much tax is withheld, you receive a refund when you lodge. If too little, you pay the shortfall.

From 1 July 2025, the Super Guarantee (SG) rate is 12% of an eligible employee's ordinary time earnings. Ordinary time earnings generally refer to your regular wages, salary, and allowances, but typically do not include overtime pay (which is above ordinary time rates). Your employer must pay this 12% on top of your wages into your nominated superannuation fund each quarter (or, from 1 July 2026, with each pay run under payday super arrangements).

You can check your super contributions by logging in to myGov and viewing your super account information through the ATO’s online services. If your employer is not paying the correct super, they are liable for the Super Guarantee Charge (SGC), which is not deductible and includes penalty interest. Report unpaid super to the ATO at ato.gov.au.

Currently, employers must pay superannuation contributions quarterly within 28 days of the end of each quarter: by 28 January (Oct-Dec quarter), 28 April (Jan-Mar), 28 July (Apr-Jun), and 28 October (Jul-Sep). The SG payment must reach the employee’s super fund by the due date, not just be processed by the employer.

From 1 July 2026, the payday super changes this to a per-payrun obligation. Employers will be required to pay super at the same time as wages rather than quarterly. This change is designed to prevent super debt from accumulating and going unnoticed. Employers using modern payroll software should begin preparing for this change during the 2025-26 financial year.

Generally, no. The Super Guarantee applies to ordinary time earnings, which are typically wages and salaries earned for ordinary hours of work. Overtime rates (pay received for hours worked beyond ordinary time) are generally not considered ordinary time earnings, so no SG obligation arises on overtime pay. However, if your award or employment contract defines overtime pay differently, or if you are a salaried employee without separate overtime rates, super may apply.

Allowances and bonuses are more complex: some allowances are included in ordinary time earnings and attract super; others are not. If you are unsure whether your employer is correctly calculating super on your pay, your registered tax agent or a Fair Work adviser at 13 13 94 can advise.

Yes. If you make personal (non-employer) concessional contributions to your super fund, you can claim a tax deduction for the amount, provided you lodge a Notice of Intent to Claim a Deduction with your super fund before you lodge your tax return. The deducted amount is included in your taxable income at the fund level (taxed at 15%) but reduces your assessable income at your marginal rate, creating a tax saving.

The total concessional contributions cap applies to both employer SG contributions and personal deductible contributions combined. Check the ATO for the current year’s concessional cap. Contributions above the cap are included in your assessable income and taxed at your marginal rate (with a 15% offset for the tax already paid by the fund). Our wealth management team can advise on superannuation contribution strategies for your situation.

The tax-free threshold is $18,200 per income year. This means Australian resident individuals pay no income tax on their first $18,200 of taxable income. Income above this threshold is taxed at the relevant marginal rate. The threshold has been stable at $18,200 since 2012.

If you work multiple jobs, you can only claim the tax-free threshold from one employer (usually your main job). Claiming it from two employers means the second employer withholds too little tax, resulting in a year-end tax debt. If you are a foreign resident for tax purposes, no tax-free threshold applies, and all Australian income is taxed from the first dollar.

The Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) is an additional tax of 1% to 1.5% levied on higher-income earners who do not have adequate private hospital cover. It applies in addition to the standard 2% Medicare Levy. The surcharge income thresholds are: 1% for singles earning above $93,000; 1.25% for singles earning above $108,000; and 1.5% for singles earning above $144,000 (2025-26 thresholds to be confirmed with the ATO for the current year).

The MLS is avoided by holding private hospital insurance with an excess of $500 or less (singles) or $1,000 or less (families). If you have private hospital cover, your insurer reports it to the ATO, and the MLS is not applied to your tax return. The MLS can cost significantly more than a basic private hospital policy for high-income earners, making insurance financially worthwhile for tax purposes alone.

Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) is a tax paid by employers on certain non-cash benefits provided to employees or their associates. Common fringe benefits include company cars, low-interest loans, entertainment expenses, gym memberships, and private use of business assets. The FBT rate is 47%, and the FBT year runs from 1 April to 31 March (different from the income tax year).

Employers who provide fringe benefits must lodge an FBT return by 21 May (or 25 June if lodging through a registered tax agent). The reportable fringe benefits amount also appears on employees’ income statements and can affect their income for Medicare Levy Surcharge, private health insurance rebate, and HECS repayment purposes. Some benefits are FBT-exempt, including work-related items, portable electronic devices used primarily for work, and employer contributions to super.

Negative gearing occurs when the costs of owning an investment property (interest on the loan, council rates, insurance, property management fees, repairs, depreciation) exceed the rental income earned. The resulting net loss is generally deductible against your other assessable income such as your salary reducing your total taxable income and therefore the tax you pay. This tax benefit is the reason many investors accept negatively geared properties.

Important 2026 legislative change: for residential investment properties purchased after 7:30pm AEST 12 May 2026, net rental losses can only be offset against rental income from the same property from 1 July 2027. Properties purchased before this date are not affected. The losses that cannot be used in a year carry forward to future years or become a capital loss on disposal. Seek advice before purchasing new investment properties after this date.

Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is not a separate tax in Australia. A capital gain is included in your assessable income for the year you dispose of the asset and taxed at your marginal income tax rate. A capital gain arises when you sell an asset for more than its cost base (purchase price plus incidental acquisition and disposal costs). CGT applies to investment properties, shares, ETFs, cryptocurrency, and business assets.

If you have held the asset for more than 12 months and are an individual or trust (not a company), you are entitled to the 50% CGT discount, which halves the taxable gain. Capital losses are applied against capital gains in the same year and any excess can be carried forward indefinitely. Your family home is generally exempt under the main residence exemption. See our detailed CGT guide for the full calculation.

A Tax File Number (TFN) is a unique nine-digit identifier issued by the ATO to each individual, company, trust, or superannuation fund for tax purposes. It links your income, tax withholding, super contributions, and tax returns to your ATO record. You need a TFN to lodge a tax return, start work and have the correct tax withheld, open a bank account without penalty withholding, and access government services.

You can apply for a TFN online through the ATO website at ato.gov.au/tfn. Australian citizens and permanent residents apply via myGovID. Foreign residents and working holiday makers have separate application pathways. Your TFN is for life -- it does not change if you change jobs, change your name, or move states. Keep it secure and only provide it to trusted parties (employers, super funds, financial institutions, registered tax agents).

Sole trader: the simplest business structure. You operate as an individual. Setup is free (just register an ABN). You are personally liable for all business debts. Business income is taxed at your personal marginal rate. Easy to set up, low compliance, but limited asset protection.

Company (Pty Ltd): a separate legal entity. Directors and shareholders are not personally liable for company debts (in most circumstances). Company income is taxed at the company rate (25% for companies with turnover below $50 million; 30% for larger companies). More compliance obligations: ASIC registration, annual statements, directors’ duties, separate accounts. Higher setup and running costs. Better asset protection and more credibility for larger contracts and investors.

The best structure depends on your income level, risk profile, growth plans, and how you want to handle taxes. Our business advisory team can advise on the right structure for your situation before you register.

A sole trader only needs to charge, collect, and remit GST if their annual GST turnover reaches or is expected to reach $75,000. Below this threshold, GST registration is optional. If you choose to register voluntarily (for example, to claim GST credits on business purchases), you must then charge GST on all taxable sales and lodge BAS returns.

If your sole trader turnover is growing toward the $75,000 threshold, you should register for GST before reaching it, as registration must occur within 21 days of exceeding the threshold. Exceeding the threshold without registration is a compliance breach. Uber, taxi, and ride-sharing services must register for GST from the first dollar regardless of turnover.

Sole traders can claim deductions for all genuine business expenses incurred in earning their business income. Common deductions include: vehicle costs (logbook or cents per km method); home office expenses (if working from home); tools and equipment; advertising and marketing; professional subscriptions and memberships; accounting and bookkeeping fees; business insurance; bank fees on business accounts; and professional development relevant to the business.

For expenses that are partly personal and partly business (such as a phone or internet connection), only the business proportion is deductible. Keep records of how you calculated the business percentage. Startup costs (business setup fees, initial marketing, equipment purchased before trading) may be deductible once the business begins operating. Our sole trader tax return service covers all allowable deductions for your specific trade or industry.

Accountant fees for small businesses vary based on the services required, complexity, and transaction volume. As a guide for Adelaide businesses:

• Individual tax return (simple): from $150 to $400
• Sole trader or small business tax return: from $300 to $1,500+, depending on complexity
• Company tax return: from $800 to $3,000+, depending on size and complexity
• Monthly bookkeeping: from $400 to $1,200 per month, depending on transaction volume and payroll
• Quarterly BAS lodgment: from $200 to $400 when included with a bookkeeping arrangement

The Kalculators offers transparent pricing based on your specific circumstances. Contact us for a quote, or book a consultation to discuss your requirements.

For new businesses uncertain whether they will reach the threshold: monitor your turnover monthly. If you expect to exceed $75,000 in the next 12 months, register immediately.

For taxi or ride-sharing businesses, GST registration is compulsory from the first dollar of income. The ATO provides an online GST registration service at business.gov.au. Our business registration service can handle GST registration for you as part of your business setup.

The ATO’s general rule is 5 years from the date you lodge the relevant tax return or BAS. However, longer periods apply for certain categories: employment and payroll records must be kept for 7 years under the Fair Work Act; company financial records and meeting minutes must be kept for 7 years under the Corporations Act; and capital gains tax records must be kept for 5 years after the disposal of the asset (not after acquisition).

SMSF trustee meeting minutes must be kept for 10 years. The practical recommendation for most businesses with employees and a company structure: keep all records for 7 years to satisfy all obligations across the different legislation. See our complete ATO record keeping guide for a full retention period table by record category.

The ATO’s data matching program receives information from third parties and cross-checks it against your lodged tax return. Data sources include: banks and financial institutions (interest income, share dividends, account balances); employers via STP; Centrelink (government payments); share registries (dividend and distribution payments); and online platforms including Airbnb, Uber, eBay, Etsy, and cryptocurrency exchanges.

If the ATO identifies a discrepancy between your declared income and the data it has received, it may issue an amended assessment or select your return for audit. The most common data matching discrepancies are undeclared interest income, missing dividend income, and income from online gig economy platforms. Declaring all income accurately in your tax return is the only way to avoid these reviews.

Yes. The ATO offers payment plans for individuals and businesses who cannot pay their full tax debt by the due date. Contact the ATO at 13 11 42 (for individuals) or 13 28 66 (for businesses) before your payment due date to arrange a plan. You may also be able to set up a payment plan online through myGov. Planning ahead before the ATO contacts you generally results in more favourable terms.

Interest charges (the General Interest Charge, currently at the ATO’s quarterly rate) apply to outstanding amounts during a payment plan. From 1 July 2025, GIC is no longer deductible as a business expense, making it more expensive to carry a tax debt. If you are struggling with a tax debt, contact your registered tax agent before the due date to discuss your options and avoid additional penalties.

An ATO audit or review can range from a simple letter requesting documentation for a specific deduction to a full examination of your financial records. Most ATO reviews begin with a letter or phone call asking you to substantiate a particular claim (for example, verifying work-from-home hours or vehicle expense records). Responding promptly with the requested documentation usually resolves these quickly.

A full audit involves the ATO examining your returns, records, and financial statements in detail. You have the right to have a tax agent represent you during an audit -- this is strongly recommended. If the ATO makes an assessment you disagree with, you have 60 days to object. If the audit reveals incorrect claims, additional tax is assessed plus GIC from the original due date, and potentially a shortfall penalty of 25% to 75% of the underpaid amount. Our second look assessment service can review your previous returns before the ATO does.

The Kalculators operates from three physical offices in Adelaide and provides online services across South Australia:

• Salisbury: 182 Salisbury Highway, Salisbury SA 5108 (salisbury@thekalculators.com.au)
• Blair Athol: 315 Prospect Road, Blair Athol SA 5084
• Morphett Vale: 280 Main South Road, Morphett Vale SA 5162

Online tax return and accounting services are available for clients in Murray Bridge, Woodville, Melrose Park, Port Augusta, Prospect, and Brighton. All offices are open Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Contact us at info@thekalculators.com.au or (08) 7480 2593.

Yes. The Kalculators can prepare and lodge outstanding tax returns for multiple prior years, regardless of how many years are overdue. We liaise with the ATO on your behalf to manage any outstanding penalties and can often negotiate reduced penalties when you make a voluntary disclosure. The sooner overdue returns are lodged, the better the outcome in terms of penalties and interest.

Contact us at (08) 7480 2593 or book an appointment online. Bring any records you have, even incomplete records are a starting point, and we will work with what is available to reconstruct your position.

Yes. The Kalculators provides a fully online tax return service for individuals across Australia. You do not need to visit an office. All information is exchanged securely through our client portal. A registered tax agent reviews your return, applies all eligible deductions and offsets, and lodges electronically with the ATO. Online clients benefit from the same extended lodgment deadlines (up to 15 May) as in-person clients.

The Kalculators is an Xero Gold Partner and holds both registered BAS agent and registered tax agent status, meaning we cover the full spectrum from daily bookkeeping through to complex business tax. We are the IPA Practice of the Year SA/NT 2025 and serve over 20,000 clients annually. Our team of 20+ tax consultants covers individual returns, business tax, bookkeeping, BAS, SMSF, and wealth management in a single firm.

Founded in 2011 by CEO Kaleem Ulah, The Kalculators was built on making professional tax and accounting services accessible and affordable across Adelaide. We offer transparent pricing, a second-look assessment service for clients who want to review previously lodged returns, and online services for clients outside the Adelaide metro area.

Book online anytime through our online booking portal. Appointments are available at all three office locations (Salisbury, Blair Athol, and Morphett Vale) and online. Alternatively, call (08) 7480 2593 Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Bring your myGov login details, income statements, and any deduction records you have. If you are unsure what to bring, see our tax return checklist.