Complete Guide- How to Track your TAX Return in Australia

If you’ve submitted your Tax Return and are waiting for your tax refund, you’re probably wondering what the present situation of your filing is. Here we have mentioned the procedures through which you can track your tax return.

During tax filing season, many Australians around the country are continually attempting to discover their tax refund because many individuals and families depend on that money, which can often be huge. People want to know their actual return amount soon after completing their taxes. So, how can you track your tax return?

The best way to determine the position of your return is to use MyGov. Everything is simple in the app and easily understandable. This makes the procedure much simpler than it was previously. Most people made an account on myGov after submitting income tax returns. All you require is a tax identification number for myGov. In this article, we’ll show you how to scrutinise the status of your lodgment throughout tax season this year.

How to Track Your Tax Return?

The fastest and easiest way to know the status of your tax return is by doing it yourself. Online tax returns in Australia are processed in 2 weeks (14 days), however, paper returns might take up to 10 weeks (50 business days). It can take up to 7 weeks for printed returns to appear in our systems. It may take longer if your tax return requires manual check processing.

If you omitted to include something in your tax return or made a mistake, you must correct (amend) it.

You can apply for a tax return progress here:

• By implementing ATO online services.
• By using the ATO app.
• via phone
• with the assistance of your registered tax agent

1. By Implementing ATO Online Service

If you connect your myGov account to the ATO, you can use ATO online services to monitor the status of your tax return or amend using the ATO service.

To track the status of your return: 

• Register and log in to myGov.
• Choose ATO from the list of services.
• Select Manage tax returns from the home page.
• Then choose the income year you want to check.
• The status indicates how far your tax return has proceeded.

If you don’t have an account on myGov, you can create an account.

2. By Using the ATO App

If you want to follow the status of your 2021-22 tax return, use the ATO app:

• Sign in to the ATO app.
• Select your 2021-22 tax return.

The status will appear on the screen of the ATO app.

3. Via Phone

You can contact the self-help phone service at any time:

• Please call 13 28 65 and have your tax filing number present.

4. With the Assistance of Your Tax Agent

If you have hired an agent for individual tax return, then you or your agent can access ATO online services at any time to check the status of your tax return.

The Status Of Your Tax Return

When you access the online tax return help to track the status of your tax return, you may see one of these statuses:

This status may be seen at two stages of processing.

In-Process – Processing

• ATO will receive your tax return and have commenced processing it.
• After Finishing your tax return and then sending you a notice of assessment.

In-process – Information Pending

The procedure has reached a stage where further data is required to proceed. Sometimes the data needs to be examined and for that, you might get a call.

In progress – Under Review

This is when the Australian Taxation Office is examining the tax return. Before filing your tax return, the ATO will manually examine it to ensure that everything is accurate. This could include looking through your prior year’s tax returns. If they require additional information, they will contact you.

Cancelled

Even though the cancel dialogue box appears, the evaluation process is still ongoing. When you see this, you should not file your tax return again. During this time, please be patient and wait for the next update.

In progress – Balancing Account

They verify the outcome of your tax return with the accounts you have with them and other Australian Government entities. They calculate the amount we’ll return or how much you’ll have to pay. If they require additional information, they will call you.

In progress – Processing

ATO requires extra time to finish the processing of your tax return.

Issued – Total Amount

When someone notices this, the refund is on its way. The next step is to just inquire as to where my refund is.

Obtaining the Funds

The ATO now promotes people to file all taxes electronically, which speeds up the whole process. It just takes around two weeks to process electronically, whereas it takes about ten weeks to process physically.

After the conclusion of the processing phase, a notice will be delivered stating whether or not money is owed. Everything is delivered to both a regular email address and the inboxes of myGov. If needed, a person can also sign up for text alerts.

Top Reasons to Lag in Completing Your Tax Return

Even though most online tax returns are processed within two weeks, some tax returns may take longer. Here are several instances:

• you try to file your tax return again after previously filing.
• before we completed the processing, you amended your initial tax return or any previous revisions.
• You file tax returns for multiple years at once.
• You are under insolvency management, such as bankruptcy or a debt arrangement.
• The Australian financial institution account information you supplied in your tax return is out of date.
• To confirm or cross-check facts in your tax return, We may need to call your employer, financial institutions, or private health insurers.
• You are liable for previously unpaid tax debt.
• You have a tax debt that has earlier been postponed.
• ATO must verify details with other Australian Government agencies, such as Services Australia, Centrelink, or Child Support.
• ATO must pay a portion or all of your tax refund to other agencies if there are outstanding sums.

You do not have to notify the ATO if your tax return is late. If the ATO requires additional details, they will approach you and keep you or your agent informed of any continued delays.

If you believe your conditions are causing you serious economic difficulties, check your eligibility for priority processing.

After Completion of Your Tax Return

Your notice of assessment will be delivered once the ATO has reviewed your tax return.

It will demonstrate:

• If you will be paid (a tax credit).
• if you lend money to the government.

You will also get a tax receipt. It will show how your taxes were distributed to key areas of government investment.

Obtain the Assistance of a Registered Tax Advisor

If you wish to take tax return advice from a consultant about how to prepare your tax return and be sure they are a licenced tax agent. You can check the tax practitioner registration to see if the accountant or agent is registered.

Most registered agents have specific filing deadlines and can file taxes for their customers after the 31st of October.

How you will obtain your Assessment notice

If you have a myGov account that is linked to the ATO, your notice of assessment and tax receipt will be emailed to you. MyGov will send you an email or SMS notifying you of the mail.

If you file your tax return by mail, ATO will send you a paper notice of assessment and tax receipt to the postal address. That ATO has on file for you.

To Conclude

Tax Paying is very important for overall development of a country. ATO always aims to make things easier for the tax payers including the service of “track your tax return”.

The taxation system is an essential component of Australia’s social and economic infrastructure. To pay taxes on time is necessary and to have track of your tax return is necessary as well. You can keep track of returns by yourself and by online mode.

Once your application has been processed, the ATO will send you a Notice of Assessment confirming your lodgement and informing you of any outstanding payments.

If you are eligible for a tax refund, it will be deposited immediately into your bank account. It’s not that difficult to keep track of tax returns. If you are unable to do so, there are tax return advisers who are ready to help you anytime.

The ATO provides a variety of services, such as workshops and webinars, to assist you in understanding and complying with your tax laws. You can sign up for these services either online or by calling ATO.

You can also take the guidance of a registered tax or BAS agent. Registered agents are tax professionals who can lawfully charge you a fee.