Tips for lodging your tax return in 2015
In years gone by, tax time was a relatively simple affair for Aussies looking to have their individual tax returns lodged. People would take their pay slips, receipts as evidence of their deductions and perhaps their log book to their tax agent or accountant and have their return expertly prepared by a professional.
In 2015, however, there are many more options for lodging your tax return, so for the people of Western Sydney, we thought now, at tax return time, it would be useful to understand exactly what is involved with each.
myTax and eTax
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has had an online way for individuals to do their tax returns for years, which is called e-tax. This process involves filling out an online form with your details including income, deductions and offsets, and then lodging online. In recent years, the ATO has pioneered a new lodgement strategy called myTax, which is far simpler and easier to use than the slightly longer eTax. The myTax system can be done on smartphones, tablets or computers, and is best suited for those with simple tax affairs. The biggest drawcard of these services is that they are both completely free and have the highest level of digital security that the Australian Government can apply. In addition, both have the option of calling the ATO call centres to help guide you through the return.
Online Lodgement
There are a host of other online services also available to lodge, and the largest of these is etax.com.au. However, it is important to realise that etax.com.au is actually a company, and not affiliated in any way with the ATO or the Australian Government. As a result, using this service will attract a fee, and support during busy times may be hard to reach. An easy way to tell the two apart is to look at the end of the web address: a .gov signifies a government domain (and cannot be faked) where as a .com is short hand for .commercial, which shows that it is a business.
Working With a Tax Agent
Although the internet has changed many professions, some are still primarily conducted face to face, like going to your doctor or having your finances attended to. If you have more complex tax affairs, run a small business, have a family trust, manage and own a medium sized enterprise, or have a self managed super fund, you will no doubt be more comfortable working with a professional rather than opting for a DIY service.
Accounting and taxation professionals are qualified specialists in their field, and have the benefit of experience and impartiality when they provide you with advice. In addition, they can give you a more holistic view of your business, not just focus entirely on taxation matters, to help you make the best decisions going forward.
For the people of Western Sydney, including Bankstown, Casula, Edmondson Park, Liverpool and Ingleburn, with their in-depth knowledge of the Australian Tax System, ATP Tax Consultants are in an ideal position to provide you with the best tax advice possible.
We invite you to call us today on 1300 829 484 to discuss, without obligation your tax needs, alternatively we welcome your email to rafiq@atptax.com.Welcome to your blog post. Use this space to connect with your readers and potential customers in a way that’s current and interesting. Think of it as an ongoing conversation where you can share updates about business, trends, news, and more.
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