Individual tax return instructions 2012

What are the Individual tax return instructions?

The Individual tax return instructions and Individual tax return instructions supplement are print publications designed to help you to complete your individual income tax return.

See Do you need to lodge a tax return? to work out whether you need to lodge a return for 2011-12.

If you need to lodge, see the Guide to lodging your tax return to work out which option suits you best.

The supplementary section of the tax return contains items that are used by a relatively small number of taxpayers. To find out whether you will need it, see Will you need the Individual tax return instructions supplement?

The Individual tax return instructions 2012 and Individual tax return instructions 2012 supplement are available from most newsagents and all our shopfronts from 1 July. You can download a sample copy from our list of forms and instructions, but sample forms are for your information only. Do not complete and lodge sample copies of tax return forms as they cannot be scanned by our electronic processing equipment.

For more comprehensive information about the questions asked in your tax return, go to Individual tax return instructions 2012.

Other publications you may need to refer to are listed in Referred publications and rulings 2012.

e-tax

Alternatively, you can do your tax online using e-tax, our free electronic tax preparation and lodgment software. Last year more than 2.6 million people used e-tax to lodge their tax return, and this year it's easier than ever before.

Download forms and instructions

Individual tax return instructions

Individual tax return instructions 2012 (82 pages) [2.22MB]

Individual tax return instructions supplement

Individual tax return instructions supplement 2012

Short tax return

Short tax return instructions

Short tax return eligibility criteria

Tax return forms and schedules

Tax return forms

• Non-lodgment advice. Use this form to notify the ATO that you are not required to lodge a return this year.
• Tax return for individuals
• Tax return for individuals (supplementary section)
• Short tax return for individuals

Other schedules

• Business and professional items instructions (NAT 2543). This will help you to complete the Business and professional items schedule for individuals.
   
• Capital allowances schedule instructions (NAT 4089). If you have claimed a deduction for decline in value, you may need to complete a capital allowances schedule.
   
• Employment termination payment schedule (NAT 71744). This will help you complete the Tax return for individuals. You will need to complete this schedule if you received more than one employment termination payment during the year.
   
• Individual PAYG payment summary schedule (NAT 3647). You will need to complete this schedule with the Business and professional items schedule for individuals if you received any of the following:
• Payment summary - voluntary agreement
• Payment summary - withholding where ABN not quoted
• Payment summary - labour hire and other specified payments
• Payment summary - foreign resident withholding.
• Statutory declaration (NAT 4135). Complete this declaration if any of your payment summaries:
• are lost
• have been destroyed, or
• have not been received from your payer (a person who withholds tax from your payments, including an employer).
• Superannuation lump sum schedule (NAT 71743). This will help you complete the Tax return for individuals. You will need to complete this schedule if you received more than one superannuation lump sum during the year.

Referred publications and rulings

Not everything can be covered in Individual tax return instructions. Sometimes, you will be referred to other publications that will help you to understand your tax obligations and complete your tax return. Some publications are essential to complete some items.

All the publications and rulings referred to in Individual tax return instructions are listed in Referred publications and rulings 2012.

Tax rates and calculations

If you wish to calculate the amount of your refund or debt, you can use the following tools:

• Simple tax calculator

This tool will help you to calculate the tax you owe on your taxable income. It will not calculate any:

• Medicare levy
• Medicare levy surcharge
• Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS), or
• Student Financial Supplement Scheme (SFSS) liabilities you may have.

• Comprehensive tax calculator

You can use this calculator for an estimate of your tax refund or debt for the 2009-10 to 2011-12 income years.

It will estimate your tax payable and will also calculate:

• Medicare levy
• Medicare levy surcharge
• Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) repayment
• Student Financial Supplement Scheme (SFSS) repayment, and
• any tax offsets that may apply.

It will take these, along with other tax credits, into account in estimating your tax refund or debt.

• Individual income tax rates