Progress report 2 - Latest figures as at close of business 23 July 2012

The latest on processing

Current year returns*

Returns received since 1 July 2012	Returns finalised since 1 July 2012	Number of refunds issued since 1 July 2012	Value of refunds issued since 1 July 2012
1,718,000	717,000**	653,000	$1.45 billion

Previous and future year returns*

Returns received since 1 July 2012	Returns finalised since 1 July 2012	Number of refunds issued since 1 July 2012	Value of refunds issued since 1 July 2012
215,000	319,000**	153,000	$0.86 billion

* As at 23 July 2012
** Includes returns received prior to July 2012

For the period 17 July to 23 July we received 871,000 returns including 801,000 2012 year returns. During this same period, we issued 467,000 refunds with a value of $0.98 billion for 2012 year returns.

To date 760,429 income tax returns have been lodged via e-tax.

A major feature of e-tax is our pre-filling service that allows taxpayers to download information from a range of providers including financial institutions, employers and Government agencies including Medicare. Last year 73.5% of e-tax lodgers chose to pre-fill their tax returns. This year the service continues to improve with more pre-filling information being made available earlier in the financial year. We have had great support from employers, financial institutions and others and have already received more than 65% of the information that we are expecting for the pre-filling service. You can subscribe to our alerts service in e-tax and we will send you a free email or SMS messages when new or updated information becomes available for you to pre-fill to your e-tax return.

Processing is continuing in accordance with plans and schedules with no major impacts on processing timeframes.

Call centre performance and wait times

From 1 July to 22 July 2012 we received 801,364 calls and achieved service levels of:

• Tax practitioner calls - 93.02% of calls answered within two minutes, and
• General taxpayer calls - 93.31% of calls answered within five minutes.

During this period the average wait time was 32 seconds for tax practitioner calls, and 1 minute 11 seconds for general taxpayer calls.

Why some returns may take longer

Some tax returns may take longer than others to finalise. For example, if your return contains an error, it needs to be checked by an ATO staff member. This is likely to cause a delay in issuing your assessment.

A large number of the errors in tax returns are due to relatively simple mistakes such as spelling errors in names, incorrect gender code, or insufficient information provided (for example, the year of birth rather than the full date of birth). Checking that these details are correct before lodging your return will help prevent unnecessary delays occurring.

Other reasons a return could be delayed include:

• we require more information or need to cross check data with Centrelink or the Child Support Program (it can take up to three days to check information with another Government agency)
• it is a complex tax return and requires a large amount of manual checking by a tax officer, or
• it is identified as being potentially fraudulent or including overstated claims.

To check the progress of your tax return you can use our online progress of return tool or call our automated service on 13 28 61 for personal tax returns and 13 72 26 for business tax returns. These free services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All you need is your tax file number.

Fraudulent or over-claimed refunds

Our risk models are detecting and stopping suspected fraudulent and over claimed income tax refunds again this year. While early indicators suggest a reduced number of refunds detected compared to the same time last year we are very concerned that we continue to see significant numbers of people deliberately trying to lodge returns containing overstated claims or returns that are potentially fraudulent.

We have already had contact from a number of tax agents who have been approached to lodge income tax returns on behalf of clients using false documents. Tax agents will continue to ask new clients for proof of identity, together with other checks, to also help prevent potential fraud.