Report for delayed individual electronic tax returns over 30 days

24 July 2012

From 1 July 2012, we have reframed our processing service standard for individual tax returns lodged electronically. We will aim to process 94% of current year returns within 12 business days. This is a change from the previous service standard of 94% processed within 14 calendar days. This standard will only apply to original, current year, individual tax returns.

In addition, we are including a service commitment to process the remainder of individual tax returns lodged electronically within 30 calendar days. Where returns are not expected to be processed within 30 calendar days, we will inform you of the delay.

From the end of July 2012, we will email you a weekly report listing your clients whose returns we do not expect to finalise within 30 calendar days. The weekly report will be sent to the email address recorded on your tax agent registration. To assure you of the authenticity of the notification, the email address we will use to send you this information will be cas_no_reply@ato.gov.au with the display name 'Australian Taxation Office'. The report will include:

• client name
• your client reference (this is the name and/or number you assigned to the tax return file)
• year of return
• type of return
• a reason code for delay.

To assist you to read your weekly report, we will send you an initial email with a description of the reason codes for delay. You will need to save that email so you can cross reference the reason codes with the weekly report. The email containing the list of reason codes will be sent to you separately to protect your client's personal tax information.

David Diment
Deputy Commissioner of Taxation