ato logo
Search Suggestion:

Engaging professional tax advisers

The level of advice you seek should reflect the complexity of your affairs.

Last updated 18 July 2023

We encourage you to seek high quality tax advice when working with the tax profession. As you are ultimately responsible for your tax affairs, you should be sure of the integrity and likely tax consequences of the advice you receive. We recommend you check before you commit to an arrangement. Where you feel uncertain, you may wish to have us review the advice you have received or seek an independent second opinion.

We recommend you consult your advisers regarding our likely view of the tax treatment of significant transactions. This will help you assess the potential risks involved in adopting a particular position.

It is important you openly discuss your tax affairs with your adviser and we suggest you ask whether:

  • their advice accords to the current ATO view (or is, at the very least, reasonably arguable)
  • all taxes, levies and charges are being paid in respect of your arrangement
  • anything in the arrangement exposes you to penalties and interest.

You or your tax adviser may need to seek tailored advice from us if:

  • you're not able to find our view of how the law applies to a particular technical issue
  • you're not certain how our view of the law applies to your circumstances
  • you want greater certainty (protection) than our published information provides.

If you seek advice from us, we encourage you to engage with us as early as possible so that we can understand your circumstances and work with you to resolve any issues within your timeframes.

QC49159