ato logo
Search Suggestion:

How much you owe

Work out how much you owe the ATO.

Last updated 20 April 2021

Individuals and sole traders

Online using myGov

Use your myGov account linked to the ATO to check your outstanding balance and when your payment is due.

Log in or create a myGov account

Income tax

After lodging your tax return you'll receive a notice of assessment confirming:

  • how much you owe
  • the due date for payment
  • your payment reference number (PRN).

You can use our online services accessed through myGov to view your notice of assessment.

See also

PAYG instalments

Pay as you go (PAYG) instalments only apply if you earn business or investment income over a certain amount. We'll notify you if you need to start paying PAYG instalments, how often you need to pay and the payment options available.

You can use our online services accessed through myGov to view, lodge, pay, vary and manage all your PAYG instalment obligations.

See also

Business

If you're running a business, log in to Online services for business to find out what you owe us.

Online services for business

Find out when you need to lodge and pay:

If you can't use Online services for business, you can:

Check your income tax assessment

Businesses other than companies receive a notice of assessment from us after they lodge their tax return.

The notice of assessment states:

  • how much you owe
  • the due date for payment
  • your payment reference number (PRN).

Fully self-assessed companies and super funds don’t usually receive a notice of assessment.

Sole traders and partners in partnerships can check what income tax they owe through our online services accessed through a myGov accountExternal Link linked to the ATO.

PAYG instalments

If you’re earning business income, you may be required to pay PAYG instalments. When we write to tell you that you have to pay instalments, we'll let you know how often to pay and the options available.

Phone us

Businesses can find out what tax they owe, and when it's due, by phoning us on 13 28 66 during operating hours.

Contact us immediately if you believe your account balance is incorrect.

Next step

If you disagree with your tax assessment

If you think your tax assessment is incorrect, you can dispute or object to an ATO decision.

Your payment is still due

Even if you're disputing an assessment, you must still pay the outstanding amount by the due date – unless you have a deferral or 50:50 arrangement.

Overdue amounts, disputed or otherwise, incur interest. If the dispute is resolved in your favour we will generally pay you interest on your overpayments.

We may take recovery action for outstanding taxes even if you've requested a review or lodged an objection or appeal.

Seeking a deferral or 50:50 arrangement

You can write to us, explaining your reasons, if you want to defer your tax payment until your dispute has been resolved. If you have a good payment history, we may agree to defer recovery action until the dispute is resolved. However, interest will apply from the due date on any amount that is still payable when the dispute is resolved.

We may be able to offer you a 50:50 arrangement, where you pay at least 50% of the disputed amount plus any other outstanding tax debts. You also agree to provide any information needed to resolve the dispute. In return, you can defer paying the remaining amount until the dispute is resolved.

If your objection is unsuccessful you will only be charged 50% of the interest that accrues on the outstanding amount from the date you made the 50% payment. This concession is increased to 75% if your case is funded as part of the test case litigation program.

See also

Registered agents

To find out how much your client owes:

What debts on hold are and how we offset credits and refunds against them.

QC50298