If you're having trouble
Anyone can experience a personal crisis. No matter what situation you find yourself in, if you are having trouble with your tax and super obligations, we can provide support in your circumstances. We encourage you to contact us about your situation as early as you can.
If you're facing a personal crisis that isn't listed below, phone our Individuals enquiries line on 13 28 61 during operating hours so we can help you.
Mental health and wellbeing
Your mental health and wellbeing is important and we understand that it can affect your ability to manage your tax and super obligations.
If you're having difficulty paying your tax, see Support to lodge and pay. You should talk to us as early as possible so we can work with you, but it's never too late to ask for help.
For immediate mental health and wellbeing support, phone:
- Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636
- Lifeline on 13 11 14.
You can also contact the following organisations for further support.
Mental health and wellbeing organisations
There are many specialised organisations that can provide information and support to help you with your mental health and wellbeing, including:
- Ahead for BusinessExternal Link – a website and app with information, programs and interventions to support small business owners with their mental health and wellbeing.
- Beyond BlueExternal Link – learn more about anxiety, depression and suicide prevention, or talk through your concerns with their support service.
- Business in MindExternal Link – a program developed by the University of Tasmania focusing on mental health especially tailored to small and medium business owners.
- Head to HealthExternal Link – links to government funded services and information that is either low cost or free. It contains hundreds of useful websites, apps, online programs and community forums, as well as phone, chat and email services.
- Heads UpExternal Link – a Beyond Blue and Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance initiative. It provides business owners with free tools and resources to look after their mental health at work and achieve a mentally healthy workplace.
- Kids HelplineExternal Link – a free, private and confidential phone and online counselling service for young people between age 5 and 25 years, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Lifeline AustraliaExternal Link – a national charity providing Australians experiencing a personal crisis with access to 24-hour support and suicide prevention services.
- Mates in ConstructionExternal Link – a charitable organisation focused on reducing the high level of suicide among Australian construction workers.
- NewAccessExternal Link – a free mental health coaching program developed by Beyond Blue, offering flexible phone and video call support options for small business owners so they can manage stress and improve their mental wellbeing.
- ReachOutExternal Link – an online mental health organisation for young people and their parents.
- Suicide Call Back ServiceExternal Link – a service that provides free national telephone and online counselling for anyone affected by suicide.
Family and domestic violence
We understand the importance of accessing confidential help and assistance for those experiencing family and domestic violence.
If you’re in this situation, you may have difficulty providing all your documents to establish your identity. We can help you to reconstruct lost or damaged records or put a payment plan in place to help with any amount that may be owing. Talk to us about your options.
To speak with a counselling and support service, phone 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit White Ribbon AustraliaExternal Link.
If you're experiencing financial difficulties and you're finding it hard to lodge or pay your tax, visit tax support for individuals.
Serious financial hardship
We consider you to be in financial hardship if you’re unable to provide necessities for yourself or your family. Necessities may include food, accommodation, clothing, education and medical treatment. You could find yourself in this situation due to:
- loss of employment
- housing crisis
- facing eviction or disconnection of essential services such as water, electricity or gas
- marriage or relationship breakdown severely affecting your financial circumstances.
If you're experiencing serious hardship, we can assist by:
- processing your tax return as a priority
- releasing you from some or all of your tax debt.
We may ask you to provide recent evidence to support your claim of serious hardship.
See Tax support for individuals for more information.
Deceased estates
When a person dies, there are some important tax and superannuation issues for the legal personal representative and others dealing with the deceased person's tax affairs.
We may receive information from other government agencies notifying us that someone has died. We will use this information to update our records. However, it is a good idea to let us know if the deceased person:
- had a tax file number (TFN)
- has ever lodged a tax return
- should have lodged a tax return.
We cannot provide legal advice on deceased estate matters that do not involve taxation or superannuation.
See deceased estates for managing tax affairs following a death.
For the release of superannuation to beneficiaries, see super death benefits or death of a member for a self-managed super fund.
Help during mental health and wellbeing struggles, family and domestic violence, hardship, or death.