ato logo
Search Suggestion:

Ancillary fund returns

Public and private ancillary funds (categories of deductible gift recipients) must lodge an annual information return.

Last updated 2 October 2023

All public and private ancillary funds must lodge an annual information return.

If your ancillary fund is not endorsed as a registered charity, it is not exempt from income tax. Additionally, you may also need to lodge an income tax return.

Lodging an ancillary fund return

For 2016 and subsequent years, ancillary funds that are registered charities must lodge their annual information return by completing the online Australian Charities and Not for profits Commission's (ACNC) Annual Information StatementExternal Link – which contains additional questions specific to ancillary funds.

Ancillary funds that are not registered as charities with the ACNC must continue to lodge a paper Ancillary fund return with us.

The Ancillary fund return form and its instructions for current and previous income years can be found on our Forms and instructions and Ancillary fund return and instructions 2023.

Due date to lodge your Ancillary fund return

You are required to lodge an Ancillary fund return either by:

  • 31 December 2023, if the year of income ended on 30 June 2023
  • the last day of the sixth month after your fund adopted the accounting period.

If your ancillary fund has to complete an ACNC's annual information, the lodgment date for the ancillary fund return is the same lodgment date as the information statement.

Application to reduce the minimum ancillary fund distribution rate

An ancillary fund may apply to us to reduce its minimum annual distribution.

Requests to reduce the minimum distribution rate for a financial year will only be considered, if your fund has met all its annual lodgment obligations.

We'll write to you to let you know the outcome of your application. If your application is refused, we'll provide you with a clear explanation of our decision.

If you're dissatisfied with our decision, you can lodge an objection.

For further information you can access Application to reduce the minimum ancillary fund distribution rate.

QC33554