Tax Time update – 24 July 2018

Table 1: Tax returns received – Year to date (overall), current year 2018
Lodgment – Type and channel	Overall year to date returns received as at 23 July 2018	Current year returns received as at 23 July 2018	Comparison – Current year returns received as at 23 July 2017
Individual – Electronic	2,664,500	2,401,526	2,126,062
Individual – Paper	5,991	2,830	11,887
Non-individual – Electronic	120,949	29,348	26,703
Non-individual – Paper	2,245	1,122	1,150
Self-preparer – myTax	1,413,809	1,322,385	1,127,180
Tax practitioner – Practitioner Lodgment Service (PLS)	1,327,100	1,100,590	315,649
Tax practitioner – Electronic Lodgment Service (ELS)	36,162		700,683

Table 2 – Electronic returns received

Summary	Overall year to date returns received as at 23 July 2018	Current year returns received as at 23 July 2018	Comparison – current year returns received as at 23 July 2017
Individual	2,664,500	2,401,526	2,126,062
Non-Individual	120,949	29,348	26,703
Total electronic	2,785,449	2,430,874	2,152,765

Table 3 – Paper returns received
Summary	Overall year to date returns received as at 23 July 2018	Current year returns received as at 23 July 2018	Comparison – current year returns received as at 23 July 2017
Individual	5,991	2,830	11,887
Non-Individual	2,245	1,122	1,150
Total paper	8,236	3,952	13,037

Tax refunds – All Returns as at 23 July 2018

Refunds issued 1,374,702

Refunds issued ($m) $3,627m

Average refund ($) $2,638

Tax refunds – 2017-18 Individual Income Tax Returns as at 23 July 2018

Refunds issued 1,158,909

Refunds issued ($m) $2,491m

Average refund ($) $2,150

Telephony service standard performance as at close of business 23 July 2018

From 1 July 2018 we have received approximately 641,647 inbound calls to general queues and 94,137 to tax practitioner queues and achieved service commitments of:

General taxpayer calls – 85% (YTD) of calls are answered within 5 minutes
Tax practitioner calls – 91% (YTD) of calls are answered within 2 minutes

Registered agents providing a payroll service

Take steps to ensure you can report on behalf of your clients that are using Single Touch Payroll.

Tips and links

Protect your practice. Review your security procedures to protect your clients and your practice.

Help your small business clients keep good records with these tips, tools and services.

The ATO continues to monitor and publish the progress of pre-fill data availability on the ATO website. This week the ATO will be following up pre-fill information expected from Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation.

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Next meeting

The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, 31 July 2018 commencing at 10:00am (AEST).

Last modified: 27 Jul 2018QC 56348