After you lodge
We will keep you informed about the progress of your clients' tax returns and any delays.
On this page
Processing times
We aim to process the majority of electronically lodged tax returns within 12 business days. If you can't lodge electronically, lodging a paper tax return can take up to 50 days for us to process manually. Find out how to prevent delays in processing returns.
Provide relevant information to your clients to manage their expectations about when they will receive their notice of assessment. See further details about our service commitment.
Checking the status of a tax return
We will keep you informed about the progress of your clients' tax returns and any delays so your clients will know to expect their notice of assessment.
We let you know about the progress of your clients' tax returns in several ways, including:
Tax return status email
We'll email you a weekly report where there are processing delays with your clients' tax returns.
Your clients will first appear on the tax return status report 10 days after lodgment. They will remain on this report each week until we finish processing their tax returns. The lodgment date of your client's tax return will only display on the report when processing is delayed by 28 days or more.
The report will provide details of what may be causing the delay.
Online services for agents
You can view the lodgment and progress of your clients' tax returns in Online services for agents. At Client summary select Lodgment then Income tax and History.
The outcome of a tax return will not be visible online until the tax return has been processed and the assessment amounts are dispersed to your clients' accounts.
Even when the issue date and assessment amount become visible, they are both subject to review and change until the notice of assessment has issued.
As we process your client’s tax return, the Status and Outcome in Online services for agents may differ to the details provided in the Tax return status report.
Watch: Checking the progress of a return
Confirmation of refund SMS
Your clients may receive a confirmation of refund SMS message from us. This SMS lets them know their tax return has been finalised and when to expect their refund in their nominated bank account.
For more information see Current SMS and email activities – Tax and BAS agent emails.
Notice of assessment
You can view a client's notice of assessment in Online services for agents. At Client summary select Lodgment then Income tax and History.
You can also view the client's notice of assessment in Communication history.
For more information see Your notice of assessment.
Other electronic communication to clients
If your client has created a myGov account that is linked to the ATO, they will receive their notice of assessment, tax receipts and most communication from us electronically via their myGov Inbox.
Communications sent to your clients via their myGov Inbox will not be sent to you in paper form. You can view those communications in Communication history in Online services for agents.
You can choose where our digital communications are sent using Communication preferences in Online services for agents.
We will keep you informed about the progress of your clients' tax returns and any delays.