If your application is successful
If your application is successful and you had a compulsory repayment or overseas levy included on an assessment, we will amend your tax assessment, taking out the amount of the repayment or levy that was deferred.
The amended notice of assessment you receive may not show a refund. It may simply show a reduction of your total outstanding tax debt.
Your compulsory repayment or overseas levy is not waived. It is added back on to your accumulated debt, which we continue to index. A compulsory repayment/overseas levy will be included again on an assessment in the next income year that your repayment income is above the minimum repayment threshold. If you want to defer your repayment or levy in later years you will need to reapply.
If you have additional amounts withheld from your payments in Australia and have been granted a deferment for the current or future income years, we will send you a PAYG withholding variation short application (NAT 5425). When we receive your completed application, we will advise your payer of the reduced amount to withhold. Your compulsory repayment or overseas levy may be deferred for any period we consider appropriate. However, in most circumstances it would not be deferred for more than one year.
If your application is not successful or is different from the amount requested
If your application is not successful or is different from the amount requested, we will send you a letter including an explanation of the reasons for the decision. If you are unhappy with the decision, you may:
- lodge a new application to defer/amend the compulsory repayment or overseas levy if you have any new grounds or supporting documents not supplied with the first application
- apply to us for a review of our decision.
If you apply for the decision to be reviewed, you must make the request in writing within 28 days after the day you receive notice of the decision. We will tell you the outcome of the review within 28 days of us receiving your request.
If you disagree with our decision, you may then apply to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) for a review of our decision. The application must be lodged with the AAT within 28 days of the letter advising you of the outcome of the review.
If you are unable to pay your income tax debt on time
If you are unable to pay your income tax debt on time, you may be able to enter into an arrangement to pay by instalments. For more information see Help with paying.