You can use TaxPack 2004 (PDF, 4.3MB)This link will download a file to help you complete your Tax return for individuals 2004.
You can use TaxPack 2004 supplement (PDF, 2.2MB)This link will download a file to help you complete your 2004 return for individuals (supplementary section) (PDF, 119KB)This link will download a file.
You can use TaxPack 2004 for retirees (PDF, 3.2MB)This link will download a file to help you complete your 2004 tax return for retirees (PDF, 165KB)This link will download a file.
See also:
- 2004 individual tax return forms and schedules
- TaxPack referred publications and rulings 2004
What is TaxPack
TaxPack is a print publication designed to help you to complete your individual income tax return. TaxPack is divided into two parts:
- TaxPack 2004 with the 2004 tax return for individuals
- TaxPack 2004 supplement with the 2004 tax return for individuals (supplementary section)
If you are an Australian resident and a retiree, you may be eligible to use RetireesTaxPack 2004.
Your options for completing and lodging your tax return include:
- TaxPack 2004 (paper lodgment)
- registered tax agent.
Do I need the TaxPack 2004 supplement?
Can I use the Retirees TaxPack 2004?
TaxPack 2004 information
While TaxPack is designed to help individuals to complete income tax returns, many people also use it as a basic reference to the Australian tax system. The information in TaxPack has been rewritten into a series of web pages and published across this site.
You can search or browse the site to find general information about:
- income you must declare
- deductions and tax offsets you are entitled to claim, and
- tax rates and calculations.
If you would prefer to download TaxPack 2004 in portable document format (pdf), refer to the list of download files.
Do I need the TaxPack 2004 supplement?
The majority of taxpayers can lodge their returns using TaxPack 2004 alone. You will also require the TaxPack 2004supplement if you have:
- income or a loss from
- a partnership or trust
- personal services income
- a business
- a deferred non-commercial business loss
- a net farm management deposit or withdrawal
- a capital gain
- a foreign entity
- rent
- a bonus from a life insurance company or friendly society
- foreign sources, or foreign assets or property
- an amount on which family trust distribution tax has been paid
- an amount on which ultimate beneficiary non-disclosure tax has been paid
- certain other income, such as scholarships, royalties and benefits from an employee share scheme
- deductions for
- project pool
- investment in the Australian film industry
- undeducted purchase price of a foreign pension or annuity
- non-employer sponsored superannuation contributions
- certain other deductions, such as election expenses, sickness and accident insurance premiums, and foreign exchange losses
- tax offsets for
- superannuation contributions on behalf of your spouse
- zone or overseas forces
- net medical expenses over a specified limit
- parent, spouse's parent or invalid relative
- landcare and water facility
- heritage conservation work
- interest from government securities issued before 1 November 1968
- interest from the land transport facilities tax offset scheme or infrastructure borrowings scheme
- credit for early payments or overpayments of tax
- adjustments for amounts on which:
- family trust distribution tax has been paid
- ultimate beneficiary non-disclosure tax was payable.
Note that if you are using TaxPack 2004 supplement, you must also use TaxPack 2004 to complete all of your tax return.
Can I use Retirees TaxPack 2004?
You are eligible to use Retirees TaxPack 2004 to fill in your tax return if:
- you were an Australian resident for tax purposes from 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004 and
- you had no dependants other than a spouse during the period 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004 and
- all of your tax affairs are covered by the questions in RetireesTaxPack 2004 as listed below:
- income
- Commonwealth of Australia government pensions and allowances
- dividends-not including distributions made by a corporate limited partnership and deemed dividends from a private company
- foreign source pension or annuity income
- gross interest
- other Australian pensions or annuities-including superannuation pensions
- salary, wages, allowances, earnings etc
- total reportable fringe benefits amounts
- capital gains - not including distributions of capital gains by a trust or managed investment fund
- deductions
- cost of managing tax affairs
- deductible amount of undeducted purchase price of an Australian pension or annuity
- deductible amount of undeducted purchase price of a foreign pension or annuity
- subscriptions
- gifts or donations
- interest and dividend deductions
- tax offsets
- senior Australians
- spouse-married or de facto
- superannuation annuity and pension
- private health insurance
- net medical expenses over a specified limit
- private health insurance policy details
- Medicare levy related items
- income
If you plan to claim the family tax benefit (FTB) through the tax system you will require TaxPack 2004.
Other options for doing your tax return
Tax Help community volunteers
If you are a low income earner, and you want to complete your own tax return, application for a refund of franking credits or baby bonus claim - but think you may need some assistance - Tax Help may be the answer.
Our network of community volunteers are trained and supported by the Tax Office to help you.
This free and confidential service is available for people on low incomes-including those who are also seniors, people from non-English speaking backgrounds, people with a disability, Aboriginal people, Torres Strait Islander people and students.
Volunteers can explain your tax obligations and help you prepare your tax return accurately. They can help people with income from Australian and overseas pensions, salary or wages, interest, dividends and government allowances and benefits. Volunteers cannot help with more complex tax affairs such as rental properties and business income.
There are Tax Help centres throughout Australia. If you want to visit one of the trained volunteers you need to make an appointment first. You need to bring TaxPack and all relevant papers with you when you visit.
The Tax Help program is available between July and October each year.
Registered tax agents
A registered tax agent can prepare and lodge your tax return for a tax deductible fee. A list of registered agentsExternal Link can be found on the Tax Agents' Board website or you can check with the Tax Agents' Board in your state on 1300 362 829. If you did not go to a tax agent last year-or you will be going to a different tax agent this year-make sure that you see them before 31 October 2004.
e-tax-prepare and lodge your tax return electronically
e-tax is the tool that lets you use your computer and the internet to complete and lodge your tax return and baby bonus claim. You might need to do one or the other or both.
e-tax is a free service provided by the Tax Office
Most people find easy to use. In fact, in 2003, over 800,000 Australians lodged their tax return using e-tax.
e-tax 2004 is now closed.
Lodging your return
Once you have prepared your tax return, there are several different ways you can send it to us. These are listed in Guide to lodging your tax return.
Download TaxPack and forms
TaxPack 2004
You can download TaxPack 2004 (4.4MB) in Portable Document Format (PDF).
TaxPack 2004 supplement
You can also download TaxPack 2004 supplement (2.3MB) in Portable Document Format (PDF).
Retirees TaxPack 2004
You can download TaxPack 2004 for retirees (3.2MB) in Portable Document Format (PDF).
Tax return forms and schedules
Tax return forms
2004 non-lodgment advice
Use this form to notify the Tax Office that you are not required to lodge a return this year.
2004 return for individuals (supplementary section)
Other schedules
2004 business and professional items instructions and schedule (NAT 2543-6.2004)
Use this schedule to complete item 14-Net income or loss from business-in the 2004 return for individuals (supplementary section).
Capital allowances schedule and instructions (NAT 4089-6.2004)
If you have claimed a deduction for decline in value, you may need to complete a capital allowances schedule for 2004.
Individual PAYG payment summary schedule 2004 (NAT 3647-3.2004)
PAYG payment summaries have replaced group certificates. You should receive a PAYG payment summary from your payer (employer) if you received payments during the income year from which tax was withheld. This includes income earned from part-time or casual jobs.
Family tax benefit (NAT 4108-6.2004)
The short and long claim forms to use if you wish to claim Family Tax Benefit through the taxation system.
Baby bonus instructions and claim (NAT 6580-6.2004)
If you or your spouse had a baby or gained legal responsibility for a child aged under 5 - for example, through adoption - after 20 June 2001, you may be entitled to claim the baby bonus.
Statutory declaration for payment summaries that are lost or destroyed.
Referred publications and rulings
Not everything can be covered in TaxPack. Sometimes, you will be referred to other publications that will help you to understand your tax obligations and complete your tax return. Some publications are essential to complete some items.
All the publications and rulings referred to in TaxPack are listed in TaxPack referred publications and rulings.
Tax rates and calculations
If you wish to calculate the amount of your refund or debt, you can use the following tools:
This tool will help you to calculate the tax you owe on your taxable income. It will not calculate any:
- Medicare levy
- Medicare levy surcharge
- Higher education contribution scheme (HECS), or
- Student financial supplement scheme (SFSS) liabilities you may have.
The calculator caters for income years ended 30 June 2002, 30 June 2003, and 30 June 2004.
You can use this calculator for an estimate of your tax refund or debt for the 2003-04 income year.
It will estimate your tax payable and will also calculate:
- Medicare levy
- Medicare levy surcharge
- Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) debt
- Student Financial Supplement Scheme (SFSS) debt, and
- any tax offsets that may apply.
It will take these, along with other tax credits, into account in estimating your tax refund or debt.
Contact us
You can ring the Australian Taxation Office
You can ring the Tax Office if you need assistance with a question in TaxPack, including the supplement, or another matter concerning your tax affairs. If you decide to ring us, please have your TaxPack or supplement handy. Refer to the Tax Office contacts list for telephone contact numbers.
You can ask for a taxation ruling
If you have a complex enquiry about your tax affairs, you may want to ask for a private ruling.
To do this, complete an Application for a private ruling for individuals.
A private ruling relates only to your particular situation. Your tax return should reflect what the private ruling says. You may need to change your tax return if you lodge it before you receive your private ruling.
The Tax Office publishes on its Internet site all private rulings issued. What we publish will not contain anything which could identify you. For more information, see How to apply for a private ruling.
You can ask for a review of your private ruling if you disagree with it even if you have not yet received your assessment. You can find out more about objection procedures from the Tax Office branch that made your ruling.
Binding Oral Advice
The Tax Office now provides a service called Binding Oral Advice-oral rulings on simple enquiries where your tax affairs are considered simple in nature.
You can request an oral ruling by phone or in person. To do so you will need to confirm your identity. Your tax file number and most recent notice of assessment will usually be sufficient proof of identity.
We will confirm your eligibility for an oral ruling by asking you a series of questions to confirm that your enquiry and tax affairs are simple.
To get further information on Binding Oral Advice, or to apply for a ruling, ring the Personal Tax Infoline on 13 28 61.
TaxPack 2004 is designed to help you complete your 2004 tax return for individuals. This guide includes information about the TaxPack, TaxPack supplement and TaxPack for retirees. NAT 00976-06.2004.