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Tax estimate – important information

How to understand your myTax estimate and why it may differ from your final assessment.

Last updated 26 May 2016

Your tax estimate is based on the information in your tax return. This includes information you have provided and information that has been pre-filled that you consider is correct.

If you have not completed all your information, myTax will still show you an estimate based on the information currently in your tax return.

Your tax estimate includes (where applicable) your:

  • Medicare levy
  • Medicare levy surcharge
  • low income tax offset (and other tax offsets you are eligible for, see below for exclusions)
  • compulsory repayments you have to make
    • Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
    • Financial Supplement (SFSS)
    • Trade Support Loan (TSL).

The myTax calculation is an estimate only and the final balance of your assessment may differ from the estimate when:

  • it involves complex calculations, or
  • we receive information that affects the balance of your assessment.

These include situations where you:

  • received an employment termination payment
  • received an Australian superannuation lump sum payment
  • had excess concessional superannuation contributions
  • had excess non-concessional superannuation contributions
  • are entitled to use your spouse’s unused seniors and pensioners tax offset
  • have requested the ATO to calculate the deductible amount of your undeducted purchase price of a foreign pension or annuity
  • received credit for tax paid by trustee
  • have a credit or debit balance with the ATO
  • have a debt with Services Australia or other Australian Government department
  • are lodging the return late
  • have a Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) debt and you are eligible for the HECS-HELP benefit 
  • are entitled to a Government super contribution
  • have amounts where rounding rules apply.

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