Things you need to know
To avoid any delay in the processing of your tax return, use the pre-addressed envelope provided with the tax return instructions, or use the following address:
Australian Taxation Office
GPO Box 9845
(insert the name and postcode of your nearest capital city)
For example:
Australian Taxation Office
GPO Box 9845
SYDNEY NSW 2001
Your checklist
Check you have completed the following before you lodge your tax return:
- written your tax file number
- correctly filled in all your personal details, including your date of birth
- provided your electronic funds transfer so any refund owing can be paid directly to your financial institution account
- completed all questions that are relevant to you, including
- IT1 to IT8
- M2 – this question is compulsory for all taxpayers
- A1 if you were under 18 years old on 30 June 2024; this is compulsory and if not completed, you may be taxed at a higher rate
- A4 if you were in Australia on a 417, 462 or COVID-19 pandemic event 408 visa that allowed you to work and holiday; this is compulsory and if not completed you may be taxed at a higher rate
- Spouse details – married or de facto, if required, including
- Family Assistance consent – if you have consented to offset part or all of your tax refund against your spouse's Family Assistance debt, if required
- the letter code boxes, if required, at questions
- 1 Salary or wages
- 3 Employer lump sum payments
- 4 Employment termination payments
- 8 Australian superannuation lump sum payments
- TOTAL SUPPLEMENT INCOME OR LOSS
- TOTAL INCOME OR LOSS
- D1 Work-related car expenses
- D3 Work-related clothing, laundry and dry-cleaning expenses
- D4 Work-related self-education expenses
- SUBTOTAL
- TAXABLE INCOME OR LOSS
- T1 Seniors and pensioners
- M1 Medicare levy reduction or exemption
- Private health insurance policy details
- A1 Under 18
- A3 Government super contributions.
- written totals at
- TOTAL TAX WITHHELD
- TOTAL SUPPLEMENT INCOME OR LOSS (if applicable)
- TOTAL INCOME OR LOSS
- TOTAL SUPPLEMENT DEDUCTIONS (if applicable)
- TOTAL DEDUCTIONS
- SUBTOTAL
- TAXABLE INCOME OR LOSS
- TOTAL SUPPLEMENT TAX OFFSETS (if applicable)
- TOTAL TAX OFFSETS
- a Trust income schedule to attach to your tax return, if you have written amounts for trust distributions at
- 13 Partnerships and trusts
- 18 Capital gains
- 19 Foreign entities
- 20 Foreign source income and foreign assets or property
- the Taxpayer's declaration, you need to read, complete, sign and date it.
- attached copies of all documents or schedules the tax return instructions tell you to attach
- kept copies of your tax return, all attachments, and relevant papers for your own records.
When can you expect your notice of assessment?
We aim to process paper tax returns within 10 weeks. If you lodge your tax return online using myTax, our standard processing time is 2 weeks.
Do you want to work out your tax?
If you want to work out your tax refund or debt, use the Income tax estimator.