Receiving and applying TFN declarations
The answers your payees provide on their Tax file number declaration helps determine the amount you need to withhold from their payments. A Tax file number declaration applies to any payments made after you receive the declaration. If you receive an updated declaration from a payee, it will override the previous one.
If a payee does not give you a valid Tax file number declaration within 14 days of starting a payer-payee relationship, you must tell us by either:
- providing employment and tax information about your payee in your STP Phase 2 reporting and including the applicable tax treatment code beginning in ‘N’
- completing a Tax file number declaration form with all the payee's available details and sending it to us.
When a TFN has not been provided
You must withhold 47% from any payment you make to a resident payee and 45% from a foreign resident payee (ignoring any cents), if all of the following apply:
- they have not quoted their TFN
- they have not claimed an exemption from quoting their TFN
- they have not advised you that they have applied for a TFN or have made an enquiry with us.
If a payee states at question 1 of the Tax file number declaration they have lodged a Tax file number – application or enquiry for individuals with us, they have 28 days to provide you with their TFN.
If a payee has not given you their TFN within 28 days, you must withhold 47% from any payment you make to a resident payee and 45% from a foreign resident payee (ignoring any cents) unless we tell you not to.
Do not allow for tax offsets or Medicare levy adjustment. Do not withhold any amount for study and training support loans.