logo
01st Oct, 2025
If you’ve ever felt unsure about doing your tax online – or you’re helping someone who is – there are safe, simple ways to learn how it all works. The ATO offers practical tools to help you explore myTax and ATO online services, understand what information’s needed, and access free support if you’re eligible.
The ATO Online Services Simulator is an online training ground. It lets you explore myTax and other ATO online services without any risk or commitment. You can’t accidentally submit a real tax return or make actual payments – it’s purely for learning.
The simulator features eight different scenarios, each representing common Australian tax situations. You practise by acting as the “client” user and clicking through the same style of screens you’d see in real tax records in your MyGov account – entering details, reviewing typical pre-fill information and stepping through lodgment-style workflows.
Because the simulator uses mock data, you can try things out without affecting any real records. If you’re demonstrating for someone else – such as a student, a relative or a person you care for – taking them through the simulator first helps make the real system feel familiar.To try the simulator, visit www.ato.gov.au and search for “Online Services Simulator” using the search bar at the top of the page.
If you earn $70,000 or less and have straightforward tax affairs, the Tax Help program offers free assistance from July to October each year. Accredited volunteers can help you lodge your tax return online, create a myGov account, lodge amendments or determine if you need to lodge a return at all.
You can access Tax Help support online, by phone, or in person at centres across Australia. The Tax Help volunteers understand that many people feel uncertain about digital tax processes and are specifically trained to provide patient, supportive guidance.
If your income exceeds $70,000 or you have more complex tax affairs – such as running a business, owning rental properties, or dealing with capital gains tax – the National Tax Clinic program might be suitable. This government-funded initiative operates through universities across Australia, where tax students provide free advice under the supervision of qualified professionals.
01st Oct, 2025
If your business sells or buys vouchers, it’s essential to understand how to account for and report GST correctly.
A voucher is a document or an electronic record that represents a right to receive goods or services. This includes physical gift cards, digital vouchers and even prepaid phone cards. When your business sells a voucher, you’re essentially providing the recipient with a promise to supply goods or services in the future, and it’s at this future point that the GST implications come into play.
The ATO recognises two distinct types of vouchers.
Face value vouchers can be redeemed for a reasonable choice of goods and services – for example, a $50 supermarket gift card that works across all store locations. The voucher sale isn’t considered a GST taxable supply, so you don’t charge GST at the point when you sell the voucher. Instead, you account for GST when the voucher’s redeemed and the goods or services are supplied. For instance, if you sell that $50 gift card, you don’t charge GST on the gift card sale, but when the gift card’s redeemed to purchase goods worth $50, you charge GST on the supply of those goods.
There’s one exception: if you sell a face value voucher for more than its face value, you must account for GST on the excess amount immediately.
Non-face value vouchers are restricted to specific goods or services – like a voucher specifically for a spa treatment, purchased for $100. With these, you account for GST (eg on the $100 price) at the time of sale, but only if the voucher is redeemable for taxable supplies.
If the voucher is only redeemable for GST-free or input-taxed supplies, there’s no GST to account for.
Here’s something business owners often overlook: if you’ve sold face value vouchers that expire or remain unredeemed, and you write back the unused amount to your current income for accounting purposes, you need to make an “increasing adjustment” on your Business Activity Statement (BAS). This adjustment is 1/11th of the unredeemed balance.
If your business buys vouchers, you may be able to claim a GST credit – but timing matters. For face value vouchers, you claim the credit when you redeem the voucher, not when you buy it. For non-face value vouchers, you claim the credit when you purchase the voucher. Remember, you can only claim credits for GST-inclusive purchases used in your business.
To account for GST on vouchers you sell, you need to keep accurate records including dates of sale, redemption and/or expiration, and the amounts of GST payable. Importantly, specific rules and exceptions apply to certain types of vouchers. For example, if you sell vouchers that can be redeemed for a combination of goods and services, you need to apportion the GST accordingly. You may also need to issue a tax invoice to the customer when a voucher’s redeemed, and keep a copy of this invoice for your records. And finally, of course, you need to report GST on vouchers in your BAS in accordance with ATO guidelines.
01st Oct, 2025
If you’re nearing retirement and looking for ways to boost your superannuation savings, downsizer super contributions might be the perfect solution for you.
These allow eligible Australians aged 55 and over to contribute proceeds from selling their home into their superannuation fund.
In the 2024–2025 financial year alone, 15,800 individuals took advantage of this strategy, contributing a total of $4.165 billion to their superannuation funds.
A downsizer contribution allows an eligible individual to contribute an amount equal to all or part of the sale proceeds (up to $300,000 each) from the sale of their home into their superannuation fund. The contribution must not exceed the sale proceeds of the home.
The great advantage is that downsizer contributions aren’t restricted by any other contribution caps or your total superannuation balance; there are no work tests; and there’s no upper age limit. It’s one of the rare ways you can contribute large amounts to your super even after the age of 75.
Downsizer contributions can also be used alongside other strategies. For example, someone under age 75 can potentially combine the following three strategies to contribute up to $690,000 to super in a single year, if eligible and if timed correctly:
To make a downsizer contribution, you must:
Failure to submit the Downsizer contribution into super form on time may result in your fund rejecting the contribution or treating it as a standard non- concessional contribution, which could have adverse tax implications.
The 90-day deadline from the date of settlement is also strict. If you need more time (eg due to delays in purchasing a new home), you must apply to the ATO for an extension. Extensions are granted only in limited circumstances, such as settlement delays due to council approvals.
30th Sep, 2025
The Australian government’s promise to cut student loan debts by 20% has now become law. If you’re one of more than three million Australians who have a student loan, you’re probably wondering what this means for you and when you’ll see the benefits.
The change applies to all types of student loans, including VET Student Loans, Australian Apprenticeship Support Loans, and even older schemes like the Student Financial Supplement Scheme.
If you had an outstanding student loan debt on 1 June 2025, you’re eligible. The reduction is
calculated on your debt balance as at that date, before the annual indexation was applied. Even if you’ve made payments since June or completely paid off your loan after that date, you’ll still receive the full 20% reduction based on what you owed on 1 June.
If you’ve already paid off your loan since 1 June, the reduction might actually put your ATO account into credit, potentially resulting in a refund to your bank account (as long as you don’t have tax debts owing).
If you’d already paid off your student loan completely before 1 June 2025, unfortunately you won’t benefit from the 20% reduction. The relief only applies to debts that existed on that date.
The ATO’s responsible for applying the change, and is currently updating its systems to process these reductions. Most people should see their 20% reduction applied before the end of 2025.
You don’t need to do anything to receive the reduction – it will be applied automatically. The ATO will notify you when it’s been processed, and you’ll be able to see your new lower balance through your myGov account or the ATO app.
30th Sep, 2025
If you’re a small business owner who’s been using the ATO’s Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH) to pay your employees’ super, we’ve got some news that might make you reach for another coffee. The free service that’s been making your life easier is closing down, and you’ll need to find an alternative before July 2026.
The government has announced that the SBSCH will be shutting down as part of the new “payday super” reforms. Here are the key dates:
The closure coincides with new legislation that will require employers to pay super contributions at the same time as wages (payday super), rather than using the current quarterly system. Under these new rules, super contributions must reach your employees’ funds within seven days of each payday.
The ATO is pulling the plug because the SBSCH was designed for the old quarterly super payment system, and it simply doesn’t fit with the new payday super world we’re heading into.
If you’re one of the over 200,000 small businesses currently using the SBSCH, this change will impact you in several ways:
If you’re already using payroll software for wages, payroll software with built-in super payments might be your easiest transition. Many popular accounting packages now include super payment features that let you pay contributions directly through the same system you use for payroll. The beauty of these integrated solutions is that once you’ve run payroll, paying super can be as simple as clicking a button.
Most super funds also offer free clearing house services to employers. These typically require you to register as an employer with that fund, but then you can manage contributions to multiple funds in one place. The main trade-off is that you’ll need to use a separate web portal and either upload data from your payroll system or enter it manually.
There are also independent commercial providers. These tend to offer more sophisticated features and can handle high volumes of transactions. Commercial providers often charge fees, but they typically offer robust compliance features and reliable processing.
The ATO recommends starting your transition early – don’t wait until 2026. This gives you time to test your new process and iron out any issues before the deadline.
29th Aug, 2025
If you run a small or medium business, you know that financial accuracy’s important but sometimes mistakes can happen or information can change. Starting this year, though, you have more time to amend your return and get things right.
Before this change, small and medium businesses generally had a two-year period from the date of their tax assessment to request an amendment. If you discovered an error or omission after this two-year window, correcting it could become a more complex process.
Now, for the 2024–2025 and later income years, small and medium businesses with an annual aggregated turnover of less than $50 million will have up to four years to request amendments to their income tax returns. This gives more time to review records, reconcile figures and address any oversights – but remember, it’s not an excuse to rush your first lodgment.
For earlier income years, the two-year amendment period still applies.
Your review period starts the day after the ATO issues your notice of assessment for the relevant income year. If no notice is issued, it starts from the date you lodged your return.
Here are some common scenarios where you might need to request an amendment:
Whatever the reason, it’s important to correct any errors as soon as you identify them. For example, if an amendment leads to an increased tax liability, time- based interest and penalties might apply, so prompt action’s still beneficial.
There are no ATO fees for amendment requests, but processing can take a substantial amount of time.
If you discover an error that increases the tax you owe, you may face interest charges and penalties. However, voluntary disclosure of mistakes is generally viewed more favourably than errors discovered during an audit.
If the ATO’s already notified you of an audit or review, you must tell the assigned tax officer about any errors rather than lodging an amendment request.
Remember, the extended amendment period offers greater peace of mind, but good record-keeping and a proactive approach remain your best tools for managing your tax affairs effectively.