2010 Tax Return - how to?

Dave!

Applied for what, the tax back? No, but I've applied for the TFN (ages ago), and received it along with the letter telling me I'm a non-resident for tax purposes.

Tigerandahalf

Ok I've tried the etax download and not suprisingly I'm having trouble pretty much straight away with it.
It doesn't recognise my 'secret' information or whatever they are looking for. So I entered my income details manually...unfortunately there is not enough lines on the screen to enter all the employers I've worked for. Great system!!
Anyway I've given up on it. I read here that some people just printed off some form and sent in their payment summary forms with it.
Can someone take me through the process..where I can download the form and what else has to be done. Want to get this out of the way as soon as I can.

hussey

Dave! wrote: »

Applied for what, the tax back? No, but I've applied for the TFN (ages ago), and received it along with the letter telling me I'm a non-resident for tax purposes.

well now you are, so claim your tax back

Doc

Got mine back at the weekend and Im a happy boy I can tell you. One whole year paying tax at the non-resident rate and clamed it all back as a resident for tax purposes! If they had 1$ bills I would be tempted to get it all out in them so I could role around in it!

From when I lodged it through e-tax on the 6th of July it took 18 days to arrive back in my bank account.

Vorsprung

If you're not sure if you're a resident for tax purposes or not, type "resident tool" into the search box of the ATO website, and you'll find a quick quiz that determines whether you're a resident or not.

Dave!

Vorsprung wrote: »

If you're not sure if you're a resident for tax purposes or not, type "resident tool" into the search box of the ATO website, and you'll find a quick quiz that determines whether you're a resident or not.

Yeah I already did that, and it gives me the opposite answer to the letter I received with my TFN. So do ye reckon I should just lodge my tax return as a non-resident, or is there a way that I can change to resident? Or does it make a difference?

I would have assumed that I'd get most of my tax back either way, as I'm not earning very much.

hussey

Dave! wrote: »

Yeah I already did that, and it gives me the opposite answer to the letter I received with my TFN. So do ye reckon I should just lodge my tax return as a non-resident, or is there a way that I can change to resident? Or does it make a difference?

I would have assumed that I'd get most of my tax back either way, as I'm not earning very much.

Dave lodge it as a RESIDENT, if your intent is to stay in sydney for 6 months and to a job for most of that time you are a resident for tax purposes.

Or else head to a tax agent ($100 approx) and get him to sort all this out for ya.

Doc

I received the same letter saying the same thing when I first came here. At that time you where not a resident for tax purposes but If you have worked or lived in the one area of Australia for 6 months or more then you probably are a resident for tax purposes.

The difference in tax is huge. Like I said I was getting taxed at non-resident rate which is about 30% and the resident tax rate is more like 15%.

Initially I was like you and because of that letter put down that I was a non-resident. But having talked to a lot of people figured out that I am a resident for tax purposes.

I would go by what the resident tool tells you if I where you!

Father Damo

Is it true you can only apply for the refund in July or October, not in between? Im fairly sure it can be done at any time in between but my mate is adamant that if we dont get it done before this month is out we will have to wait until October.

Mackman

Father Damo wrote: »

Is it true you can only apply for the refund in July or October, not in between? Im fairly sure it can be done at any time in between but my mate is adamant that if we dont get it done before this month is out we will have to wait until October.

Now thats just silly. You can do it anytime between now and October (15th i think?)

hussey

Father Damo wrote: »

Is it true you can only apply for the refund in July or October, not in between? Im fairly sure it can be done at any time in between but my mate is adamant that if we dont get it done before this month is out we will have to wait until October.

surely it wouldn't be too difficult to look up www.ato.gov.au

Tigerandahalf

I looked through that site. It's not very helpful or time efficient. I looked to see if I could email them but you can't seem to do that. I rang them and after been held waiting for 10 mins I gave up.
It seems you can download the form TaxPack2010 and fill it in manually. Has anyone done it this way? The form seems crazy long.

hussey

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

I looked through that site. It's not very helpful or time efficient. I looked to see if I could email them but you can't seem to do that. I rang them and after been held waiting for 10 mins I gave up.
It seems you can download the form TaxPack2010 and fill it in manually. Has anyone done it this way? The form seems crazy long.

Yeah I did it a few years ago ..

You can also pick it up in newsagents for free, it is also the same form, so if you are confused then you'll still be confused.

For most people it should be simple

Enter in personal details
Enter in wages for all employers (or prefill)
Enter in tax paid
Enter in deductions (for most this will be 0)
enter in medicare (if irish passport holder then set this to $0)

submit or print and manually send it off

anything in the middle about education, baby bonus .. yada yada .. just skip or select 'No'

Tigerandahalf

What newsagents carry these forms? Would Coles, Woolworths etc have them?
I enquired with a tax return agent and he said he would be charging between $55 and $60. However, I'm not very comfortable giving my details over to these fellas and would be afraid they might pocket some of the return themselves. If I can do it myself I'll try to but the system doesn't make it easy. The first stupid mistake with the system is that unless you have appled for a tax return before it won't recognise you. Great system! So straight away you can't do the pre-fill option. I suppose when you are trying to get money back from a government having these problems is no surprise! Anyway great thread..sure many people will need the info. Should be a sticky.

Mellor

I'll prob just go with a tax accountant.
For the sake of $150, he'll probably get me more than this above what I would of thought of, car, phone, green card etc

Tigerandahalf

For those of you who said you printed off the etax form because it wouldn't validate your identity, can you tell me is there any way to print off the file if you don't have a printer. I presume there must be some of you out there who don't have one. Cab you save the etax file to your USB stick and take it to a cafe and print it off there??

hussey

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

For those of you who said you printed off the etax form because it wouldn't validate your identity, can you tell me is there any way to print off the file if you don't have a printer. I presume there must be some of you out there who don't have one. Cab you save the etax file to your USB stick and take it to a cafe and print it off there??

Not unless the cafe had eTax installed, you can use cutepdf to create a PDF file and print that in a cafe

Tigerandahalf

Do you have to pay for that or is it free?
I think I'm just going to have to go to a newsagent, get the form and fill it in manually. Can you answer my question above re the newsagents?
Cheers for the help.

hussey

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Do you have to pay for that or is it free?
I think I'm just going to have to go to a newsagent, get the form and fill it in manually. Can you answer my question above re the newsagents?
Cheers for the help.

No pay for cutePDF

usually places like the corner newsagents rather than woolies and coles, in my area there is a lot of free music magazines and I have seen them there, also just outside some of the newsagents on busy streets.

they might be in shopping centres, but I don't know

jank

NZ taxback resting in my bank account.
Now onto the ATO!!

jank

Right, question on defacto tax returns.

Do we both have to do a tax return each? or do we do them induvidually.
Also is there any tax benifit for us to put a de-facto person in our tax return. I would imagine yes but unsure what this could be.

hussey

jank wrote: »

Right, question on defacto tax returns.

Do we both have to do a tax return each? or do we do them induvidually.
Also is there any tax benifit for us to put a de-facto person in our tax return. I would imagine yes but unsure what this could be.

Yes you both need to do one each, you are allowed some spouse tax breaks, but usually only if your spouse is not working (or has a low wage)

Edit - I'm not 100% sure on this, so best check up

Tigerandahalf

Ok folks I've checked a good few newagents around Melbourne and can't get the tax return form. Tried flinders st one as well and no good. Tried a post office as well and not there either. Anyone know a place where I can pick up one of these forms??

FreeAnd..

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Ok folks I've checked a good few newagents around Melbourne and can't get the tax return form. Tried flinders st one as well and no good. Tried a post office as well and not there either. Anyone know a place where I can pick up one of these forms??

You can just print it off or get them to send it out - I had the taxpack in 2 days here in NZ when i requested it posted out

http://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/content.asp?doc=/content/00245948.htm&pc=001/002/043/001/010&mnu=42989&mfp=001/002&st=&cy=1

lg123

how long are people here waiting for the Australian tax refund? i sent mine away on 9 July and i haven't heard anything since.

Doc

lg123 wrote: »

how long are people here waiting for the Australian tax refund? i sent mine away on 9 July and i haven't heard anything since.

From when I lodged it through e-tax on the 6th of July it took 18 days to arrive in my bank account. They say not to contact them unless it takes more then 21 days. Id give them a ring if I was you.

unreggd

Are there any penalties if ye dont do a tax return at all? Is it just for Oz, or is it a worldwide thing?

I worked about 4 weeks when I was there, but the job ignored all me requests for a final tax payslip so I dont have what I need anyways

Dave!

Got my tax back today -- $1,400 thank you very much!!!

Piece of piss

lg123

got mine too.

fyi, it was received by ato on 19 july. i posted in the print from etax.