myTax and lodging your return

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myTax is the ATO's free online tax return. You reach it through ATO online services inside your myGov account — there is nothing to download, and it works on a computer, phone, or tablet. Most Australians with straightforward affairs lodge this way.

Lodging with myTax, step by step

1) Create a myGov account and link the ATO service. 2) Wait until your information is ready — your income statement should be marked "Tax ready". 3) Open myTax, check every pre-filled line, and add anything missing. 4) Claim your deductions and offsets. 5) Lodge, then watch your myGov inbox for the notice of assessment.

Before you start: what you need

You need a myGov account linked to the ATO, your Tax File Number, and your bank account details for any refund. Have ready: your income statements (available in ATO online services — they replaced the old payment summaries), bank interest details, dividend statements, your private health insurance statement, receipts for anything you claim, and your spouse's details if they affect your return. If you use a registered tax agent instead, they lodge for you with ATO-approved software and their fee is tax-deductible.

Pre-fill: wait for it

From 1 July, the ATO starts filling in your return with data from employers, banks, health funds, and government agencies. Most of it is in by late July. Lodging before your pre-fill is complete is the most common avoidable mistake: if your employer's data is not there yet, your return will be wrong and will need fixing. Wait for the "Tax ready" message in your myGov inbox. Even then, check every pre-filled line — pre-fill helps, but you are responsible for what you lodge. Add any income that is not pre-filled, such as cash work, side income, or foreign income.

How long it takes

Most online returns are processed within 12 business days, and refunds generally arrive within two weeks of the assessment. Paper returns take much longer. If your return needs a manual check, it can take longer — that is normal, not a sign something is wrong.

If you cannot use myTax

You can lodge a paper return (the forms are on ato.gov.au), or use a registered tax agent. Agents can also lodge for you if your affairs are complex — rental properties, business income, capital gains, or foreign income — and being on an agent's client list by 31 October gives you access to their later lodgment dates. Never pay anyone who offers to lodge your return for a share of your refund without being a registered tax agent; check the Tax Practitioners Board register first.

Sources: Australian Taxation Office (ato.gov.au) — Lodge your tax return online with myTax; Moneysmart (moneysmart.gov.au) — Lodging a tax return.

General information only. This page explains Australian income tax in plain English. It is not tax advice, and it cannot tell you what to claim or how much tax you owe. Always confirm the current rates, thresholds, and your own position on ato.gov.au before you act, or speak to a registered tax agent. Contact: hello [at] tapetoolhq.com.