Tax return deadline and refunds in Australia

If you lodge your own return, for example online through myTax, the due date is 31 October. In 2026 that falls on a Saturday, so don’t plan to lodge on the day; aim for the week before.

A registered tax agent can lodge later than 31 October if you are on their lodgment program, and your exact due date depends on your circumstances. If you’re using an agent for the first time, or switching agents, the ATO advises contacting them before 31 October so you are included. If you have an overdue return from an earlier year, sort that out before 31 October too.

Pre-fill data in myTax is available from 1 July, and most of it, such as salary, tax withheld and bank interest, is finalised by the end of July. Some information arrives later, for example partnership or trust distributions. The ATO warns that pre-fill can be incomplete, so check it against your payslips and income statement. If you have a job, your employer finalises your income statement through Single Touch Payroll; wait until it shows as “tax ready” before lodging. See how to read your payslip for what should match.

The ATO calculates your actual tax on your taxable income for the year, then compares it with what was already withheld from your pay. If you paid more, you get the difference back as a refund. If you paid less, you owe the difference.

Deductions are what usually create a refund. A deduction reduces your taxable income, so it’s worth your marginal rate. For a resident earning between $70,000 and $135,000 that’s 30%, plus 2% Medicare levy, so about 32 cents per dollar. Claim $1,500 of work-related expenses and your tax falls by roughly $480. It’s a refund of part of what you paid, not free money, and you need records to back the claims. See tax deductions for employees.

A refund is also possible with no deductions at all, for example if you claimed the tax-free threshold on a job you only held part of the year, or if too much was withheld. And a bill is common when someone has two jobs or an untaxed side income. See tax on a second job.

For returns lodged online through myTax, the ATO says most refunds are issued within two weeks. Paper returns are far slower, with most refunds issued within around 50 business days. Returns that need extra checking, such as those with unusually large deductions, can take longer. Your refund goes to the bank account you nominate, so check the details are right before you submit.

The failure to lodge on time penalty is one penalty unit for each 28 days (or part of 28 days) that the return is overdue, up to a maximum of five penalty units. The ATO says it generally doesn’t apply penalties in isolated cases, warning you first in writing or by phone, and it generally won’t issue a penalty notice for a late return that results in a refund or a nil result. If you use a registered agent, give them everything they need in time. Even so, don’t rely on leniency: a late return delays any refund, and a late return with a bill can add interest.

If you know you’ll miss 31 October and you don’t have an agent, arrange one before the deadline rather than after.