Chredge

Been having a grave affair with some issues this week and stumbled across this forum, hopefully someone can give me some advice.

I left Australia in July after spending a year in Perth, working the entire time. I made a claim for my tax back, which was a fair few thousand, and received a letter this week saying they've taken that from me and that I owe them two grand.

Below this it states that I've been living in Australia as a non-resident for tax reasons even though I specifically remember ticking the correct box as advised by my manager at the time; that was 'Resident'.

Leaving Australia was difficult enough and now the crops up when I'd been hoping to take even a bit of cash back in.

Could anyone shed some light on this case or at least let me know if I've anything to fight for? It's an affordable 'fine' of sorts but just a complete shock to the system.

goldchoccycoin

You can certainly challenge the tax office's assessment of your residency status. There is in fact a residency status check on the ato website;

http://calculators.ato.gov.au/script...dent.XR4&go=ok

and a large section on 'residency'.

If you put in your details for the time you were working and being paid in the job you're claiming for then it will spit out whether you are or not 'resident' for tax purposes.

Then if it says you were - lodge a dispute here;

http://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/pa...49#001_001_045

Bermudashorts

There is a lot more to being resident for tax reasons than numbers of days in the year and how many you worked. Most of all it is about intentions.

If your employer deducted tax as if you were resident but ATO have decided you were non res ident then you would get a large bill.

Assuming you can convince them you were resident, why do you think you would be due tax back? You left in July so more or less did a full tax year so your tax deducted might have been quite accurate?