JP1

Hi,

Does anyone know what the going rate is in Sydney for getting a personal tax return done? Has anyone used one of the "fee paid out of refund" type places. I've heard that if you do your own tax return you are more likely to be audited - not sure if this is the case.

Cheers

The Bloke

You have the roughly same chance as being done by tax agent or accountant.

yafm

For a simple one only about $80 plus GST we pay $105 inc GST for a rather complicated one. Shop around the local ones (don't fall the the Block advert they did not know what to do for us.....)

wsbtroyno21

Hi,

I did my first Aussie tax return online last Sunday and my refund went straight into my bank account on Friday!!! My Partner is Australian and he always does his own tax returns and he has never been audited. I think it just comes down to luck as to whether you will be audited or not.

Wendy

NickyC

I'm just doing my 27th year of tax returns. All together I reckon I've put in 63 of them over the years - mine, my husband's, my company's and now I've somehow scored doing my son's - and I've never been audited.

I believe that as long as your tax returns are straightforward with no glaringly obvious errors then they go through automatically. The ATO will pick up on returns that don't fit a standard pattern (eg excessive amounts of deductions or figures that just don't gel) and they're the ones that'll get audited. They also target specific types of taxpayer at different times - I think their current target is people claiming too much depreciation. So if your depreciation amounts are a bit suss, then you've got a good chance of them knocking at the door!

If your financial affairs are straightforward and you're NOT trying it on, then you're unlikely to get audited.

JP1

Thanks - all useful information. The prices seem pretty reasonable - do the agents just rely on you to give them the correct information? Also, do the agents want to know about non-Australian shares or assets etc?