How to Lodge a Tax Return in Australia: Step-by-Step Guide 2026

The Australian financial year runs from 1 July to 30 June, and the deadline to lodge your tax return is 31 October each year. Most people lodge online for free via myTax, a tool built into the myGov portal — it takes as little as 20 minutes if your information is pre-filled.

What is a tax return?

A tax return is the annual declaration you make to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) reporting your income, deductions, and tax offsets for the financial year. The ATO uses this information to calculate whether you have paid the right amount of tax through PAYG (Pay As You Go) withholding. If you overpaid, you get a refund. If you underpaid, you owe the ATO the difference.

You must lodge a tax return for any financial year in which you earned Australian income, even if you have already left the country. Most employees, contractors, and investors are required to lodge. The ATO can cross-check your income against employer reports, bank interest data, and investment platform records — so non-lodgement is easily detected.

How does lodging a tax return work in Australia?

The main free option is myTax via myGov (my.gov.au). myTax pre-fills much of your data — salary and wages, bank interest, private health insurance, and some deductions — from information employers and financial institutions have already reported to the ATO. You review the pre-filled data, add anything missing, claim deductions, and submit.

Alternatively, you can use a registered tax agent, who can lodge on your behalf. Tax agents have an extended deadline (typically May the following year), which gives you more time if you miss the 31 October deadline. Tax agent fees are also tax-deductible in the following year.

Key dates:

30 June: end of the financial year
Late July: most income statements finalised by employers
1 July: myTax opens for lodgement
31 October: individual lodgement deadline (self-lodgers)
May (following year): extended deadline if using a registered tax agent

Step-by-step: lodging your tax return via myTax

Create or log in to myGov at my.gov.au and link the ATO to your myGov account if you have not already done so.
Wait for your income statement to be finalised. Your employer marks your income statement as "Tax ready" — usually by 31 July. Lodging before this point may result in incorrect pre-fill data.
Open myTax within the ATO section of myGov and select the financial year.
Review pre-filled income. Check your salary, wages, allowances, bank interest, dividends, and government payments. Add any income that is not pre-filled (e.g., cash income, foreign income, rental income).
Claim deductions. Enter work-related expenses (home office, vehicle, self-education, tools), investment expenses, and donations to registered charities. Keep receipts — the ATO can audit claims up to five years later.
Check offsets and Medicare. The ATO calculates your Medicare levy (2% of taxable income, subject to exemptions) and applies relevant offsets (LITO, private health insurance rebate, etc.).
Review the tax estimate. myTax shows your estimated refund or amount owing before you submit.
Submit and receive your notice of assessment. The ATO typically processes returns within two weeks (often faster for straightforward returns). Refunds are paid to your nominated bank account.

Common mistakes to avoid

Lodging before your income statement is finalised. Pre-filled data may be incomplete, leading to errors that require amendment.
Forgetting investment income. Bank interest, dividends, and managed fund distributions are all taxable and pre-filled — but foreign income is not. Always include it.
Claiming deductions without records. The ATO runs data-matching and random audits. Claims without receipts or logbooks are disallowable, and you may face penalties.
Missing the deadline without acting. If you cannot lodge by 31 October, engage a registered tax agent before the deadline passes — this automatically grants you the extended agent deadline.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to lodge a return if I only had tax withheld and am owed a refund? Yes, you still need to lodge. The ATO does not automatically issue refunds — you must submit a return to trigger the reconciliation process. The good news is that if you are owed a refund, you will only receive it after lodging.

Can I lodge from overseas? Yes. myTax is accessible from anywhere with an internet connection. Overseas residents can lodge online or through a registered tax agent operating in Australia. You may need to provide your foreign address and declare any foreign income.

What if I make a mistake on my return? You can amend a lodged tax return through myGov or by contacting the ATO. Amendments can generally be made within two years of the original assessment date. Honest mistakes treated promptly rarely attract penalties.

Related calculator

Estimate your income tax and Medicare levy before lodging your return → Income Tax Calculator