The Australian Taxation Office announced that over 100 million pre-filled data points are now ready for individual tax returns, with Assistant Commissioner Anita Challen urging taxpayers to verify their details, declare all income, and avoid overclaiming deductions ahead of the 31 October lodgment deadline.
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has issued a set of recommendations from Assistant Commissioner Anita Challen to assist individuals during the 2026 tax lodgment season on 27 July 2026.
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) now has over 100 million pieces of information ready to be pre-filled into individual tax returns and is giving taxpayers the go-ahead to lodge.
The data has been provided to the ATO from a range of third parties including employers, banks, private health insurers, share registries, and government agencies, and is designed to help taxpayers and tax professionals lodge more accurately and with less effort.
ATO Assistant Commissioner Anita Challen said taxpayers with straightforward tax affairs can now review their information and start lodging, either by using myTax or through a registered tax professional.
“For those who have been patiently waiting to lodge, most income statements and pre-fill information is now available,” Ms Challen said. “Before hitting submit, taxpayers should take a few extra minutes to check details to avoid delays and mistakes. Pre-fill data should be verified as correct, all income declared, and only entitled deductions claimed. Lodging a tax return is a legal declaration that the information provided is true and correct.”
This year, the ATO is expanding pre-fill services to include income reported through the Taxable Payment Annual Report, to help more contractors get their tax returns right the first time. Taxpayers in industries including building and construction, cleaning, courier services, information technology, road freight, and security services may see this income automatically added to their return from late August.
What taxpayers should avoid
Overclaiming deductions or inflating expenses is discouraged. The ATO has sophisticated data-matching and analytics that can quickly identify claims that don’t stack up, and refunds may be held for further investigation if they appear suspicious.
All income must be reported — including income from side hustles, cash jobs, rental properties, and online activities and content creation. Excluding income may result in the ATO amending a tax return, with interest and penalties potentially applied.
Copying and pasting from previous years’ returns is also flagged as a risk. If a taxpayer’s job or circumstances have changed, that needs to be reflected in claims and the return.
Acting on information from third-party sources such as artificial intelligence platforms, “finfluencers,” or advice from family or friends without verifying with a registered tax professional or the ATO is not recommended.
Taxpayers should also not claim the newly announced AUD 1,000 standard work-related deduction — this does not apply until Tax Time 2027.
What taxpayers should do
The ATO advises taxpayers to take time to check personal information and ensure bank and super details are up to date. Reviewing the ATO’s industry and occupation-specific guides will help clarify what can be claimed and what records are required to prove it.
Those planning to use a registered tax agent should engage one before 31 October and verify the agent is registered with the Tax Practitioners Board. Downloading the ATO app allows taxpayers to manage their tax and super, and track the progress of their return. The myDeductions feature within the app can be used to keep and organise records for expenses and deductions.
Taxpayers are also reminded to stay alert to scams. The ATO will never project a number when calling or send an unsolicited message with a link asking for personal information or login to ATO online services. Information should only be taken from verified sources such as the ATO website, the ATO app, or a registered tax professional.
Those who lodged in early July and have since identified a mistake — such as omitting income — can lodge an amendment.
The ATO is also reminding taxpayers that calling the ATO will not speed up the processing of returns. “Most returns are processed within 12 business days, and the fastest way to check the progress of a return is through the ATO app or ATO online services,” Ms Challen said.
The lodgment deadline for self-preparers is 31 October. Those engaging a tax agent may have a later deadline but should be on the agent’s books by 31 October.
