Miss this looming deadline and face up to $1650 in fines

Australians who person yet to lodge their taxation return must do truthful successful nan adjacent 25 days aliases consequence penalties exceeding $1500.

The deadline for individuals to lodge their ain taxation return is Friday, October 31, 2025.

About 15 cardinal tax returns will beryllium lodged for nan 2024-2025 financial twelvemonth – 6.4 cardinal of which had already been submitted by nan extremity of August, according to nan Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

But millions are still yet to beryllium lodged and anyone who misses nan deadline astatine nan extremity of nan period could bull a nonaccomplishment to lodge (FTL) connected clip penalty.

"You request to lodge your return, and salary your taxation successful afloat and connected clip to debar penalties, liking charges and firmer actions," an ATO spokesperson told 9news.com.au.

The punishment starts astatine $330, past increases by $330 for each 28-day play (or portion thereof) that your return is overdue.

The punishment caps retired astatine $1650 for individuals.

Fortunately, nan ATO will see your circumstances erstwhile deciding what action to return for precocious lodgement and usually won't use penalties successful isolated cases.

The ATO will besides typically pass you by telephone aliases successful penning earlier applying FTL penalties.

If you are liable for a penalty, nan ATO will notify you successful writing.

The announcement will see nan logic for nan penalty, nan magnitude of nan penalty, and nan owed day for payment.

If you bull a good but grounded to lodge owed to extenuating circumstances (such arsenic illness, earthy disasters, etc.) you tin petition a remission of penalties.

The ATO whitethorn take to trim nan punishment successful portion aliases successful full, depending connected nan circumstances.

Aussies who neglect to lodge their taxation return connected clip whitethorn besides incur a wide liking complaint (GIC) connected their precocious lodgement and immoderate unpaid penalties.

The existent GIC complaint is 10.61 per cent annually aliases 0.02906849 per cent per day, and is calculated connected a regular compounding ground connected nan magnitude overdue.

In short, nan champion measurement to debar paying immoderate penalties connected your taxation return is to make judge you lodge it earlier October 31.

The only measurement to perchance get astir that deadline is by engaging a taxation agent.

Most registered taxation agents tin lodge returns good past nan October 31 deadline, often moreover into 2026.

But you must name your taxation supplier and ensure you're connected their books earlier October 31 to debar penalties.

"If you miss that deadline without lodging a taxation return aliases appointing a taxation agent, past you could beryllium up for precocious lodgement fees," Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) taxation master Susan Franks antecedently told 9news.

Tax agents must beryllium registered pinch nan Tax Practitioners Board (TPB), which you tin check online.

"If you're worried you won't beryllium capable to lodge and salary by nan owed dates, interaction your registered taxation master aliases sojourn our website earlier nan owed day to find retired what support options are disposable to you," nan ATO spokesperson said.

The accusation provided connected this website is wide successful quality only and does not represent individual financial advice. The accusation has been prepared without taking into relationship your individual objectives, financial business aliases needs. Before acting connected immoderate accusation connected this website you should see nan appropriateness of nan accusation having respect to your objectives, financial business and needs.

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