When can a taxpayer request an activity statement early?
Generally, the ATO issues activity statements at the end of the reporting period and the due date for completing and lodging such activity statements is either 21 days (for monthly activity statements) or 28 days (for quarterly activity statements) later
However, the ATO can issue activity statements earlier to allow taxpayers more time to ensure that they meet their lodgement obligations by the due date (e.g. for businesses under administration or if a taxpayer is away because of travel commitments and therefore may not be able to meet the lodgement and payment due date).
However, these options are not available for quarterly taxpayers who have elected to report and pay monthly.
Please let us know if we can assist you to request your activity statements to be issued earlier.
Travel expense claims of truck drivers severely limited
The ATO has nearly halved the amount of travel expenses a truck driver can claim as tax deductions without having to produce a receipt.
For this current 2018 income tax year, employee truck drivers who receive a travel allowance can only claim $55.30 per day in travel expenses (but not for accommodation) without having to produce a receipt. [For the 2017 income tax year, the comparative amount was $97.40].
Practically, such a reduction means that a truck driver who claimed $70 per day for such travel expenses in 2017 could claim this whole amount without having to produce a receipt. However, if a truck driver were to claim $70 for such travel expenses in 2018, the taxpayer would only be allowed to claim $70 per day if the truck driver can substantiate the whole amount (i.e. the whole $70 – not just the excess over $55.30).
Beware of tax scams
Taxpayers should keep their personal information (e.g. tax file number, bank account information and date of birth) secure and not disclose that information with anyone purporting to be from the ATO.
A current scam involves taxpayers receiving phone calls (where ATO telephone numbers appear in the caller ID) that threaten the taxpayers with arrest or jail if money is not paid into certain bank accounts or tax debts are not settled with gift of iTunes cards. Regrettably, many elderly and disadvantaged people react in fear and give the caller their personal information including access to their bank accounts or credit cards.
The ATO is investigating these bogus phone calls and asks that taxpayers take as many details as possible from the caller in order that such information may be given to the ATO. If you or someone you know has fallen victim to a tax scam, please contact us so that we can report the scam to the appropriate people in the ATO.