Is your return ready to lodge?
The Australian Taxation Office receives information from employers, banks, health funds, government agencies and investment providers. Much of it appears automatically in your tax return through pre-fill.
Pre-fill saves time. It does not replace your records or remove your responsibility to declare all assessable income. Information may be delayed, incomplete or reported under a different name. Some income will not appear at all.
A careful review can prevent a refund from being held for checking. It can also reduce the chance that you will need to amend the return when another statement arrives.
Confirm every income statement is Tax ready
Review all employers you worked for during the financial year, including short-term, casual and former employers. Each income statement should be marked Tax ready before its figures are used.
An income statement marked Not tax ready may still change. Your employer could update gross wages, allowances, PAYG withholding or reportable super contributions after checking its payroll records.
Changed jobs during the year? Do not check only your current employer. Include work performed for labour-hire firms and any payments received after leaving a job. If a finalised statement looks wrong, contact the employer before lodging so it can correct the information.
Check bank interest and investment income
Interest is assessable when it is credited or paid, even if you left it in the account. Review every savings account, term deposit and account closed during the year. For a joint account, check the share of interest that belongs in your return.
Compare dividend statements with the pre-filled entries. A dividend can include a cash amount, an unfranked amount and franking credits. Missing one part can change your taxable income and tax position.
Managed fund and exchange traded fund investors should wait for the annual tax statement. Cash distributions shown in a bank account are not enough to prepare the tax return. The statement can include capital gains, foreign income, tax offsets and other components that must be entered in specific places.
Shares sold?
Bring purchase, sale and brokerage records. Pre-fill data may show that a transaction occurred without calculating your capital gain or loss.
Reinvested distributions?
They still need to be reported. Keep the statement and update the cost records for your investment.
Review private health insurance details
Private health insurance information can affect your rebate and Medicare levy surcharge position. Check the policyholder, premiums, rebate amounts and periods of hospital cover against your circumstances.
This review matters when you changed funds, moved on or off a family policy, added a partner or dependent, separated, or held cover for only part of the year. A policy appearing in pre-fill does not prove every household detail is correct.
If information is missing, obtain the details from your insurer. If it appears wrong, contact the fund before changing the pre-filled figures. Your accountant may also need information about your spouse and dependants to complete the relevant tax questions.
Look for income that may not be pre-filled
Ask yourself where money, assets or benefits came from during the year. Pre-fill can miss or only partly show income from activities outside normal employment and Australian bank accounts.
| Income or activity | Records to collect | Common gap |
|---|---|---|
| Rental property | Agent statements, rent records, invoices and loan statements | Private use, shared ownership or expenses paid personally |
| Side work | Invoices, platform statements and related expenses | Cash or irregular payments not treated as income |
| Cryptocurrency | Exchange exports, wallet activity and transfer records | Swaps, spending and rewards omitted from the transaction history |
| Foreign income | Overseas statements and foreign tax paid | Income left overseas or received in another currency |
| Asset sales | Purchase, improvement and sale documents | Missing cost records for shares, property or other assets |
Other examples include trust distributions, employee share schemes, compensation payments, government payments and income earned through online marketplaces. If you are unsure whether an amount is taxable, show the record to your accountant rather than leaving it out.
Match every deduction to supporting evidence
A payment is not deductible merely because it happened while you were working. The expense must have the required connection to earning your income, and you need records that support the claim.
Check receipts, invoices, logbooks, diaries and working-from-home records before giving figures to your accountant. If an expense was partly private, calculate the work-related portion. If your employer reimbursed the cost, you cannot claim it again.
- work-related vehicle, travel, clothing and self-education records
- working-from-home hours and eligible running costs
- professional memberships, union fees and income protection premiums
- donation receipts from deductible gift recipients
- tax agent fees and eligible investment-related expenses
- personal super contribution records and a valid notice of intent where required
A bank statement can help prove payment, but it may not show what you purchased or why it related to your work. Keep the receipt or another record that explains the expense.
What to bring to your appointment
Bring the documents that apply to you, even when you expect the details to be pre-filled. A complete set of records helps your accountant identify gaps and prepare the return with fewer follow-up questions.
- income and investment statements
- private health insurance information
- rental, foreign income and cryptocurrency records
- asset purchase and sale documents
- deduction receipts, diaries and logbooks
- current bank details for any refund
- details of changes to your spouse or dependant circumstances
Frequently asked questions
Does pre-fill mean the ATO has all my income?
No. Pre-fill contains information the ATO has received and processed. You still need to check it, correct errors and add income that is missing.
What if my employer's figures are wrong?
Ask the employer to correct and re-finalise the income statement. Discuss the issue with your accountant before lodging.
Can I lodge before my managed fund statement arrives?
You should generally wait for the annual tax statement. The cash paid to you may not match the amounts that need to be reported in your return.
What happens if I find something after lodging?
Tell your accountant. You may need an amendment, which can change your refund, tax payable or notice of assessment.
Ready to lodge with confidence?
R J Sanderson & Associates can check your pre-fill information, identify missing items and prepare your individual tax return.
Book your tax appointmentGeneral information only. Source guidance: Australian Taxation Office, How to lodge your tax return. Accessed 30 July 2026.