Sara Crevillen

  People can now apply for their Tax File Number (TFN) online and authenticate their proof of identity documents at participating Australia Post retail outlets. Australian residents aged 16 years and older can apply for a TFN at www.ato.gov.au/TFNapply and lodge their application form at a participating Australia Post retail outlet. “With over 709,000 TFNs [...]

Source: ATO, 06 Sept, 2012 According to the Australian Tax Office, two thousand individuals and companies were successfully prosecuted for fraud, tax and superannuation offences in the 2011-12 financial year. “Tax cheats are trying to get an unfair advantage, adding to the burden on the majority of people who do the right thing and meet [...]

Source: Herald Sun, 6 August 2012 The bank said a study of more than 1000 Australians in early July 2012 showed that one out of every two taxpayers misplaced receipts needed to support their tax return. Twenty-five per cent of the lost receipts were dockets for stationery and office equipment, followed by receipts for fuel, [...]

Source: brisbanetimes.com.au, 5 August 2012 The last thing you would expect to see in the highest halls of power in the Australian Taxation Office in Canberra is a Hello Kitty doll. But there she is, perched proudly in a glass display cabinet swathed in an elaborate kimono. Next to her is a cat of equal [...]

Source:  The Australian, 1 August 2012 The Australian Taxation Office has been urged to end disputes with taxpayers earlier, to avoid long and costly court cases. A report by the inspector-general of taxation Ali Noroozi into the use of early and alternate dispute resolution (ADR) was released yesterday by the assistant treasurer David Bradbury. “In line [...]

From 1 July 2012, there have been a number of changes to the superannuation rules that will affect all individuals and those of you with self managed superannuation funds.  The most notable changes are: Everyone’s Concessional Contributions Cap will be $25,000 per annum from 1 July 2012.  This is irrespective of your age.  Examples of concessional contributions [...]

  Taxation statistics 2009-10 - the latest edition of the ATO’s most comprehensive statistical publication is available from ato.gov.au. Taxation statistics 2009-10 is a collection of data in relation to Australia’s tax and superannuation systems, compiled from information provided to the ATO in tax returns from the 2009-10 income year and in activity statements and other FBT, GST [...]

According to Paul Hogan’s lawyer, the Australian Taxation Office’s pursuit of his client cost the taxpayer up to $20 million. John Cornell, Hogan’s manager, confirmed that he and the actor have settled their eight-year dispute with the taxman – freeing the Crocodile Dundee star to pursue new movie projects. The ATO was chasing the pair [...]

As part of Project Wickenby, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) has charged a man with conspiring to dishonestly cause a loss to the Australian Tax Office (ATO) and conspiring to deal in the proceeds of crime to the value of $63 million, dismantling a multi-million dollar tax evasion and money laundering scheme. A 67 year old man has [...]

  An article on theaustralian.com suggested that “a lack of resourcing and inadequate staff training at the Australian Taxation Office has led to complex cases involving businesses and wealthy Australians being given to inexperienced staff, raising concerns a large number of long-running investigations may be compromised”. The article quotes from a report by the Inspector General of Taxation, Ali Noroozi [...]