Do I need to lodge a Tax Return?

If any of the following applies to you then you must lodge a tax return

Reason 1

During 2015-16, you were an Australian resident and you:

Reason 2

You were eligible for the seniors and pensioners tax offset, and your rebate income (not including your spouse’s) was more than:

$32,279 if you were single, widowed or separated at any time during the year
$31,279 if you had a spouse but one of you lived in a nursing home or you had to live apart due to illness or
$28,974 if you lived with your spouse for the full year.

Reason 3

You were not eligible for the seniors and pensioner’s tax offset but you received a payment and other taxable payments which when added together made your taxable income more than $20,542.
Newstart allowance
Youth allowance
Austudy payment
parenting payment (partnered)
partner allowance
sickness allowance
special benefit
widow allowance
farm household allowance
there are others, so if in doubt contact Centrelink

Reason 4

You were not eligible for the seniors and pensioner’s tax offset and you did not receive a payment but your taxable income was more than:

$18,200 if you were an Australian resident for tax purposes for the full year
$416 if you were under 18 years old at 30 June 2016 and your income was not salary or wages
$1 if you were a foreign resident and you had income taxable in Australia which did not have non-resident withholding tax withheld from it, or
your part-year tax-free threshold amount if you became or stopped being an Australian resident for tax purposes;

Other Reasons

You must lodge a tax return if any of the following applied to you.

You had a reportable fringe benefits amount on your
- PAYG payment summary – individual non-business, or
- PAYG payment summary – foreign employment.
You had reportable employer superannuation contributions on your
- PAYG payment summary – individual non-business
- PAYG payment summary – foreign employment, or
- PAYG payment summary – business and personal services income.

You were entitled to the private health insurance rebate but you did not claim your correct entitlement as a premium reduction, and your spouse (if you had one) is not claiming the rebate for you in their income tax return.
You carried on a business.

You were 60 years old or older and you received an Australian superannuation lump sum that included an untaxed element or it is a superannuation lump sum death benefit paid to you as a non-dependant.
You were under 60 years old and you received an Australian superannuation lump sum that included a taxed element or an untaxed element or it is a superannuation lump sum death benefit paid to you as a non-dependant.

You were entitled to a distribution from a trust or you had an interest in a partnership and the trust or partnership carried on a business of primary production.

You were an Australian resident for tax purposes and you had exempt foreign employment income and $1 or more of other income.

You are a special professional covered by the income averaging provisions. These provisions apply to authors of literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works, inventors, performing artists, production associates and active sportspeople.

You received income from dividends or distributions exceeding $18,200 (or $416 if you were under 18 years old on 30 June 2016) and you had
- franking credits attached, or
- amounts withheld because you did not quote your tax file number or Australian business number to the investment body.

You made personal contributions to a complying superannuation fund or retirement savings account and will be eligible to receive a super co-contribution for these contributions.
You were a liable parent or a recipient parent under a child support assessment unless you received one or more Australian Government allowances, pensions or payments for the whole of the period 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016, and the total of all the following payments was less than $23,752
- taxable income
- exempt Australian Government allowances, pensions and payments
- target foreign income
- reportable fringe benefits
- net financial investment loss
- net rental property loss, and
- reportable superannuation contributions.

For any further information or to book your 2016 Tax Return appointment please contact us.