ATO Begins Handing Out Tax Bonus Payments

by Mary Swire, Tax-News.com, Hong Kong

06 April 2009

Following a High Court decision, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has announced that the 7.4 million people who have already lodged their 2007-08 tax return began receiving their tax bonus payments from April 6.

Commenting on the news, Tax Commissioner Michael D’Ascenzo said if people have lodged their 2007-08 tax return and meet the eligibility criteria they don’t need to do anything else to receive the payment.

“We will be progressively sending payments to the address or bank account people nominated as their preference in their 2007-08 tax return – unless they updated those details since then,” Mr D’Ascenzo explained, adding:

“Eligible people who have received their 2007-08 notice of assessment before 27 March 2009 can expect to receive their payment between this week and 16 May 2009."

“Those who received their notice of assessment after 27 March 2009 can expect their tax bonus payment around four weeks after they received their notice of assessment. Please be patient if you don’t receive the payment immediately. We are working closely with Australia Post and the Reserve Bank to distribute around 7.4 million payments over the next six weeks," he continued, further stating:

“Due to the large number of payments we ask that people don’t call us about the progress of individual payments while we are still distributing them."

“However our call centres will be open seven days a week from May 16, 2009, to resolve any tax bonus payment issues.”

"It is not too late for people whose returns are still outstanding, but they must lodge by June 30, 2009, to be eligible unless they’ve already have an extension."

“We have extended the availability of e-tax until May 31, 2009, for those who want to do their own return online, or people should contact their tax agent as soon as possible,” Mr D’Ascenzo concluded.

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