How to Lodge Your Australian Tax Return for 2025–26
The 2025–26 financial year ends 30 June 2026. Most Australians can lodge from late July 2025, with the deadline 31 October 2026 (or later with a tax agent). Here's the complete step-by-step process — and how to maximise your refund.
Key Dates for 2025–26 Tax Returns
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 30 June 2026 | 2025–26 financial year ends |
| Late July 2026 | ATO opens myTax for lodgement; most employer data pre-filled |
| 31 October 2026 | Lodgement deadline (individuals lodging directly) |
| 15 May 2027 | Extended deadline if using a registered tax agent (apply before 31 Oct) |
Don't rush to lodge immediately on 1 July. The ATO's pre-fill data — from employers, banks, private health insurers, and share registries — takes until late July to populate in myTax. Lodging too early means manually entering information that would otherwise auto-populate, increasing the risk of errors.
myTax vs Tax Agent — Which Should You Use?
| Factor | myTax (DIY) | Tax Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | $100–$400 (tax deductible) |
| Deadline | 31 October | 15 May (following year) |
| Best for | Simple salary income, few deductions | Business income, investments, complex deductions |
| Refund speed | Usually 2 weeks | 2–4 weeks |
| Accuracy | Depends on your knowledge | Higher — catches missed deductions |
| Audit support | You're on your own | Agent represents you |
How to Lodge via myTax — Step by Step
- Log in to myGov (my.gov.au) and link to ATO if not already done
- Select "Prepare tax return" — choose 2025–26 year
- Review pre-filled information — income from employers, bank interest, dividends, private health insurance. Correct anything that looks wrong
- Add any income not pre-filled — rental income, capital gains, foreign income, cash earnings, side hustle income
- Enter your deductions — work expenses, home office hours, donations, tax agent fees, income protection premiums
- Complete Medicare Levy questions — private health status, dependants
- Review the estimate — myTax shows your estimated refund or liability before you submit
- Submit and note your lodgement receipt number
What the ATO Pre-Fills (Don't Enter These Twice)
- PAYG payment summaries (from employers via STP)
- Bank interest (from banks — may take until August)
- Dividends and managed fund distributions (from share registries)
- Private health insurance details
- HECS/HELP debt balance
- Government payments (Centrelink, JobKeeper if applicable)
- Capital gains from managed funds
Common Mistakes That Trigger ATO Scrutiny
- Claiming deductions without records (especially over $300)
- Home office claims significantly above industry averages for your occupation
- Rental property deductions inconsistent with rental income (e.g. high deductions but no or minimal income)
- Not declaring all income sources — the ATO matches data from many sources
- Claiming travel to work as a deduction (never deductible)
- Crypto gains not reported — the ATO receives exchange data
- Not including all foreign income (including foreign superannuation)
After You Lodge — What Happens Next
The ATO processes most returns within 2 weeks. You'll receive a notice of assessment (NOA) showing the calculation and any refund or amount owing. Refunds are deposited directly to your bank account. If you owe tax, you have until the due date on your NOA to pay (usually within 21 days). If you disagree with an assessment, you have 60 days to object.
Estimate Your Tax Refund Before You Lodge
Our income tax calculator shows your estimated tax payable and refund — before you go through the full lodgement process.
Estimate My Tax → Check Salary Sacrifice →Before You Lodge, Estimate Your Tax Position
Use the free calculators to estimate income tax, Medicare levy, HELP repayments, CGT and possible deductions before lodging.
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