The last day to lodge a tax return to the ATO if it is not being completed by a registered tax agent or with an extended deadline is the 31st of October.

Someone else can assist you with completing your tax return, but only in the following circumstances:

• A family member or friend can help you but they cannot charge you a fee.
• Tax Help is a free service provided by community volunteers trained to help people earning around $60,000 or less prepare their tax returns. Tax Help volunteers do not charge a fee for their assistance.
• Only a registered tax agent can charge you a fee for preparing your tax return.

However, no matter who helps you:

• you, and no one else, must sign your tax return
• You, and no one else, are legally responsible for the accuracy of the information.

The ATO may apply a penalty for failure to lodge on time if your tax return is not lodged by the due date.

Generally, they apply one penalty unit ($222) for every 28 days (or part thereof) that your tax return is overdue, to a maximum of five penalty units.

The ATO may apply the penalty even where there is no tax payable. However, they may choose not to apply a penalty where:

• you lodge your tax return voluntarily, and
• no tax is payable.

If you cannot lodge your tax return by 31 October 2022, contact the ATO as soon as possible, before 31 October 2022, to find out whether you can lodge at a later date.