ATO assistance available to those affected by ongoing bushfires
The ATO is offering assistance to those individuals and businesses impacted by the recent and ongoing bushfires that have impacted large parts of Australia since late 2019.
On their website, the ATO outline the support available to affected taxpayers:
Located in an ‘identified impacted postcode’
This covers taxpayers with business or residential address in either:
certain ‘identified impacted postcodes’ (listed here) located in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria (the ATO notes this postcode list will continue to be updated); or
a postcode granted access to the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (administered by the Department of Human Services) (note the following link here)
‘Identified impacted postcodes’ include, but are not limited to, postcodes located in the Towong, Alpine and Albury and Wodonga, Greater Hume and Snowy Valleys municipal areas.
These taxpayers are eligible for the automatic deferral of their income tax, activity statement, SMSF, FBT and excise return lodgements and their associated payments until 28 May 2020.
Affected taxpayers or BAS/tax agents located an identified postcode may also be to seek a temporary suspension of tax or superannuation audit activity.
Not located in an ‘identified impacted postcode’
This covers taxpayers affected by the disaster and needing assistance with their tax affairs or a business so affected but located outside the listed postcodes.
These taxpayers are advised to contact the ATO’s Emergency Support Infoline on ph: 1800 806 218 for assistance or to speak to their tax or BAS agent about approaching the ATO for assistance.
Where a tax or BAS agent operates outside the impacted postcodes but have clients in an impacted postcode region, deferrals will be automatically applied to those clients.
Other support available
Tax practitioners including tax and BAS agents can also access additional support (for more information note the following link).
Counselling and additional mental health support for individuals, their families and emergency service works affected by the bushfires is also available via the Bushfire Recovery Access Program (for more information note the following link).
If you have been affected by the recent bushfires and require assistance with the best way to manage your tax affairs or other matters, please contact:
Anthony McFarlane
Principal Lawyer
T: 02 6041 0777
M: 0408 531 483
E: amcfarlane@ha.legal
Allison Bruce
Principal Lawyer
T +61 2 6041 0701
M: 0400 408 167
E: abruce@ha.legal
