Key Dates for 2026–2027
The 2026-27 financial year runs from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, and the self-lodgment deadline is 31 October 2027. Lodge via myTax (in myGov), a registered tax agent, or paper return.
1 July 2026
Financial year starts
30 June 2027
Financial year ends
31 October 2027
Self-lodge deadline
Tax agent extension
Before You Start
Four steps before you open myTax make the rest of the return a checking exercise rather than a scramble:
- 1
Log in to myGov and link to the ATO
Your income statement, government payments, and some investment income are pre-filled by the ATO. Check these are correct and complete. - 2
Check your income statement or payment summary
Confirm the amounts match your payslips. Most employers report through STP in myGov, but use any payment summary you receive as well. Report discrepancies to the payer before lodging. - 3
Gather paper or digital receipts
Sort by category: work expenses, charity donations and investment costs. Keep written evidence for actual claims and method-specific records such as work-from-home hours, bills, car diaries or logbooks. The automatic standard work deduction needs no records, but it is not added on top of your claims — you effectively get the higher of your counted work-related claims and the standard amount. - 4
Check your previous year return
Any capital losses carried forward, prior year tax debts, or offsetting amounts you may have missed.
If your return includes capital gains, deductible super contributions, or study loan repayments, review the underlying rules first. The capital gains tax guide, super contributions guide, and HECS/HELP guide cover the areas most likely to trip people up. And if you are really trying to answer "am I getting a refund or a bill?", pair this checklist with the tax refund guide.
Document Checklist
Six categories cover nearly every document a tax return needs — most people only use the first three.
Ticked items apply to most taxpayers.
Income
- Income Statement in myGov or any payment summary you receive
- Government allowances or payments (Centrelink payment summary)
- Interest income from bank accounts (bank statements or myGov)
- Dividend income and franking credits (broker statements or myGov)
- Rental income and expenses (see Rental section)
- Capital gains from shares, property, or crypto
- Redundancy or employment termination payments (ETP payment summary)
- Business income (if sole trader or partnership)
- Foreign income (wages, pension, investments)
- Trust distributions (trustee tax statements)
- Employee share scheme (ESS) income
Work-Related Deductions
- Work-from-home hours record plus bills for each cost covered (fixed rate: 70c/hr)
- Home internet and phone — work-use portion
- Vehicle log book or km diary (if you drove for work)
- Receipts for tools, equipment, and professional gear
- Work uniforms and protective clothing (with written evidence, including for laundry costs)
- Self-education expenses (courses directly related to current job)
- Professional memberships and subscriptions
- Union fees (also on your income statement)
- Travel expenses for work conferences or training
- Home office equipment depreciation (if using actual cost method)
Personal Deductions
- Personal super contributions (if claiming a deduction — need Notice of Intent form)
- Income-protection premiums you paid personally for cover replacing income (not life, trauma or TPD cover)
- Charitable donations $2+ (to DGR-registered charities)
- Cost of managing tax affairs (accounting fees for last year)
- Interest on investment loans (shares, property)
Investments
- Annual tax statement from broker (shows dividends, franking, cost base events)
- CGT report or trade history for shares sold or crypto converted
- Managed fund / ETF annual tax statement
- Purchase date and cost base records for any assets sold
- Records of capital losses carried forward from previous years
Rental Property
- Rental income (bank statements, property manager statement)
- Rental expenses: insurance, rates, strata, agent fees, repairs
- Interest on investment loan (mortgage statements)
- Depreciation schedule (from quantity surveyor)
- Capital works deductions (building allowance)
- Property manager's annual summary
Offsets and Government Benefits
- Private health insurance certificate (from your insurer)
- Spouse income details (if claiming the spouse contribution tax offset)
- Your income and personal after-tax super contribution records (if checking government co-contribution eligibility)
- Zone or overseas forces tax offset documentation
- Franking credit offset (calculated from dividend statements)
Sources: ATO — records for work expenses and ATO — fixed-rate method.
Commonly Missed Deductions
The deductions people forget most often are the small recurring ones — union fees, subscriptions, and last year's tax agent fee:
Union fees
Often on your payment summary but easily overlooked when lodging.
Professional subscriptions
Journals, industry body fees, licensing fees directly related to your work.
Work-related books and training
Study or courses that maintain or improve skills for your current job.
Bank fees on investment accounts
Fees on accounts used to manage income-producing investments.
Charitable gifts via workplace giving
Often deducted at source — appears on your income statement.
Income protection premiums (paid personally)
Premiums for cover that replaces income can be deductible; life, trauma and TPD cover are not. Check the policy and whether it was paid from super.
Tax agent fees from last year
The cost of preparing last year's return is deductible in this year's return.
Phone bill work-use portion
Keep a 4-week diary of work vs personal calls/data to establish a percentage.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the tax return deadline in Australia?
The standard deadline for self-lodging is 31 October 2027. If you use a registered tax agent, the deadline is typically extended — often to May or June of the following year. You must engage a tax agent before 31 October 2027 to access the extension.
When can I lodge my tax return?
Lodgment opens on 1 July, but the ATO recommends waiting until your pre-fill data — income statements, bank interest, health fund details — is marked "tax ready" in myGov, which is usually late July. Lodging earlier risks missing income the ATO will later match against your return.
What is a PAYG Payment Summary (Income Statement)?
Most employers report your income and tax withheld to the ATO through Single Touch Payroll, so it appears as an Income Statement in myGov and is pre-filled in your return. Some employment income can still be reported on a payment summary, so keep and check any payment summaries you receive. In either case, compare the figures with your own records before lodging.
Can I claim work-from-home expenses?
Yes. The ATO's revised fixed rate method allows you to claim 70 cents per hour worked from home, covering electricity, internet, phone, and computer consumables. Keep a record of every actual hour worked from home for the year and at least one bill for each type of running cost covered. Alternatively, use the actual cost method with records and a work-use split.
What records do I need for work-related deductions?
If you claim actual work-related expenses, keep written evidence for the whole claim and retain records for 5 years from lodgment. The automatic standard work deduction of up to $1,000 for eligible people does not require expenditure or records, but actual-claim methods have their own substantiation rules. For example, the fixed work-from-home rate needs hours and bills, while cents per kilometre needs a record showing how you calculated work kilometres.
Do I need to report my super contributions?
Compulsory employer super contributions are not included in your taxable income. However, you should report personal deductible contributions (if you've lodged a notice of intent to claim), and the ATO uses your contribution details for Division 293 assessments (if your income + super exceeds $250,000).
What if I received a government payment?
Most Centrelink payments (JobSeeker, Parenting Payment, Age Pension) are taxable income and must be included. Services Australia provides payment summaries in myGov. Youth Allowance and Austudy are also taxable. Tax-free payments (some child care, family payments) are not included.