Falling behind on tax returns is more common than people think — and it happens for all sorts of reasons. Time-poor contractors and tradies whose paperwork slipped behind another quarter, then another. Non-residents living abroad who still own an Australian property and didn't realise the lodgement obligation kept running. Business owners who lost a partner, a year, or both. People who've just received an ATO bill or amended assessment and want someone in their corner.
Whatever brought you here, the work is the same. Tell us what's happened, hand over whatever paperwork you have, and we take it from there — including any ATO correspondence you'd rather not handle yourself. No judgment, no perfect-records requirement.
We've successfully lodged thousands of overdue returns, including for clients fifteen-plus years behind. Where there's genuine cause, we apply for penalty remission, and many clients have had penalties reduced or remitted in full.
How we help
- Lodge multiple years of returns in a single engagement — bulk catch-up
- Apply to the ATO for penalty remission where genuine cause exists
- Reconstruct your tax position from incomplete records using bank statements, ATO data and other available documentation
- Respond to ATO warning letters and default assessments on your behalf
- Set up payment arrangements with the ATO once returns are lodged
- Catch up non-resident returns covering Australian rental income, capital gains and other ongoing obligations for clients living abroad
- Handle Employee Share Scheme tangles, amended assessments and complicated prior-year items along the way
Whether you're one year behind or fifteen, the path forward is the same: get a clear picture, lodge what's outstanding, and let us handle the ATO from there.
What we check, and what you can prepare
How far behind you are changes what we look at first. It doesn't decide the outcome: penalties depend on how late each return is, whether it results in a refund or a bill, and the reasons for the delay.
| How far behind | What we check | What you can prepare |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | What we check Which return is outstanding on your ATO record, any lodgment reminders, and whether a refund or a bill is likely. | What you can prepare Income statements (most are on your ATO record), bank interest, and receipts for work-related deductions. |
| 2–5 years | What we check All outstanding years together, ATO letters and any penalties already applied, and whether you'll need a payment arrangement. | What you can prepare ATO letters, bank statements for each year, and records of work expenses or business income. |
| 5+ years | What we check Any default assessments already raised, which years the ATO requires, records to rebuild from bank and ATO data, and grounds for penalty remission. | What you can prepare Whatever you have, ATO letters first. We rebuild the rest from bank statements and the ATO's own data. |
| Living overseas | What we check Your residency status for each year, Australian rental income and capital gains, and the different non-resident rates (no tax-free threshold). | What you can prepare The date you left Australia, rental statements from your property manager, and loan interest statements. |
Five or more years behind
This is routine work for us. We start from your ATO record, which shows the outstanding years, any default assessments already raised and any penalties applied. Income statements, bank interest and many other items are already in the ATO's data, so missing paperwork rarely stops the work.
We then lodge every outstanding year together. That gives the ATO the full picture, which is the strongest basis for a penalty remission request or a payment arrangement, and we deal with the ATO for you throughout.
What to bring (or send through)
Any ATO letters or assessments you've received, payslips or income summaries you have, bank statements for the affected years, and any prior tax returns. Don't worry if records are incomplete — we work with what you have and reconstruct the rest.