A common issue around tax time is not knowing what to do when you do not have the information you need in order to complete your tax return. Frequently, this is due to being unable to find payment summaries you’ve been issued or dealing with employers who have not provided one at all!
At the end of each financial year employers are required to provide you with a Payment Summary (formerly known as a Group Certificate) for you to complete your tax.
If you do not receive one, you must make all reasonable attempts to contact your employer to request a copy. Sometimes it’s a simple matter of your former employer having sent it to an old address. A letter from the employer stating the total income and tax witheld should suffice if a Payment Summary proves too difficult to obtain.
If you are still unable to have this information provided to you, you may have to make a reasonable estimate based on information obtained from your bank account or pay sliips. In this case, you will also need to send a Staturory Declaration with your tax return explaining how you have estimate your income and why you are unable to provide a Payment Summary (I like to include the employers name and ABN if they have refused to issue one).
Fortunately, in most cases a polite reminder or request for another copy is all that is needed.
Article by Christie Lewis
Christie is Practice Manager at Alan Lewis Accountants . Besides accounting, her passion is for all things small business (and blogging, of course). You can contact Christie directly at christie@lewistaxation.com.au.
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