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MJE Business Services

When Is Your Tax Return Due? Key ATO Dates for This Year

Last reviewed: 2026-06-15Tax Deadlines

When Is Your Tax Return Due? Key ATO Dates for This Year

If you lodge your own tax return, the 2024-25 return is due by 31 October 2025. If you lodge through a registered tax agent like MJE Business Services here in Mortdale - and you are on our books before that date - you can usually have much longer, often right through to 15 May 2026. Below are the dates that matter so nothing sneaks up on you this tax time.

The headline date: 31 October 2025

If you are lodging your own return, you generally need to lodge by 31 October. This covers the income year that ran 1 July to 30 June, so the 2024-25 return (1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025) is due 31 October 2025 if you self-lodge. If 31 October falls on a weekend, the due date rolls to the next business day.

A few things people commonly ask:

  • The deadline applies whether you expect a refund or a bill.
  • Even with little or no income you may still need to lodge - or tell the ATO you do not need to. We can check this for you.
  • Pre-fill from employers, banks, health funds and share registries usually lands by late July, so waiting a few weeks after 1 July often means far less manual work and fewer mistakes.

Can a tax agent really give me more time?

Yes - and this is the part many people miss. Registered tax agents work under the ATO's lodgment program, which sets later due dates than the 31 October self-lodger cut-off. For most individuals this can extend lodgment well into the following year, commonly to 15 May 2026.

There is one important condition: you generally need to be on your agent's books before 31 October. Come to us in September or early October and we get you registered in our program so you benefit from the extra time. Leave it too late and the 31 October date can still apply to you.

A couple of exceptions worth knowing:

  • If you had a prior-year return outstanding as at 30 June 2025, your due date can be pulled back to 31 October 2025 - so older overdue returns are worth clearing now.
  • If your last return showed a tax bill of $20,000 or more, an earlier 31 March 2026 date may apply, and it does not extend further even with an agent.

This is one of the genuine, practical reasons people use a tax agent - not just the deductions, but the breathing room. Our individual tax returns service is built exactly for this, and we look after individuals and families right across the St George area, from Mortdale and Hurstville to Penshurst, Oatley and Beverly Hills. Wondering what it costs? See our plain-English guide to what a tax agent costs.

When do you actually have to pay?

Lodging and paying are two different things.

  • Self-lodgers: if you have an amount owing, payment is generally due 21 November 2025, even though the return was due 31 October.
  • Through a tax agent: your payment date is usually tied to your later lodgment date under the program, so in many cases you also get more time to pay.

If you are due a refund there is nothing to pay - the ATO usually processes refunds for straightforward, electronically lodged returns within about two weeks.

Quick tax-time tips for the 2024-25 return

  • The working-from-home fixed rate is 70 cents per hour for 2024-25 (and 2025-26). It covers electricity, gas, phone, internet and stationery - keep a record of your actual hours worked from home.
  • Wait for your income statement to show as Tax ready in myGov before lodging - lodging too early on incomplete pre-fill is a common cause of amendments.
  • Have your private health, dividend, interest and any rental records together before you start.
  • Not sure what you can claim? Our guide to work-related deductions walks through the common ones.

What happens if you lodge late?

Missing the deadline is not the end of the world, but it is worth avoiding. The ATO can apply a failure to lodge on time (FTL) penalty - for a small entity, one penalty unit for each 28-day period (or part of it) the return is overdue, up to five units. One penalty unit is $330 (for offences on or after 7 November 2024), so the maximum FTL for a small entity is $1,650. General interest charge can also apply to amounts paid late.

The good news:

  • If you are getting a refund an FTL penalty is often not applied - but do not rely on it; lodge on time anyway.
  • With a genuine reason (illness, natural disaster, family circumstances) the ATO may remit the penalty. As your agent we can also request deferrals where appropriate.
  • The longer overdue returns sit, the more they pile up. If you have several years outstanding, get in touch - we sort these out for clients regularly and it is far less stressful than it feels.

Key 2025-26 tax-time dates at a glance

  • 1 July 2025: 2024-25 tax time opens (employer pre-fill usually ready by late July).
  • 31 October 2025: deadline for self-lodgers; the cut-off to get onto an agent's lodgment program for later dates.
  • 21 November 2025: typical payment date for self-lodgers who owe.
  • 15 May 2026: later lodgment date available for many individuals lodging through a registered agent (earlier dates apply in some cases).

FAQ

I have not lodged for a couple of years. Is it too late? Not at all. We can bring everything up to date, work out what is owed or refundable, and where appropriate ask the ATO to remit penalties. The sooner we start, the better - and clearing old returns puts you back on the later program dates.

Do I have to lodge if I earned under the tax-free threshold? Often you will instead lodge a "non-lodgment advice" to tell the ATO you do not need to lodge. We can confirm which applies to you in a quick chat.

Can you get me the extended deadline if I come in now? Usually yes, as long as we get you onto our program before 31 October and your prior returns are up to date. Come and see us early to lock in the extra time.

Let's make this easy

You do not have to track ATO dates on your own. We are based in Mortdale and help individuals and businesses across Sydney's south stay on top of tax time. Book a callback at our contact page or call us on (02) 9580 1167 and we will look after the timing for you.

Written by the team at MJE Business Services, a registered tax agent (No. 26313222) serving the St George area since 2000.

This is general information, not personal advice. Tax rules and dates change - please check your situation with us or at ato.gov.au.

Sources (ATO)

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