Why lodging too early can cause problems
With rising living costs and busy schedules, it can feel tempting to lodge your tax return as soon as 1 July arrives. You may be hoping for a quick refund or simply want the task finished for another year. However, the ATO continues to warn that lodging too early increases the risk of errors.
In 2024, more than 140,000 early July lodgers needed to amend their returns, or had their returns corrected by the ATO, because income or other important details were missing. While the ATO allows lodgement from 1 July, it recommends waiting until later in July to avoid problems.
Why the ATO recommends waiting
Most people rely on pre-filled information in myTax or through a registered tax agent. This data comes from:
• employers
• banks and financial institutions
• private health insurers
• government agencies such as Centrelink
• managed funds, trusts and partnerships
Some of this information is available from 1 July, but the majority is not finalised until the end of July. Certain data, such as partnership or trust distributions, may only become available well into August.
Common mistakes early lodgers make include failing to include:
• bank interest
• dividend income
• government payments
• private health insurance information
What you should do while waiting
The ATO encourages taxpayers to use early July to prepare rather than lodge. You should:
Check your personal details
• Make sure your contact details and bank account information are correct.
• Updating these after lodging can delay your refund.
Gather your records
• receipts and invoices
• work-related diaries or logbooks
• private health insurance statements
• donation receipts
• details of interest, dividends and other income
Check that your income statement is “tax ready”
Employers must finalise your income statement in Single Touch Payroll before it appears as “tax ready” in myGov. Do not lodge until this is completed.
Review pre-fill availability
The ATO’s website lists the expected dates when banks, health funds, government agencies and companies submit data. You can check these dates to know when your information should appear.
Use the ATO’s occupation guides
These can help you understand what you can and cannot claim so that you avoid incorrect deductions.
Understanding pre-filled data
When your pre-filled records appear, some items will be marked as high certainty data. This means the ATO has matched and verified the information.
If something is missing, it may be because:
• a provider is delayed
• the ATO has not matched the data to your record
• the information failed quality checks
If you notice an error, you should contact the data provider directly and ensure they send corrected information to the ATO.
Note: You cannot delete government benefit data such as Jobseeker or Age Pension amounts. These must be included exactly as pre-filled.
What if you lodge early and make a mistake?
Mistakes happen, and the ATO provides ways to fix them. After your original return has been processed, you can:
• request an amendment online through myGov, or
• ask your registered tax agent to make the amendment for you
It is better to correct errors promptly to avoid delays or compliance issues.
The bottom line
Even if you are keen to lodge your 2025 tax return as soon as possible, most pre-fill data will not be available or fully verified until late July. Waiting ensures that:
• your return is accurate
• you avoid unnecessary amendments
• your refund (if any) is processed faster
Each year the ATO enhances its systems, and patience remains the simplest way to avoid avoidable delays and complications at tax time.
