How long does it take to get my refund?

The ATO processes most tax returns lodged online within about two weeks, and your refund is paid after processing. Some returns take longer if the ATO needs to check something. We'll tell you your estimated refund before we lodge. See how long a tax refund takes.

Can you lodge prior year returns?

Yes. We can lodge one or several years of overdue returns together, and deal with the ATO about any penalties. Catching up before 30 June also keeps your next return on our later lodgement dates. See late tax returns.

Do I need to come into the office?

No — we can assist over Zoom or in person, whatever suits you.

When can I lodge my tax return?

From 1 July, but it's usually best to wait until late July, when employers have finalised your income statement and the ATO's pre-filled information is complete.

Do you do sole trader tax returns?

Yes. We include your business income and expenses, and can look after your BAS and PAYG instalments too.

Can I do my tax return online with you?

Yes. Send us your documents and we handle everything by phone, video and email, wherever you are in Australia.

How much does a tax return cost?

We agree a fixed fee with you before we start, so there are no surprises. The fee depends on what's in your return. A simple employee return costs less than one with rental properties, capital gains or a business. The fee for managing your tax affairs is generally tax-deductible in the year you pay it.

When is my tax return due?

If you lodge yourself, your return is due by 31 October after the end of the financial year. If you're on a registered tax agent's client list by 31 October, you generally get a later date: for 2025–26 returns, 15 May 2027 for many clients. If an earlier return was outstanding at 30 June, your due date stays at 31 October.

Can I claim $300 without receipts?

For 2025–26 and earlier, yes: if your total work-related expenses are $300 or less, you don't need receipts, but you must have spent the money and be able to show how you worked out the claim. Car, travel allowance and meal allowance expenses aren't covered. If you claim more than $300, you need written evidence for the whole amount. From 2026–27, eligible employees can claim a standard deduction of up to $1,000 instead.

I've already lodged. Can you fix a mistake?

Yes. We can amend your return if you've missed income or a deduction. For most individuals the ATO allows amendments within two years of your notice of assessment. If the amendment increases your refund, the ATO pays the difference. If it reduces it, it's better to correct it yourself before the ATO finds it.

Do I need to lodge a tax return?

Most people who earned income or had tax taken out of their pay need to lodge. If you earned under the tax-free threshold and no tax was withheld, you may not need to lodge, but you should tell the ATO by lodging a non-lodgement advice. If tax was withheld, lodging is how you get it back. See do I need to lodge a tax return?

Tax Returns in Sydney and Online

Individual and sole trader tax returns prepared and lodged by a registered tax agent. We check your ATO pre-filled data, find the deductions that apply to you and agree the fee before we start. See us in Chippendale, or do it all online from anywhere in Australia.

Book An Appointment

Woman smiling while doing her tax return at home

Tax returns made simple

You send us your documents (or bring them in), we prepare the return, and we go through the result with you before anything is lodged. If the ATO has a question later, it comes to us, not you. Most clients do it all by email and phone. Others prefer to sit down with us at our Chippendale office.

What's included

Who we help

Employees, sole traders and contractors, investors and landlords, working holiday makers, retirees and students. Behind on your tax? We also lodge late and prior-year returns, and rental property returns.

A registered tax agent prepares your return and checks every deduction and offset you're entitled to.
We download your pre-filled information from the ATO and cross-check it against your own statements.
Work-related, investment and rental deductions, capital gains, and foreign income.
Sole trader and ABN income, with the business schedules your return needs.
Lodgement with the ATO, a copy for your records, and help if the ATO asks questions later.

Deadlines

If you lodge yourself, your return is due by 31 October. If you're on our client list by 31 October, your due date is generally later: for 2025–26 returns, 15 May 2027 for many clients. If an earlier year's return was still outstanding at 30 June, the due date is 31 October, so we'll help you catch up those years first. Missed 31 October? Contact us anyway: the sooner a late return is lodged, the smaller any penalty risk.

What it costs

We agree a fixed fee with you before we start, so there are no surprises. What sets the fee is what's in your return: a single job with standard work deductions is quicker than a return with rental properties, shares, crypto, capital gains, overseas income or a sole trader business. The fee for managing your tax affairs is generally tax-deductible in the year you pay it. See us at our Chippendale office, or work with us by phone, video and email from anywhere in Australia.

Accountant reviewing tax paperwork with a calculator and laptop

What to bring

Bring these along and we’ll take care of the rest.

Payment summaries / income statements
Bank interest and dividend statements
Private health insurance statement
Work-related expense receipts
Details of any deductions or offsets

Deductions we help you claim

We make certain you claim everything you’re entitled to:

Work-related expenses
Tools, equipment, uniforms, phone and internet use, and union fees linked to your job.
Working from home
The fixed rate of 70c per hour for 2025–26, if you keep a record of the hours you worked from home.
Self-education
Courses and study that relate to the work you do now.
Gifts and donations
Gifts to deductible gift recipients (DGRs). For 2025–26, gifts of any amount count, with no $2 minimum.
Rental and investments
Interest, depreciation and property costs, dividends and franking credits.
Cost of managing your tax
Last year's tax agent fee, and travel to see your agent.

Things we often pick up in tax returns

Pre-filled data isn't always complete. Employer income statements, bank interest, dividends and private health details arrive in the ATO's pre-fill at different times, and some never do (for example, foreign income or a second job that wasn't "tax ready"). We check pre-fill against your own records before lodging.
Work-from-home claims need a record of hours. The fixed rate is 70c an hour for 2025–26, and the ATO expects a record of the actual hours worked from home, not an estimate.
The $300 no-receipts rule is ending. For 2025–26 and earlier, you can claim up to $300 of work expenses in total without receipts, as long as you spent the money and can show how you worked it out. From 2026–27, that rule and the $150 laundry rule no longer apply: eligible employees can instead claim a standard deduction of up to $1,000 with no records. See what you can claim without receipts.
Small donations count. For gifts to DGRs, the $2 minimum no longer applies for gifts from 1 July 2024, so small gifts can be claimed for 2025–26 (political donations are excluded).
Medicare levy surcharge and HELP. If you don't have private hospital cover, or you have a HELP debt, your income level affects what you pay. We check these before you're surprised by the assessment. See Medicare levy surcharge.
Sold something? Selling shares, crypto or an investment property means working out a capital gain. Get an estimate before you sell: see capital gains tax.

Using a tax agent or lodging yourself?

If you have one job, no investments and only a few deductions, you can lodge free through myTax, and the ATO's pre-fill does much of the work. A registered tax agent is usually worth it when:

you have a rental property, shares, crypto or a capital gain
you're a sole trader, contractor or have ABN income
you've earned income overseas, or you're a working holiday maker or foreign resident
you have returns from earlier years you haven't lodged
you'd like more time to lodge, or you'd rather someone else dealt with the ATO.

Only registered tax agents can charge to prepare your return. Read more about what a registered tax agent does.

How We Work

Getting your tax sorted with us is simple and stress-free.

Receive our tax checklist

We send a simple checklist so you know exactly what to bring — no guesswork.

Hand ticking off items on a tax checklist

We prepare your return

Our registered tax agents review everything and make certain you claim every deduction.

Accountant preparing a tax return on a laptop

Review and lodge

We walk you through the result, answer your questions, then lodge with the ATO.

Client and accountant shaking hands after lodging a return

I have been a customer of Emmanuel for my tax return for the last 18 years and I couldn’t be happier with the service provided. Consistently professional, prompt communication and caring. Outstanding service as usual I highly recommend to anyone looking for a reliable and trustworthy professional.

Giampiero Biagioli

We’ve worked with Emmanuel for many years, and his financial and tax advice has been invaluable. He keeps us organised, proactive, and on track with support, thank you for everything.

Renee England

Once again Emmanuel thank you for the quick service in doing my tax return . All I have to do is electronically provide the information with supporting documents, hence it makes it so easy doing my tax return this way. I have been with you for 13 plus years and you always get it done within 1 to 3 days ready for signature . Once signed and invoice paid you submit immediately to the tax office. I will have the tax return the next week. Great service Emmanuel hence the reason why I continue to utilise your service.

MICHAEL OLSON

Really grateful for all the help and support. Emmanuel was very efficient, professional, and always quick to get things done. He made the whole process much easier for me, and I really appreciated his help. Highly recommend.

Wanming Huang

Highly Recommended Fantastic experience from start to finish. The team is friendly, professional and genuinely cares about their clients. They make everything easy to understand and are always patient, helpful and thorough. It’s reassuring to have an accountant you can trust and rely on. I’m very happy with the service and would definitely recommend them to anyone looking for a great accountant.

zisis fardoulis

Related guides

Ready to lodge your return?

Our registered tax agents make it quick and painless — book an appointment or grab a quick quote today.

Book An Appointment Get a Quote

Friendly welcome to the Australia Wide Tax Solutions office

Frequently asked questions

The ATO processes most tax returns lodged online within about two weeks, and your refund is paid after processing. Some returns take longer if the ATO needs to check something. We'll tell you your estimated refund before we lodge. See how long a tax refund takes.
Yes. We can lodge one or several years of overdue returns together, and deal with the ATO about any penalties. Catching up before 30 June also keeps your next return on our later lodgement dates. See late tax returns.
No — we can assist over Zoom or in person, whatever suits you.
From 1 July, but it's usually best to wait until late July, when employers have finalised your income statement and the ATO's pre-filled information is complete.
Yes. We include your business income and expenses, and can look after your BAS and PAYG instalments too.
Yes. Send us your documents and we handle everything by phone, video and email, wherever you are in Australia.
We agree a fixed fee with you before we start, so there are no surprises. The fee depends on what's in your return. A simple employee return costs less than one with rental properties, capital gains or a business. The fee for managing your tax affairs is generally tax-deductible in the year you pay it.
If you lodge yourself, your return is due by 31 October after the end of the financial year. If you're on a registered tax agent's client list by 31 October, you generally get a later date: for 2025–26 returns, 15 May 2027 for many clients. If an earlier return was outstanding at 30 June, your due date stays at 31 October.
For 2025–26 and earlier, yes: if your total work-related expenses are $300 or less, you don't need receipts, but you must have spent the money and be able to show how you worked out the claim. Car, travel allowance and meal allowance expenses aren't covered. If you claim more than $300, you need written evidence for the whole amount. From 2026–27, eligible employees can claim a standard deduction of up to $1,000 instead.
Yes. We can amend your return if you've missed income or a deduction. For most individuals the ATO allows amendments within two years of your notice of assessment. If the amendment increases your refund, the ATO pays the difference. If it reduces it, it's better to correct it yourself before the ATO finds it.
Most people who earned income or had tax taken out of their pay need to lodge. If you earned under the tax-free threshold and no tax was withheld, you may not need to lodge, but you should tell the ATO by lodging a non-lodgement advice. If tax was withheld, lodging is how you get it back. See do I need to lodge a tax return?