E-Tax - Must Lodge Tax Return by Linking to MyGov

iratepirate on 30/06/2015 - 20:40
Last edited 01/07/2015 - 12:43 by 1 other user

I have been trying to download the eTax program to get our tax returns in asap but it looks like they have changed it so it's online only and you must open a MyGov account and link it to the ATO. They threaten that if you don't it will "cost you money" and "your return will take longer"

What do you people think - am i being paranoid to want to go back to paper returns and wait longer for my interest free loan to the government to be repaid, or because I know I'm not avoiding tax like most corporations, should I just accept that I have no privacy and my financial details can be shared with whomever the government decides.

Mod: Removed 'No more' from title

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Comments

  • molypot on 30/06/2015 - 20:49
    +1

    I think etax will still be available, but like last year, you will need a MyGov account in order to lodge electronically from the etax software.

    The ATO updates its web pages on 1 July, so you may want to wait until then for more information.

  • UncommonName on 30/06/2015 - 21:08
    +1

    Open a MyGov account and lodge your Tax. Its secure, easy and fast.

    You can also view/access all your gov services on MyGov e.g. Medicare, Centrelink etc.

  • nocure on 30/06/2015 - 21:24
    +6

    should I just accept that I have no privacy and my financial details can be shared with whomever the government decides.

    Yes

    • RockyRaccoon on 01/07/2015 - 07:25
      +1

      Yes - and to add,

      its nothing new here, you should have been concerned years before,

      Using eTax already exposed you.

    • Scorpiogirl on 01/07/2015 - 09:22

      You don't get a say in it. The whole idea is they know everything about you so you cannot rort the system. No one wants to deal with paperwork either. Whether you prefer it or not. You don't often get a choice.

  • [Deactivated] on 30/06/2015 - 22:26

    eTax will be available this year as a separate program (like previous years), as well as myTax which is the simpler, web-based alternative.

    From next year, eTax will cease to exist. Instead, myTax will be increased in features and complexity to sufficiently replace eTax.

  • ozhunter on 01/07/2015 - 01:34
    +1

    They threaten that if you don't it will "cost you money" and "your return will take longer

    Are they actually threatening you? It would take longer. They might of thought that you would rather go to an accountant, which would cost you money.

    am i being paranoid to want to go back to paper returns and wait longer for my interest free loan to the government to be repaid

    I think you should demand an apology since that can't work out the exact amount tax you need to pay(after deductions, fbt, allowances etc.) on a weekly basis….

    because I know I'm not avoiding tax like most corporations

    But does the government know that? Are most corporations avoiding tax or minimizing the amount of tax they pay?

    should I just accept that I have no privacy and my financial details can be shared with whomever the government decides.

    How would filling a paper form change this?

    • iratepirate on 01/07/2015 - 07:34

      Avoiding or minimizing - it's plain to see they aren't paying their share.

      By linking Mygov to the ATO you are giving permission to link your online information together - a defacto Australia card.

      Instead of an apology how about I charge them interest and a late fee if it takes them more than a week to refund me :)

      • ozhunter on 01/07/2015 - 16:57
        +1

        Instead of an apology how about I charge them interest and a late fee if it takes them more than a week to refund me :)

        Go for it. Let us know how that works out for you.

  • grimace3 on 01/07/2015 - 06:59
    +1

    e-Tax is available to download from the link below, however reports are that e-Tax won't be available NEXT year not THIS year.

    https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Ind/Downloading-and-insta…

    • iratepirate on 01/07/2015 - 07:33

      How did you find that link grimace I can't find an easy way to get to that download from their front page. They are really trying to push people to a web only tax return.

  • UncommonName on 02/07/2015 - 02:17
    +1

    I just lodged my tax return through MyGov and it took me exactly 2 minutes! They already have my PAYG summary and all details from previous year, all I had to do was to add interest accrued for last FY and click next and lodge!

    Whoever is trying to avoid MyGov is just wasting their time and ATO's. Security is good, turn on 2-step verification, the last code I received via SMS was A******** (9 digits!).

  • monica2010a on 06/07/2015 - 16:18

    Oh dear….you people don't seem to realise such simple things. This is not about the ATO/gov having your personal taxation details, this is about them having your medical details, your centrelink details, awareness of your ailments, doctor's visits etc etc.
    MyGov is just that. It links ALL that information. Do you think if the government had such easy access to all this info about us, they would put so much pressure on the public to sign up to MyGov? And use tricks like not allowing people to lodge their tax returns online without it? (FYI, you still can just fill out a paper copy (available to download online) and post to them.

    I have a friend, who is barely out of high school, working for a recruitment agency, and someone with very lax confidentiality protocols and she can access people's medical histories via MyGov for those that have signed up to MyGov as part of Medicare for example. She has even admitted to printing these details and forgetting to get them off the printer located in a communal area.
    This is just a tiny example. People need to think and extrapolate this a little to understand what can really happen when so many have access to it. Not to mention hacks into the system. It is not just some upstanding, professional government employee that has access to this information, but many staff members across a great deal of government agencies. Like those recruitment consultants for example.
    FYI: http://www.theage.com.au/it-pro/security-it/revealed-serious…

    • UncommonName on 06/07/2015 - 21:52

      Sooner or later, MyGov will be mandatory for everything (MyTax from next July). So what is the point of staying behind.

      BTW, how come a recruitment consultant has access to MyGov? I hope she is not from private sector.

      • monica2010a on 28/07/2015 - 11:14

        No, the recruitment consultant is from Jobs Statewide, i.e. Centrelink offshoot. And private sector or not, what difference does it make, these are just everyday people with access to all our data in one place. And I for one do not appreciate them having access to my medical records as what business is it of Centrelink what ailments people have?
        Simple problem is that the security is NOT there. Not yet anyhow and this 'its too late attitude' is ridiculous. It is not too late. If people simply refused, they would change it, but most are simply too ignorant about it all.
        As for they had access already? The tax department had access to my work and pay details…the medicare department had access to my medical records, etc etc. Tax dept did not have access to my medical records nor Medicare to my taxation. That is how it should be and was. Surely you do not think this is for our benefit?
        I've used eTax in the past and had no problems with it, it was a good system for us. They ruined it this year. I did however lodge a paper copy by post (as in the slow days gone by, and have my refund already. So there are still ways around it. 70% of people use tax agents anyhow so never use MyTax or Etax…so this system only being used by 30% and still people having IT issues lodging.

        • dp1 on 28/07/2015 - 21:44

          Actually Medicare doesn't even have access to your medical records, only the MBS item numbers billed by your doctor. I agree that if you have multiple frequently billed mental health numbers someone might guess the medical conditions behind it, but all Medicare knows for most people is the number of times they visit the doctor and how much they paid for scripts. I am not sure how details of 'ailments' as you put it, can be seen outside the computer on which the medical records exist. It is hard enough to get records transferred from one surgery to another without significant barriers.

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