Question about My Tax Return

Lalex232 on 07/07/2025 - 01:36
Last edited 07/07/2025 - 01:37

Hey Team,

So long story short I haven't submitted my tax return in about a decade. Various reasons but mostly laziness, but anyway..

So I contacted a trusted family accountant and he called me up on the evening 30th of June to organise.

He sent through the paperwork which I am meant to sign so I'm not sure if this is going through for this financial year or last.. but that part doesn't bother me much.

The job title on both my roles are incorrect and the figures seem kinda low.. so a few queries I am hoping you guys might be able to help me with..

He reckons the earliest return I have is for 2017 (1 July 2016 - 30 June 2017) despite my starting working after completing studies in October 2015 and I don't remember doing any returns after that date. Would this be included in 2017 and onwards?

Also.. some years despite working full time and basically the same hours (salary job) my amount earned is less? Could this be because I used annual leave?

I'm thinking I should just trust him cos this stuff is pretty complicated (despite being a law grad and reasonably intelligent this accounting shit is over my head (and yes there is a little bit of this in law, too! but I managed somehow haha)

One really important query.. I did WFH from 2020 onwards.. he took into account the tax situation afforded to basically everyone during the lockdowns etc. here in Vic.. but I was basically WFH all the way until end of 2024.. he said for that he would need to go through 'hours' worked at home.. is he trying to make it easier for himself here?

He wants to charge a little over a grand for all the returns 2017 - 2024 and these aren't particularly complicated returns.. no real deductables to speak off. Just wondering if I am getting ripped off?

Thank you!!

Financial Income Tax Return

Comments

  • p1 ama on 07/07/2025 - 02:08
    +119

    (despite being a law grad and reasonably intelligent this accounting shit is over my head (and yes there is a little bit of this in law, too! but I managed somehow haha)

    Holy shit dude, I don't want to dunk on you but you really need to get yourself together. Also, "reasonably intelligent" people usually don't feel the need to say that they are "reasonably intelligent", I'm not sure what's a poorer representation here - you needing to say you're "reasonably intelligent", or the rest of your post.

    It's not that you're not an expert in tax law or accounting, but just the general lack of attention to detail, carelessness, and blatant disregard for the law is astounding.

    He sent through the paperwork which I am meant to sign so I'm not sure if this is going through for this financial year or last.. but that part doesn't bother me much.

    What do you mean by this not bothering you too much?

    Which financial years he's acting on behalf of you for is absolutely critical.

    Again, attention to detail.

    The job title on both my roles are incorrect and the figures seem kinda low.. so a few queries I am hoping you guys might be able to help me with..

    The job title is broadly irrelevant - it should ideally be somewhat reflective, but there are jobs for which the exact title will not exist.

    When you say "figures seem kinda low", what "figures" are you referring to? Again, attention to detail.

    He reckons the earliest return I have is for 2017 (1 July 2016 - 30 June 2017) despite my starting working after completing studies in October 2015 and I don't remember doing any returns after that date. Would this be included in 2017 and onwards?

    You need to go back and check your records, again - attention to detail.

    You can use the ATO tool to determine whether you need to file a tax return or not: https://www.ato.gov.au/calculators-and-tools/tax-return-do-i…

    Also.. some years despite working full time and basically the same hours (salary job) my amount earned is less? Could this be because I used annual leave?

    You need to check your records - again, attention to detail. How are we supposed to know?

    I'm thinking I should just trust him cos this stuff is pretty complicated (despite being a law grad and reasonably intelligent this accounting shit is over my head (and yes there is a little bit of this in law, too! but I managed somehow haha)

    Sorry, but this is bollocks. You're using "it's so difficult" as a way of avoiding responsibility and doing what every taxpayer in the country needs to do.

    Yes, certain elements of accounting and tax law can be difficult - depreciation schedules, deferred losses, trusts…etc. However, if you are PAYG, it's dead simple. If you have nothing to claim, you can basically just "next, next, next" and that's it. You basically just need (wait for it) attention to detail, and to make sure the pre-filled figures are right.

    Unless you have investments, property, or other complex financial structures, it should be dead easy. Most people don't claim more than a few work-related capital items and expenses, which you can just put directly (for write-offs below $300, or expenses) or into the capital depreciation tool.

    One really important query.. I did WFH from 2020 onwards.. he took into account the tax situation afforded to basically everyone during the lockdowns etc. here in Vic.. but I was basically WFH all the way until end of 2024.. he said for that he would need to go through 'hours' worked at home.. is he trying to make it easier for himself here?

    What do you mean by "make it easier for himself"? How much WFH expenses you can claim (using the fixed method) is dependent on the number of hours you worked at home.

    For 2024-25, the rate is 70 cents per hour, so calculate how many hours you worked at home, then times it by 0.7 to get the amount you can claim.

    See: https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/income-deduc…

    Did you bother looking for answers to your questions?

    He wants to charge a little over a grand for all the returns 2017 - 2024 and these aren't particularly complicated returns.. no real deductables to speak off. Just wondering if I am getting ripped off?

    Yeah, probably. But if you're too lazy to just "next, next, next", then you're probably a prime candidate to get ripped off anyway, so who knows.

    • esosite on 07/07/2025 - 06:48
      +43

      This has got to be a troll post, just signed up and posted this.
      Agree with your reply completely - no way this guy can be a lawyer, and if they are can not be competent if they can't even sort out their tax return. If they can't even look at their annual salary and compare to the planned tax return that is quite troubling.

      • Dennis Denuto on 07/07/2025 - 09:29
        +4

        I am surprised how they managed to pass the legal ethics component of their course!

        It is no longer 1997.

        • Cobber870 on 08/07/2025 - 09:14
          +1

          Username checks out…

          Btw did you work out what F3 was?

        • GordonD on 08/07/2025 - 18:36

          legal ethics

          oxymoron

          Oh, wait, is that the subject you only have to affirm you meet the requirements, because too many of the students were failing it when they had an exam?

      • belongsinforums on 07/07/2025 - 14:15
        +1

        Lawyers are not infallible. Two in qld were just struck off for touching kids

      • Assburg on 09/07/2025 - 07:06
        +1

        Having met a few law grads…it's a pretty plausible troll. He was probably too busy trying to get his female colleagues and junior support staff to go along for drinks to do his tax (him being the resonably intelligent big shot lawyer and all).

      • MrFrugalSpend on 09/07/2025 - 17:58

        maybe not - could be this guy…
        https://www.accountantsdaily.com.au/tax-compliance/20440-rep…
        "A solicitor convicted for failing to complete yearly income tax returns was reprimanded and barred from practising until 2026."

        • Protractor on 09/07/2025 - 18:02
          +1

          I seriously doubt the owner of this post is a lawyer/solicitor or any other professional practitioner.

          • rumblytangara on 10/07/2025 - 10:55

            @Protractor: The owner of this post is probably a neckbeard sitting in his mother's basement screaming into the void (I'm not sure what the Oz equivalent of that stereotype is).

    • CodeXD on 09/07/2025 - 09:21

      OP: "I've tried nothing and I'm all out of ideas"

  • AustriaBargain on 07/07/2025 - 03:45
    +19

    You should probably keep an accountant if you're not proactive enough to stay on top of it.

    • Ryven on 07/07/2025 - 12:26
      +1

      I imagine you need one if you haven't filed in 10 years.

  • WoodYouLikeSomeCash on 07/07/2025 - 05:04
    +23

    I'm thinking I should just trust him cos this stuff is pretty complicated

    No way you're a lawyer…

    Besides that though, I have no degrees yet I can easily do my tax returns through the ATO's MyTax so there are no excuses here.

    • Daabido on 07/07/2025 - 11:31

      He could be. Many barristers used to not lodge returns for a decade or more and somehow get away with it. That loophole has been shut now.

      • BartholemewH on 08/07/2025 - 14:59

        A lawyer that uses the word 'cos'? I doubt it. Signed, an accountant.

    • MrFrugalSpend on 09/07/2025 - 07:45

      plus being young and only just starting working, and presumably paying PAYG, there are probably tax returns that would have come back after any deductions, so wtf wouldn't you do it!?

  • geekcohen on 07/07/2025 - 05:40
    +20

    He wants to charge a little over a grand for all the returns 2017 - 2024 and these aren't particularly complicated returns.. no real deductables to speak off. Just wondering if I am getting ripped off?

    Nope. I pay my accountant $220 (from memory) per year, per person for my wife and I.

    So, I would have paid $1,540 over that period you mentioned, so just over $ 1,000 is fair.

    • Nugs on 07/07/2025 - 06:07
      +21

      Agree, and there maybe extra work for dealing with backdated years
      .

  • brendanm on 07/07/2025 - 07:03
    +20

    despite being a law grad and reasonably intelligent

    The trolling is just getting lazy lately.

    • GordonD on 08/07/2025 - 18:40

      law grad and reasonably intelligent

      Nah, he's just pointing out two things that are not necessarily related. That the one doesn't necessarily mean the other.

      • TheFreaK on 09/07/2025 - 07:50

        More like two things that aren’t necessarily true

  • McMaferMur on 07/07/2025 - 07:35

    Oh wow so there are people in Australia who dont lodge a tax return (despite they should)? Would they get some sort of fine and how would ato can get to those people?

    • star-ggg on 07/07/2025 - 09:25
      +5

      If OP is on PAYG and no capital gains, then the ATO hasn't lost any money.

    • mskeggs on 07/07/2025 - 10:11
      +2

      The ATO often sends a reminder letter, and can take enforcement action for failing to lodge, but I have never heard of anyone actually being prosecuted, though I am sure it happens.

      If you have an excuse for late lodgement, they are reasonable in my experience, and if you are due a return won't charge a penalty.
      If you owe, they will charge interest on the overdue payment and usually a penalty in the order of $500 per year.
      You can sometimes appeal the penalty.

      As a rule, I think they aren't trying to be draconian to ordinary tax payers catching up.

      • pwnd on 07/07/2025 - 15:33
        +1

        ATO will issue fines for late returns. Speaking from experience.
        Three years overdue, where i owed no money but got a return. Fine was $900 (I think, can’t recall exactly) for each late return..

        • Randolph Duke on 08/07/2025 - 14:10

          Three years overdue, where i owed no money but got a return. Fine was $900 (I think, can’t recall exactly) for each late return..

          If your accountant asks for leniency you can normally get out of fines/interest charged.

      • gromit on 08/07/2025 - 19:44

        I know people that have been prosecuted and back in the early 2000's I got a decent fine as well for not lodging (it was intentional and worth though as certain tax situations around options you need to make a selection at tax time how they are treated and it is far better to not lodge and cop the fine so you can make an informed decision). I have been a good boy ever since though.

        • mskeggs on 08/07/2025 - 20:39

          Was the idea to assess whether to pay tax on the options as income, or to see how they run and class them as as a capital gain if they made a profit?

          I think the rule now allows you to treat share awards as income if you sell within 30 days of issue.

          • gromit on 08/07/2025 - 21:13

            @mskeggs: Yup. Share awards are treated as income now. No capital gains event if you sell within 30 days. The problem used to be with options (not shares)you could end up making a bad tax election because you guessed wrong.

    • Antikythera on 09/07/2025 - 01:01
      +1

      When I was younger I let myself go like 7 years before getting it all sorted.

      when i was sorting it out, I made sure the first year I was owed a refund.
      so then I had overpaid ATO and so did not get fined.
      my returns were all very simple, PAYG and nothing in the way of deductions, dependents etc.

      also the fact they didn't have to chase me probably worked in my favour.
      hardest part was getting all the correct tax packs for each year I needed to lodge.

      edit: also i was a reasonably intelligent B Comp.Sci. graduate.

      • serpserpserp on 09/07/2025 - 08:39

        Not a law grad tho

      • Muppet Detector on 10/07/2025 - 12:01

        How did you make sure you were owed a refund in the first year?

        • Antikythera on 10/07/2025 - 20:59

          found legitimate deductions that first year but not bothered much in following years.
          i had chucked receipts, group certificates, etc in a box so i had lots of records.
          but it wasn't worth time sorting it all out for most of the years.

          also was a casual employee and worked more hours over uni breaks.
          so there were weeks / months where I was taxed PAYG significantly more than average.
          so most years at the time I got refunds.

  • Wiadro on 07/07/2025 - 07:39
    +13

    School holidays are back on

  • randomusername2017 on 07/07/2025 - 07:55
    +5

    did WFH from 2020 onwards.

    Armchair Lawyer?

  • Qazxswec on 07/07/2025 - 08:05
    +12

    If you can't figure out a tax return, you probably shouldn't be a lawyer

    • Austin 316 on 07/07/2025 - 09:10
      +10

      Combine that with the lack of attention to details and you've got an absolutely horrible lawyer

  • djones145 on 07/07/2025 - 08:26
    +1

    skip the country to a foreign country with no extradition treaty with australia ( i.e. north korea)

    problem solved

    • wetsandwich on 07/07/2025 - 10:31
      +2

      Would be funny if he did that while the ATO actually owed him money

  • theHMASfriendship on 07/07/2025 - 08:43
    +12

    I also consider myself a lawyer, I know a lot about the law and various other lawyerings. I'm well educated, well versed.

    Let's say you and I go toe-to-toe on bird law and see who comes out the victor?

    • Protractor on 07/07/2025 - 10:48
      -1

      Are you aiming to be a 'beak'?

  • DashCam AKA Rolts on 07/07/2025 - 08:59

    Lock-picking tax-avoiding Lawyer.
    If you like subscribe, but as always, have a nice day.

  • DarkOz on 07/07/2025 - 09:33

    This layer is dumb, lazy, careless and irresponsible.

    • Chael Sonnen on 07/07/2025 - 12:31

      This layer is dumb, lazy, careless and irresponsible.

      Now imagine how much worse it gets when we get into the inner layers..

      • Nugs on 08/07/2025 - 15:03

        Like an onion
        .

  • JimmyF on 07/07/2025 - 09:37
    +6

    Question about My Tax Return

    These all sound like questions you should be asking your accountant.

    He wants to charge a little over a grand for all the returns 2017 - 2024

    Seems cheap for the amount they are doing

    these aren't particularly complicated returns.. no real deductables to speak off. Just wondering if I am getting ripped off?

    You can lodge them yourself then.

  • bbinc on 07/07/2025 - 09:38
    +3

    Love the L plate OP is using. Mmmm, Learner, Lawyer, Loser, Lost. Lazy.
    Wonder wat the Law Institute would think of this post.
    How on earth did OP graduate?

    • Nugs on 08/07/2025 - 15:14

      Member Since
      07/07/2025
      .

      • Protractor on 08/07/2025 - 15:28

        Member long before then, but new username since then. Really been flogging the shit troll posts over the last 2 weeks

  • jv on 07/07/2025 - 09:49
    +5

    Just wondering if I am getting ripped off?

    You can think about that from jail…

    Failure to Lodge a Tax Return
    Maximum penalty: Imprisonment for 12 months and/or a fine of $5,500.

    • MrFrugalSpend on 10/07/2025 - 18:44

      and more importantly from a career standpoint, then in turn not being admitted or if you are, being struck off

  • Porker on 07/07/2025 - 09:49
    +4

    Financial awareness is not taught in schools such that I can almost see a situation where someone just goes through the school system and then is employed. Their first experience of, for example, income tax might be at that point in life.

    It is possible that OP was the above and for the first year of working was aware but had no knowledge on how to complete. Possibly as result procrastination and/or avoidance, they didn't complete their subsequent years. That may have translated to laziness because they have received no repercussion, yet, to their circumstance.

    It's just annoying that they've reached out for clarification with an air of arrogance, laziness and victim mentality.

    • mskeggs on 07/07/2025 - 10:15
      +1

      Financial awareness is not taught in schools

      I see this comment a lot, but we were taught how to do tax returns in class in the 1980s and the local high school includes a heap of material from the gov's money smart site in their curriculum, like how to compare the cost of a phone on a plan versus outright and costs for carrying a credit card balance.

      • Porker on 07/07/2025 - 10:32
        +1

        Ya point taken. While I chose my words in the reply, perhaps it might better be stated as the importance of financial awareness/decisions doesn't appear to be reinforced to the same degree as other schooling items.

        • mskeggs on 07/07/2025 - 10:38
          +3

          I wouldn't be surprised to find out it gets less attention at an academic selective school, for example.
          They are pretty focused on getting yr12 results, not really "getting an education".

          • Protractor on 07/07/2025 - 10:42
            -1

            @mskeggs: Ppl are only aware of the gadget in front of them, at any given time.People no longer get taught, they get influenced, or owned. No time for any other independent awareness. There's a whole herd of horses at the water hole, with no idea what to do next.

          • JDMcarfan on 07/07/2025 - 15:31
            +3

            @mskeggs: This is true. I went to a selective high school approx 10 years ago and nothing on tax was really taught (outside of maths questions stating as such).
            Hell even loan repayments were barely taught and was a concept that most of the Extension mathers struggled with (they commonly asked 2unit'ers for help).
            I work in the finance sector and so for me, tax and other financial literacy is basic knowledge but you'll be surprised how many intelligent people I interact with who have no idea how offsets, tax or even capital gains works.

      • Starayo on 07/07/2025 - 12:05
        +2

        I can tell you I went through high school in the 2000s and I was never taught anything financial at all (besides calculating compound interest in math). I can only speak for my own educational institutions, though.

        That said I've been filing my own tax returns since I was old enough to earn a wage. This isn't America, it's incredibly easy.

      • Muppet Detector on 10/07/2025 - 12:05

        Is that just for veggie math? I don't think they teach that in the top two math subjects.

        • mskeggs on 10/07/2025 - 13:32

          It was yr9 or 10 for me.

    • wetsandwich on 07/07/2025 - 10:32
      -1

      It is totally taught in schools, people just don't listen because they're too cool, then wonder why they don't know something that they actively ignored at the time.

      • Porker on 07/07/2025 - 10:36

        Yup! Point taken.

    • p1 ama on 07/07/2025 - 11:29
      +5

      Financial awareness is not taught in schools such that I can almost see a situation where someone just goes through the school system and then is employed. Their first experience of, for example, income tax might be at that point in life.

      I don't buy this at all, to be honest.

      I will never be possible to teach every skill at school, the only thing that schools can do is teach the basic skills (e.g. reading, comprehension, maths…etc.) which give people the foundation to be able to figure things out for themselves.

      The issue is that we often use the "it's hard" as an excuse for laziness, incompetence, or ignorance.

      It is possible that OP was the above and for the first year of working was aware but had no knowledge on how to complete. Possibly as result procrastination and/or avoidance, they didn't complete their subsequent years. That may have translated to laziness because they have received no repercussion, yet, to their circumstance.

      Completing a tax return is dead simple, especially if you don't want to claim anything, everything is already pre-filled these days. You just need to "next, next, next" and that's it. There's literally nothing that you can teach.

      • brendanm on 07/07/2025 - 18:07

        The issue is that we often use the "it's hard" as an excuse for laziness, incompetence, or ignorance.

        Absolutely on point. We live in an age where there is so much information available, you have to be wilfully ignorant to not be able to figure this stuff out.

    • Zeph101 on 07/07/2025 - 12:03
      +1

      Why does financial awareness need to be taught in schools?

      Shouldn't parents be involved in that side of an education?

  • Dollar General on 07/07/2025 - 10:06
    +1

    You are paying an accountant for the advice you are asking here

  • Protractor on 07/07/2025 - 10:09

    Just a word of precaution.
    I fought the law, & the law won.

    And I'm the tax man!

  • Drakesy on 07/07/2025 - 10:27
    +3

    Between your attitude to tax and your english language skills, god help you in your law career.

    • [Deactivated] on 07/07/2025 - 11:08
      -2

      english

      English
      Would/should help you, too!

  • doctordv8 on 07/07/2025 - 10:27

    If using an Accountant, $200 each year is fair.

    They may combine….or not.

    It should not be difficult to research your own employment history.

    If you cannot do this, pay the $$ and be responsible …more than so far.

  • trustnoone on 07/07/2025 - 10:50
    +1

    Please note I'm not an accountant or lawyer

    I would say $200 a year is okay, my guess you might have paid cheaper if you did it every year, but to bulk all that now means your paying todays rates for those years when it probably would've been cheaper 4 or 5 years ago.

    he said for that he would need to go through 'hours' worked at home..

    This is correct ish, you have to be able to prove your work from home hours, how else is he going to know how much you should get without knowing how much you worked from home? is it every day, some days, did you work over time, what about training over time? Its not one single value, its dependent on number of hours.

    working full time and basically the same hours (salary job) my amount earned is less?

    Would be best to ask him, my guess is that there were changes to the super so that a bigger percentage had to go to it, but your pay didn't increase so your take home has become smaller?

  • Protractor on 07/07/2025 - 11:12

    ….and they all lived happily, ever, after.

  • V2L on 07/07/2025 - 11:12
    +4

    I'm going to ask a question that nobody has ever thought of… have you tried asking your accountant those questions?

    I'm not an accountant but happy to answer your questions for $300 an hour which is what mine charges, PM me if interested.

  • Daabido on 07/07/2025 - 11:31
    +3

    Just pay it and get it done.

  • Megatron on 07/07/2025 - 12:24
    +3

    Please can you also post your real name here so that we know the lawyer to avoid if ever needing one… damn dude, if it isnt a troll post, you should be so thankful for the anonymity the internet provides.

  • El cheepo on 07/07/2025 - 12:24
    +5

    R/Storytime

    But if true…

    This

    despite being a law grad and reasonably intelligent

    And this

    I haven't submitted my tax return in about a decade

    Does not match 😂

    • Protractor on 07/07/2025 - 12:48

      Bullshitting requires little effort. Making it look like it isn't BS, does. This is where all these fake threads unravel. Before the last telling 'Thankyou + exclamation marks', hit the page.

  • Miss B on 07/07/2025 - 12:40
    +2

    I did my first tax return when I was 15 and it was a paper one back then. Sure, my dad was there to ask if I got stuck, but most people file a tax return every year and could help you with these questions.

    The $1000 is a lazy tax because you could have easily done it yourself if you'd kept on top of it. I think it's a good idea to get the help with these returns, but do this year's yourself. If there are deductions you need to provide your accountant with the details. You can also claim the cost of the accountant helping prepare your tax returns in the following tax year.

    • Protractor on 07/07/2025 - 12:45
      +1

      Lazy, disorganised, inattentive, poor record keeper and maths illiterate. A tasty bait and what a lawyer. Or should I say, what a 'fantasy novel'.

  • Danstar on 07/07/2025 - 12:49

    and alex was never seen again because it was too hard to re-login

    • Protractor on 07/07/2025 - 13:15
      -1

      ……but his next newly created username continued the unending trend….

  • foodsnob on 07/07/2025 - 13:07

    he said for that he would need to go through 'hours' worked at home.. is he trying to make it easier for himself here?

    If I'm understanding the question here correctly, a simple search on the ATO website will tell you how to calculate your working from home claim.

  • dasher86 on 07/07/2025 - 13:16

    Min $2k job and a slap for "just trusting the accountant".
    You're still ultimately reliable for your tax return.

  • foursaken on 07/07/2025 - 13:52
    +1

    Lawyer. Sure. Troll. Yep.

  • JumpingUnicorns on 07/07/2025 - 14:42
    +1

    OP is 100% a one post and done type of user. I smell a very stinky troll

  • pjetson on 07/07/2025 - 16:51

    He wants to charge a little over a grand for all the returns 2017 - 2024
    Just wondering if I am getting ripped off?

    You get to claim it back, so what does it matter?

  • Alley Cat on 07/07/2025 - 16:52

    He reckons the earliest return I have is for 2017 (1 July 2016 - 30 June 2017) despite my starting working after completing studies in October 2015 and I don't remember doing any returns after that date. Would this be included in 2017 and onwards?

    Technically, you want to do the return for 2015 if the income was generated in 15. They shouldn't be included. You can also call the ATO and ask them. 'Ask for a friend' if you are worried about being flagged somehow.

    Also.. some years despite working full time and basically the same hours (salary job) my amount earned is less? Could this be because I used annual leave?

    No, it's not because of your annual leave. If you have earned less, that means you have more deductions for that year. Unless your payslip is less, that means you have been paid less, you need to check with your employer.

    he said for that he would need to go through 'hours' worked at home.. is he trying to make it easier for himself here?

    Not really, you need to come up with some basis for your estimated hours of home office use for the tax return. He needs to be confident about the numbers you gave him, it's just due diligence.

    Just wondering if I am getting ripped off?

    You can call around different accounting places and ask how much they would charge for your situation. Everyone has a different price point. It does sound like he has done a bit of work for you already, might need to pay him something either way, if you do find yourself a better deal somewhere else.

  • Fizzydrink on 07/07/2025 - 16:52
    +2

    "He wants to charge a little over a grand for all the returns 2017 - 2024 and these aren't particularly complicated returns.. no real deductables to speak off. Just wondering if I am getting ripped off?"

    Pot v Kettle….Ever seen what a lawyer charges?

  • lonewolf on 07/07/2025 - 17:20

    My tax accountant keeps increasing his prices and now charges me $330 for my tax return. I dont have a complicated tax return since i dont have any investments or shares or any kind of lease stuff etc.

    • Lucille Bluth on 07/07/2025 - 20:57
      +1

      Then you should do it yourself and save the $330. You are every accountants dream, a few minutes work on an a simple return and $330. MyTax guides you through it, it's super easy.

  • AndyC1 on 07/07/2025 - 19:27

    Grand or let the ATO take you to the cleaners….. I would pay in cold hard cash and get a receipt for the grand.

    • CocaKoala on 07/07/2025 - 22:21

      ATO doesn't care. OP claims to be on PAYG so the ATO already got their cut. In fact they don't have to issue any refunds for expenses so they ATO must love lazy muppets like this one.

  • CocaKoala on 07/07/2025 - 22:24
    +4

    I sincerely hope this is just trolling (not good enough in that case because there's been far better here).

    If this is real, my God what an idiot you are! I'm lazy myself but 10 years?! You waited for 10 years and have the gall to question the accountant who agreed to clean up after you. If I were that accountant I would have said $10K or do it yourself just do you leave my out of your shit.

  • Aneurism on 07/07/2025 - 23:08

    I have to admit I was super lazy at one point in my life and fell behind about 8 yrs of tax statement submissions.

    My argument was that they owed me money as they had every year up til that point. They disagreed at the time and it is fair enough as without deductions things got in the negative. (We were both kind of correct as I had a year or two that were negative but net overall I received a positive return)

    The person I spoke to was quote nice and gave me 2 weeks get it all up to date. At the end of the day the accumulated result ended up with a good amount of money paid to me. However, in hindsight my laziness cost me a far greater return that I could have received if I had properly prioritized.

    The main hurdle is that the OP must use an accountant to catch up. At the end of the day if you are still working this year, the accounting fee is likely to be deductible for this financial year when it comes time to do your taxes next year. Yes, once you catch up you should aim to stay in line for the following years.

    I used etax.com.au which let me fill in most of the returns myself with review from an accountant which was less cost but put the onus on me to fill in most of the forms. In my opinion, OP accountant quoted seems fair pricing if the accountant was filling in most of the returns and digging through receipts on behalf of the OP.

  • Herbs on 08/07/2025 - 00:11
    +1

    ADAPAG

    • Nugs on 08/07/2025 - 15:13
      +1

      @mapax
      .

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