Secrets to getting free tax help and filing return fast

Many people will be hoping for a tax rebate this year, and the good news is you can do your tax return yourself by following a few easy steps and using the ATO website.

July is that time of year when many of us get a nice little windfall into our hip pockets. And this year, more than ever, people will be desperately hoping to receive a bundle of cash back from the taxman.

Accountants will groan at me saying this, but if your tax affairs are simple then there’s no reason why you can’t manage your own tax return.

The Australian Taxation Office’s myTax website is really easy to use and it has a huge amount of resources — which you are paying for anyway as a taxpayer — so make sure you use them.

A few years ago I ditched my accountant because I figured I really didn’t need someone to handle what I could easily do myself.

And one thing I do every July, which is an absolute godsend, is whip out my trusty manilla folder or shoebox jam packed with receipts and relevant information.

At the end of each financial year I make sure I start a fresh one and mark it up, dated for the next financial year.

As the months roll on I throw in any receipts or information that I know I’ll need come the following July.

Trust me, this is the smartest thing you can do.

It makes tax time so much more pain-free by having everything in the one place.

Some are even more tech-savvy than me, though, and save all their receipts on the ATO’s app, using the MyDeductions tool.

It doesn’t matter which method you use, it’s just all about making your life easier.

However, of course doing your own tax isn’t something a lot of people are comfortable doing.

Some people have complex tax affairs and for them accountants can definitely be worth their weight in gold.

They should know exactly what you can and cannot claim and they are definitely worth using if you think you can’t do it yourself.

Already 2.05 million Australians have rushed to file their returns and they have received $1.72bn back — the average amount back is $2371.

But if you haven’t yet sat down to do your tax there’s no real rush because the ATO gurus tell me it’s best to wait until the end of July to ensure you have all your necessary information to make a claim.

Those who are self-lodging their 2019-20 tax return — which must be done by October 31 — can use the ATO’s resources.

They have a virtual assistant, ‘Alex’, who operates around the clock, and there’s also a live chat service.

I have already used this as I start to prepare my return and it’s been so useful.

In the past I’ve also phoned the ATO’s helpline to ask for some more detailed help on where to input information to ensure I don’t stuff it up.

Set aside a few hours to do your tax return — depending of course how complicated your financial affairs are — and make sure you call on these free resources.

That’s what they are there for. And for those who are using a registered tax agent, the good news is the cost is 100 per cent tax deductible.

Tax time is back with us again but it doesn’t need to be stressful.