Tax time can easily slip down the priority list, especially when work, family and everyday expenses are competing for your attention. But if you are planning to lodge your own Australian tax return, there is an important deadline approaching.
For most individuals lodging their own tax return, the usual deadline is 31 October.
In 2026, 31 October falls on a Saturday, so the next-business-day rule applies.
If you haven’t prepared your 2025–26 tax return yet, September and early October are a good time to start gathering your information rather than leaving everything until the final few days.
When Is the 2026 Tax Return Deadline?
For individuals who lodge their own tax return, the standard Australian Taxation Office deadline is 31 October following the end of the financial year.
If you use a registered tax agent, different lodgment dates may apply under the tax agent lodgment program.
However, you generally need to engage your tax agent before the end of October to access the applicable tax-agent lodgment schedule.
That is why contacting an accountant early can be important even if your actual return will be lodged later.
What Documents Should You Prepare?
The exact information required depends on your circumstances, but preparing the following records can make the process much smoother.
Income Information
Your income may include:
- Salary and wages
- Allowances
- Bank interest
- Dividend income
- Government payments
- Sole trader or business income
- Rental property income
- Investment income
- Cryptocurrency transactions
- Foreign income
Some information may already appear in ATO pre-fill records, but you should still review it carefully and make sure nothing is missing.
Work-Related Expenses
If you incurred expenses while earning your income, some may potentially be deductible depending on your circumstances.
Common examples include:
- Working-from-home expenses
- Work-related travel
- Professional memberships
- Tools and equipment
- Protective clothing
- Self-education expenses
- Phone and internet expenses
- Accounting and tax-agent fees
A deduction should not be claimed simply because an expense is work-related in some general sense. The expense must meet the relevant tax rules, and appropriate records may be required.
Investment Properties
Rental property owners often have considerably more information to prepare.
This can include:
- Rental income statements
- Property-management fees
- Council rates
- Insurance
- Interest on eligible investment loans
- Repairs and maintenance
- Depreciation information
- Capital improvements
- Purchase or sale documentation
It is particularly important to distinguish between expenses that may be immediately deductible and expenditure that may instead form part of the property’s cost base or be claimed over time.
Shares and Cryptocurrency
Buying and selling investments may create capital gains tax consequences.
If you sold shares, ETFs, cryptocurrency or other investment assets during the 2025–26 financial year, keep records showing details such as:
- Purchase date
- Purchase price
- Sale date
- Sale proceeds
- Brokerage or transaction fees
- Relevant ownership information
Do not assume that information visible in an investment platform automatically gives your accountant everything required to calculate your tax position correctly.
Sole Traders and Freelancers
Sole traders should make sure business income and expenses are properly separated from personal transactions.
Records may include:
- Sales and invoices
- Business bank transactions
- Software subscriptions
- Motor vehicle expenses
- Advertising costs
- Professional fees
- Equipment purchases
- Contractor expenses
- Home-office expenses
Good bookkeeping throughout the year makes tax preparation significantly easier.
If your books are incomplete, dealing with them before the deadline is much better than trying to reconstruct twelve months of transactions at the last minute.
Should You Lodge Your Tax Return Yourself or Use an Accountant?
A relatively straightforward return may be manageable through my Tax.
However, professional assistance may be useful when your financial circumstances involve areas such as:
- Business or sole-trader income
- Multiple income sources
- Investment properties
- Capital gains
- Shares
- Cryptocurrency
- Trust distributions
- Foreign income
- Previous-year tax issues
- Complex deductions
The objective should not simply be to claim the largest possible number of deductions.
The objective is to lodge an accurate return while identifying deductions and tax treatments that genuinely apply to your circumstances.
What Happens If You Miss the Tax Return Deadline?
Ignoring an overdue tax return usually makes the problem worse.
If you realise that you have missed your lodgment deadline, deal with it as soon as possible rather than waiting until the next tax season.
People with outstanding returns from previous years should also consider bringing those returns up to date.
The appropriate approach will depend on your circumstances and whether the ATO has already contacted you.
Don’t Wait Until the Final Week
One of the most avoidable tax-time mistakes is waiting until late October before contacting an accountant.
That can leave very little time to locate missing records, clarify investment transactions, reconcile business accounts or investigate discrepancies.
Preparing earlier gives you more time to identify problems before they become urgent.
Need Help With Your Tax Return?
Accountant Helpdesk assists individuals, investors, sole traders and businesses with tax returns and accounting services from our Williams Landing office.
If you need assistance preparing your 2025–26 tax return or understanding what information you need to provide, contact Accountant Helpdesk to arrange an appointment
