What documents do I need for my tax return?

Photo ID and TFN, income statements (mostly pre-filled from the ATO), records of deductible expenses, private health insurance statement if applicable, and your bank details. Sole traders also bring business income and expense records.

What good preparation looks like

Tax return preparation, done the way the ATO respects

Q: What does a tax agent check that I might miss?

Occupation-specific deductions, correct apportioning of mixed-use expenses, offsets you qualify for, private health insurance handling and prior-year items like carried-forward losses. Most DIY returns miss deductions; some claim things that trigger reviews.

Q: Can I claim deductions without receipts?

Limited amounts of certain work expenses can be claimed with alternative records, but the safe rule is: no record, no claim. Bank statements, digital receipts and logbooks all count as records.

Q: What happens after lodgement?

The ATO processes electronically lodged returns typically within about two weeks and pays any refund to your nominated bank account. If the ATO asks questions later, having an agent means we respond for you.

What a registered agent actually does with your return, what to have ready, and why professional preparation usually pays for itself in the refund.

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The short answer

Good preparation is three things: complete income (everything the ATO already knows about, matched), maximised deductions (what you're entitled to, documented) and clean lodgement (no red flags, extended deadlines as an agent client). At MAS it's fully online, from $170.

Behind the scenes

What your agent checks before lodging

Income, fully matched

Employers, banks, funds and platforms report to the ATO. We reconcile everything so nothing arrives later as a "please explain".

Deductions by occupation

A nurse, a tradie and a designer claim different things. We apply the deductions the ATO accepts for your line of work. See Tax Deductions.

Offsets & extras

Tax offsets, private health insurance treatment, spouse details, HELP debts: small boxes that change the final number.

Records that hold up

Every claim tied to a record you can produce if asked. The refund you keep matters more than the refund you get.

Business schedules

ABN income handled properly with expenses, depreciation and PAYG instalments. See Sole Trader Tax Return.

Prior years & loose ends

Unlodged years, carried-forward losses, amendments: we tidy the history so this year starts clean.

Your part is small

Preparation in three steps

STEP 01

Gather (10 minutes)

ID, income statements (mostly pre-filled), expense records, health insurance statement, bank details.

STEP 02

We prepare & query

Your agent builds the return, checks deductions for your occupation and asks about anything that could add to the refund.

STEP 03

Approve & lodge

You review and approve digitally; we lodge the same day. Refunds typically land in about two weeks.

Client reviewing their tax return with a MAS registered tax agent over a video call

Online, together

Reviewed with you before it reaches the ATO

A registered agent walks you through the return on a call, in English o en español, before anything is lodged.

Preparation FAQ

Before you start

What does a tax agent check that I might miss?

Occupation-specific deductions, mixed-use apportioning, offsets, health insurance handling and prior-year items. Most DIY returns miss deductions; some claim things that trigger reviews.

What documents do I need?

ID and TFN, income statements (mostly pre-filled), expense records, health insurance statement if applicable, bank details. Sole traders also bring business income and expense records.

Can I claim deductions without receipts?

Limited amounts of certain work expenses allow alternative records, but the safe rule is: no record, no claim. Bank statements, digital receipts and logbooks count.

What happens after lodgement?

The ATO typically processes within about two weeks and pays refunds to your bank account. If questions come later, your agent responds for you.

Ready to have it prepared properly?

From $170, fully online, by registered tax agents. English y español.

File My Return Now