Individual (Personal) Tax Return Services in Adelaide Australia

For the 2025-26 financial year, the ATO’s self-lodgement deadline for individual tax returns is 31 October 2026. If you are registered with a tax agent such as AMA Accountants you may qualify for an extended lodgement deadline — often extending well into 2027. To access this extension, you must be registered with a tax agent before the 31 October deadline passes. Contact our Adelaide office to register before then.

Missing the 31 October deadline triggers the ATO’s Failure to Lodge (FTL) penalty. For individuals, this starts at $313 and increases by $313 for every 28-day period the return remains outstanding, up to a maximum of $1,565. Interest may also accrue on any unpaid tax liability. The ATO can also refer overdue lodgements to debt collection. If you have missed the deadline, do not wait — contact AMA Accountants immediately. We handle late returns regularly and can communicate directly with the ATO on your behalf.

The cost of a professionally prepared tax return in Adelaide depends on the complexity of your income situation — a simple PAYG return is priced differently from one involving rental income, investments, or sole trader activity. AMA Accountants provides clear, upfront pricing before work begins. There are no hidden fees. It is also worth noting that tax agent fees are themselves tax-deductible in the following financial year, which reduces the real cost of using our service.

Yes. AMA Accountants offers a fully online tax return service for Adelaide residents and Australians located anywhere in the country. You upload your documents through our secure portal, we prepare your return, you review and approve it digitally, and we lodge electronically with the ATO. The entire process can be completed without visiting our office.

Most individual tax refunds are processed and deposited by the ATO within 10 to 14 business days of electronic lodgement. Paper lodgements take significantly longer — up to 50 days. Refunds may be delayed if your bank account details on file with the ATO are outdated, if the return is selected for manual review, or if there is an outstanding ATO debt offset against your refund. We monitor the status of every return we lodge and follow up on your behalf if delays occur.

No. A tax return is the document you submit to the ATO. A Notice of Assessment (NOA) is the document the ATO sends back to you after processing your return. Your NOA confirms your total taxable income, the tax assessed, any Medicare levy, any HECS-HELP repayment amount, and the outcome — refund amount or tax liability. It is important to keep your NOA on file as it may be required when applying for a home loan, rental property, or government benefits.

Yes. We lodge tax returns for prior financial years regularly. There is no strict time limit on how far back you can lodge, but ATO guidelines generally allow individuals to claim refunds for returns lodged within two years of the original due date. Beyond that, penalties may apply but can sometimes be negotiated. If you have multiple outstanding years, we can work through them systematically and help you re-establish good standing with the ATO.