You lodged your tax return, hit submit, and then it hit you. A forgotten deduction. A missing payment summary. Income from a side job you left out. Take a breath – this happens more often than you think, and the fix is straightforward.
This guide explains how to amend a tax return in Australia, including how long you have to do it, and what to expect once the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) receives your request.
What Is a Tax Return Amendment?
When you lodge your return, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) issues you a notice of assessment. That notice shows your tax liability for the year – in other words, what you owe or what you get back.
An amendment is a formal request to change that assessment. It is not a punishment process. Amendments are part of Australia’s self-assessment system, and in most cases the ATO accepts the information in your amendment request at face value, just as it did with your original return.
Common Reasons People Amend a Tax Return
You might need to fix a tax return mistake for reasons like these:
- You forgot to claim a work-related deduction you were entitled to
- You left out income, such as bank interest, dividends or side-hustle earnings
- Your employer or fund issued corrected figures after you lodged
- You claimed something you were not actually entitled to and want to correct it
- You entered a figure incorrectly, such as a typo in an amount
It does not matter whether the change works in your favour or the ATO’s. If your return is wrong, you should correct it. Understanding how to voluntarily update your lodgement details generally puts you in a far better position than waiting for the tax office to find the error.
How Long Do You Have to Amend? The ATO Time Limits
This is the part most people get wrong, so let’s be clear.
The amendment period starts from the day after your notice of assessment is sent to you. From that date:
- Individuals: generally 2 years to request an amendment.
- Sole traders: 2 years for the 2023-24 income year and earlier. From the 2024-25 income year onward, sole traders have 4 years.
- Companies, trusts and other entities: Time limits vary by entity type under the period of review rules. If you want to understand how these business frameworks operate, resource guides from Finance Strategists offer great foundational insights, but it is always best to speak directly to a professional about your specific structure.
Two useful things to know. First, you can submit more than one amendment request within your review period. Second, if you are out of time to amend, you may still be able to lodge an objection instead. An objection is a different, more formal process – this is where a qualified tax professional earns their keep.
How to Amend a Tax Return: Step-by-Step
Here is the tax return amendment process from start to finish:
- Gather your evidence. Find the receipts, statements or corrected summaries that support the change. Do not lodge an amendment on a guess.
- Check your original notice of assessment. Confirm you are still within your amendment time limit.
- Choose your lodgement method. You can amend online through myGov (linked to ATO online services), through a tax agent, or by paper form. Online and agent lodgement are faster.
- Complete the ATO amendment request. You only change the items that were wrong. You do not re-lodge your whole return.
- Submit and keep a copy. Save the receipt number and your supporting documents. The ATO can ask for evidence later.
- Wait for your amended notice of assessment. An online amendment takes about 20 days to process. Paper requests take longer.
If the amendment increases your refund, the ATO pays you the difference. If it increases your tax bill, you will need to pay the shortfall, and interest may apply.
Should You Amend It Yourself or Use a Tax Agent?
For a simple fix – one forgotten deduction with a clean receipt – many people learn how to amend a tax return Australia online through myGov without drama.
A qualified tax agent makes sense when:
- The mistake affects multiple years or multiple items
- Extra income is involved and you are worried about penalties
- You run a business, trust or SMSF and the entity rules apply
- You are near or past your time limit and may need an objection instead
At ABBS Tax, amendments are prepared by qualified practitioners and every return goes through a structured review before lodgement, so the corrected version is right the first time. Because our ABBS bookkeeping and tax services sit under one roof, we can easily trace where the original error came from – and stop it happening again.
What Happens After You Lodge an Amendment?
The ATO processes your request and issues an amended notice of assessment showing your updated position. Keep both notices. If you amend again later, your time limit questions get more technical, so hold onto your records.
If the ATO disagrees with your amendment, or you disagree with their amended assessment, you have review rights, starting with an objection. Speak to a tax professional before going down that path. Contact ABBS Tax
Need help with a tax return amendment? ABBS Tax handles individual, sole trader, company and trust returns for clients across Brisbane and Logan. Book a free consultation and we will sort it out properly.
This article is general information only, not tax advice. Speak to a tax professional about your specific situation.
FAQs: How to Amend a Tax Return in Australia
How long do I have to amend my tax return in Australia?
When looking at how to amend a tax return Australia rules state that individuals generally have 2 years from the day after their notice of assessment is issued. Sole traders have 2 years for 2023-24 and earlier income years, and 4 years from the 2024-25 income year onward. Other entities have different limits. Australian Taxation Office
Will I be penalised for amending my tax return?
Not automatically. Amending is a normal part of the self-assessment system. Correcting an error voluntarily is generally viewed more favourably than waiting for the ATO to find it, though interest can apply if you owe more tax. Speak to a tax professional about your situation.
How long does an ATO amendment take to process?
An online amendment takes about 20 days to process. Paper requests take longer.
Can I amend my tax return more than once?
Yes. You can submit more than one amendment request within your period of review.
What if I’m past the amendment time limit?
If you are out of time to amend, you may be able to lodge an objection instead. Objections are more formal, so get professional help before lodging one.
Do I need to re-lodge my whole tax return to fix a mistake?
No. An amendment only changes the incorrect items. The rest of your return stays as lodged.