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After you lodge your tax return

Find out how to check the progress of your return, get help with a tax bill and things you can do for next year.

If you lodge your return online with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), it will normally take 2 weeks to process. You can check the progress of your tax return using the ATO online services, the ATO app or the self-help phone service.

To check the progress of your tax return using ATO online services, follow these steps:

  1. Sign in to your myGov account.
  2. Select Australian Taxation Office from your linked services.
  3. Select Manage tax returns.
  4. Go to the correct income year and view the status to check the progress of your tax return.

Find out more about how to check the progress of your tax return on the ATO website.

If you forgot to include something in your tax return or made a mistake, you can update your tax return.

Find out how to request an amendment to your tax return on the ATO website.

You’ll get a notice of assessment when the ATO has processed your tax return.

This will show how your tax assessment was calculated. It’ll show any tax you need to pay or your refund.

Your notice of assessment will be sent to your myGov Inbox, if you have ATO linked to your myGov account.

Learn more about your notice of assessment on the ATO website.

If you get Child Care Subsidy and Family Tax Benefit

Once your tax return has been processed, the ATO will tell Services Australia what your income was for the financial year.

This is used to balance your family payments. Find out more about balancing and what you need to do with the What families need to do at tax time tool on the Services Australia website.

Once your family payments have been balanced, you’ll get an outcome from Centrelink sent to your myGov inbox.

If you have a child support case

Once the ATO has processed tax return or non-lodgment advices for both parents, they’ll tell Services Australia both parents' confirmed incomes. Services Australia use this to work out who pays child support and how much. You’ll get a new assessment letter from Child Support sent to your myGov inbox.

If you estimated your income for child support, Services Australia will compare your income estimate to your actual income confirmed in your tax return. If your income is more than the estimate you gave Services Australia, you may get a debt or overpayment. Services Australia can use your tax refund to repay a debt or overpayment.

Find out more about child support at tax time on the Services Australia website.

Once your tax return has been processed and your family payments balanced, you may owe money to the ATO or Services Australia.

If you get a tax bill from ATO

You may be able to set up your own payment plan online if you can’t pay your bill in full by the due date.

There is information on setting up a payment plan and help available if you can’t lodge or pay on time on the ATO website.

If you need extra support or assistance, contact the ATO immediately to talk about what you can do.

If you owe money for a Centrelink debt

There are options to help you repay a Centrelink debt in a way that suits you. This includes setting a payment arrangement in your Centrelink online account through myGov.

Find out how to repay money you owe to Centrelink on the Services Australia website.
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Helping you get the right outcome at tax time
Page last updated: 10 July 2025