Super Return - Aussie Tax Refunds! Questions?

Frequently Asked Questions for TAX and SUPER:

Tax Refund Questions

1. Can I get my tax back?

2. Am I a resident of Australia for tax purposes?

3.What if I cannot complete the Tax Refund Application?

4. What is a Payment Summary (PAYG)?

5. What if I do not have all my Payment Summaries?

6. Can I get my tax back while I am still working?

7. How will I be paid?

8. Can you transfer money to my overseas account?

9. How much does Super Return charge?

10. What if I am a student?

11. Can I use Super Return as my PO BOX?

12. How does the tax return system work in Australia?

13. How is Super Return different to other tax and super refund companies?

14. How long will it take to get my refund?

1. Can I get my tax back?

Yes, your eligibility to get your tax back depends on your residency status in Australia. We have expert friendly staff in our office that can help you with any questions you have. The average tax refund is $1,700 and superannuation refund is $600 - a total of $2,300. Email or Call us on 1300 551 412 for further information. For real examples of residency go to Question 2 (i).

2. Am I a resident of Australia for tax purposes?

In order to determine your residency status, you should call our office or email us. We will ask you some questions and then let you know the approximate refund you are entitled to.

As a general guide, you will be a resident for tax purposes if the following requirements are met:

you have been or intend to be in Australia for at least 6 months or 183 days; and,
you have stayed, or intend to stay for the majority of the time, in one place(city, town etc) and have rented accommodation or stayed with family and friends.

Below are two examples showing how the classification system works.

(i) Example of an Australian Tax Resident during 2009 Financial Yera

Jennifer enters Australia on a working visa class 417 which is valid for 12 months. She intends to visit friends and family in Sydney for the majority of her trip and stays with her friends in Sydney for 10 months. Before leaving the UK, Jennifer resigned from her employment and ended her lease over an apartment in London.

While staying in Sydney, Jennifer worked as a waitress at several restaurants and earned a total of $15,000 in the income year. Because she told her employers she was on a working holiday visa, tax has been withheld at a rate of 29% from her salary and wages. She would therefore have paid a total of $4,350 in tax ($15,000 x 29%).

Even though Jennifer came to Australia on a working holiday visa 417, her main purpose for the trip was to visit family and friends. She spent more than six months in the one place within Australia and severed most of her ties in London before she arrived (eg employment, apartment lease etc). The combination of these factors means she will be classified as a resident for Australian tax purposes.

Jennifer's $15,000 income will then be taxed as follows:

Amount earned $	Effective tax rate	Tax $
0 to 6,000	0%	0
6,001 to 34,000	15%	$1,350

Because Jennifer has already paid $4,350 in tax during the year of income, she will be entitled to a refund of the difference between $4,350 and $1,530 (ie $3,000). This figure is assuming Jennifer has no tax deductions for the income year. Jennifer will not be subject to the medicare levy of 1.5% as she has not earned over $17,309. Also when Jennifer departs Australia, she will be entitled to a refund based on her superannuation of approx $945 less fees and disbursements - a gross tax refund (Tax & Super) of $2,295..

Tax deductions such as work related expenses, tax agent fees and offsets such as remote area living allowance may significantly increase your refund (e.g when fruit picking). Call our office for details.

(ii) Example of a Non-resident for Australian Tax Purposes

Lucy is a British national who has longed to spend twelve months 'down under'. After saving for years, she takes twelve months leave from her work and departs for Australia on her 21st birthday. Although she travels with considerable savings, her intention is to spend at least part of her time working. She has obtained a restricted working visa enabling her to work for no more than three months with one employer.

Through a contact in Australia she is assured of work in Darwin for the first three months. After that period, she decides to travel to the east coast via Adelaide. She spends a month in Adelaide where she works for two weeks and continues her journey to Melbourne.

Once there, she meets some friends from back home. After working for a further three months, she decides to spend the balance of her time in Melbourne and uses her savings for living expenses. To keep costs down, she leases a house with two other friends. At the end of her twelve months in Australia, she returns to the United Kingdom and resumes living in her house there, which she had been renting out while in Australia.

Why is Lucy a non-resident?

Although Lucy obtains work, by travelling from place to place she has not established a pattern of habitual behaviour, even though she is physically present in Australia for twelve months and she co-leases a house. Lucy’s main purpose for being here is to have a holiday and she is merely supplementing her savings by working. Nor does Lucy meet the 183 day test because she had a usual place of abode outside Australia and did not intend taking up residence in Australia.

3. What if I cannot complete the Tax Refund Application?

You can visit us at our office any time from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday and our friendly staff will assist you to complete Tax or Super Refund Application.
Otherwise, complete as many details as you can and post, fax or scan and email the form to us. If you are unable to complete your employment history we are able to contact your employers for you. If we need more information we will contact you.

4. What is a Payment (PAYG) Summary?

A Payment Summary (formerly called a Group Certificate) shows how much you earned during the financial year and how much tax has been deducted from your pay. Your employer should issue your PAYG Payment Summary within 14 days of the end of the financial year (30 June).
However, if you are leaving before the end of a financial year, you may request the PAYG Summary statement from your employer upon termination of employment. It should be sent to you within 14 days.

5. What if I do not have all my Payment Summaries?

You can apply for your tax refund by completing and sending the Tax Refund Application. Super Return can collect the missing documentation on your behalf. Naturally your refund process will take longer where there is missing documentation.

IMPORTANT: Your tax refund CANNOT be lodged unless ALL Payment Summaries have been received. The ATO receives copies of all Payment Summaries, so if they are not all included in the lodgement, an amended assessment will be issued. If this is unpaid, it will result in a high penalty, leaving a residual debt or black mark against you in Australia. So please remember to get all your Payment Summaries.

The only exception to this is if you are unable to provide a payment summary. We are able to accept a final payslip (detailing Year to Date figures) or a statement of earnings from your employer.

Remember, the quicker we receive all the necessary information, the quicker we are able to get you your refund.

6. Can I get my tax back while I'm still working?

In some situations you can. You can claim your tax back either:

At the end of the income year 30 June and/or
When you leave Australia permanently

Australian income year runs from July 1 to June 30 so you can lodge your tax return from July 1 no matter if you are still working or ceased working in Australia.
If you would like to claim your tax back before you leave Australia permanently, you need to cease working in Australia.

Example:
Jennifer arrives in Australia at the end of March 2008. She begins working in April 2008. From July 1, 2008, Jennifer is entitled to lodge a tax return for the time she worked from April 2008 until June 30, 2008 and she doesn't need to cease working for this income tax return.

Jennifer then departs Australia in February 2009. She is entitled to lodge an early 2009 tax return for the income she has earned from 1 July 2008 to February 2009 (i.e., she doesn't have to wait until 1 July 2009 to lodge this return).For this early tax return she has to cease working with her current employer.

Jennifer can also claim back the super she has earned from April 2008 to Feb 2009 when she leaves.

7. How will I be paid?

Super Return can pay you your refund either via direct deposit into your Australian or Overseas bank account. Your refund is held in a Trust Account when it arrives from the ATO, and then it is sent directly to you.

8. Can you transfer my refund to my overseas bank account?

Yes. If you wish to receive your refund into your overseas bank account please fill out the foreign account details under 'banking details' section on the Refund Application.

9. How much does Super Return charge?

Super Return provides super fast and friendly service. Our fees start from $77, inclusive of GST where applicable. Send us your details (Total Gross Income earned and total Tax paid) by phone or email and we will calculate your refund and advise you of our exact fees, BEFORE you commit to us! For full Fee details please see our Tax Page
For amended assessment applications outside of the lodgement period, an extra fee may apply.

10. What if I am a student?

If you are a student who has been in Australia for more than 6 months you will be deemed an Australian resident for tax purposes. You can apply for your tax refund with Super Return. And if you are departing from Australia permanently you will also be entitled to a refund of your superannuation.

11. Can I use Super Return as my mailbox?

Yes. Where you are leaving Australia and would like to change your mailing address for employers to send PAYG Summaries and Superannuation Fund information, you can give them the Super Return PO BOX address.

12. How does the tax return system work in Australia?

If you earned income in Australia, or derived profits from the sale of assets in Australia, you are required to lodge an income tax return for the income year ending 30 June by 31 October in the same year (the Australian tax year runs from 1 July to the following 30 June). This is regardless of you being an overseas resident. Penalties may apply for late lodgements. Where you use a Registered Tax Agent you get an extension on the 31 October deadlne.

13. How is Super Return different to other tax and super refund companies?

Super Return are registered Tax Agents (no: 57819000) which means they are able to deal directly with ATO for you. They are also Chartered Accountants which is the highest possible accounting qualification in Australia, granted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Australia.
To ensure your security, Super Return puts all refund money into a trust account which is audited annually under the regulations of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Australia.
The Super Return staff have detailed understanding of temporary resident tax and super issues and are willing and able to help you.
The staff are also sensitive and understanding and can assist you with your needs. If you require more detailed or complicated work and answers, we are associated with a Chartered Accounting firm FWA Eagar&CO and a Financial Planning firm BEX Financial who can give you the expert assistance you require.

14. How long will it take to get my refund?
Approximately 10 working days. This can change during the year depending on how busy the Australian Taxation Office is. We will attempt to keep our website up to date with this information.

Superannuation Refund Questions

1. What is superannuation?

2. Who is eligible for a superannuation refund?

3. How do I claim my Super back?

4. When may I claim my superannuation refund?

5. How much superannuation can I get back?

6. How can Super Return help to get my super back?

7. How is Super Return different to other tax and super refund companies?

8. How long will it take to get my refund?

Superannuation Refund Questions

1. What is superannuation?

Superannuation is the amount of money set aside for an individual's retirement. This is equivalent to pension or social payments in other countries.
Generally, if you meet the following requirements:

you earned more than $450 per month;
you are over 18 years of age
you are not working in domestic or private services for less than 30hrs/week; and
you are not covered by a bilateral superannuation agreement ( i.e. USA, Netherlands or Portugal employees on secondment in Australia).

Your employer will automatically deduct amounts from your salary/wages and contribute this amount to your superannuation fund on your behalf. The amount deducted is currently 9% of your gross salary.
The amounts paid into your superannuation fund do not appear on your payslips or your Payment Summary. Consequently, you may not be aware of how much these superannuation contributions amount to.
Please contact our friendly staff for an approximate estimate of your superannuation refund.

2. Who is eligible for a superannuation refund?

Most individuals who have entered Australia on a temporary visa that entitles them to work, and are departing permanently, are eligible for a refund.

However some circumstances might change this eligibility; if you have applied for residency in Australia or you are a New Zealand resident you will not be eligible.
Please contact us if you have further or specific enquiries in regards to superannuation refunds.

4. When may I claim my superannuation refund?

You will be able to claim your refund once you have departed Australia and your visa has expired. You will not be able to claim until both these conditions have been satisfied.
However, if your visa will still be valid after you have left Australia and you do not intend to return on that visa, we can arrange for it to be cancelled with the Australian Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs DIMIA.

5. How much superannuation can I get back?

Please contact our friendly staff for an estimate of your superannuation refund.

6. How can Super Return help in getting my superannuation back?

Super Return can organise all necessary documentation and apply to your super fund for your refund for no upfront fee. Super Return will ensure you receive the maximum return on your superannuation in the quickest possible time. If you do not receive a refund there is no fee!

To claim back your Super, complete the Super Refund Application.

7. How is Super Return different to other tax and super refund companies?

8. How long will it take to get my refund?
Approximately 6 weeks after you have permanently left Australia and your visa has expired or being cancelled. This is assuming we have received all the necessary information. If it is necessary to cancel your remaining visa, it will take additional time. Also, if it is necessary to search for lost or unknown superannuation amounts it will take additional time.