If you’ve spotted an error after lodging, you’re probably looking up how to amend a tax return in Australia — and the good news is, the ATO has a straightforward process for exactly this. Realising you’ve made a mistake is more common than most people expect, and the instinct to panic or ignore it entirely is understandable but unnecessary. Addressing it properly is almost always better than leaving an error uncorrected.
Forgotten income. Realising after lodgement that a bank interest amount, a side job, or investment income wasn’t included.
Missed deductions. Discovering a legitimate deduction after your return has already been processed.
Incorrect figures. A data entry error, whether in income or deductions, that changes the accuracy of the return.
Updated information from a third party. Sometimes a bank, employer, or investment platform issues corrected data after you’ve already lodged, based on their own initial figures being incorrect.
Underreporting income. If a return understates income and isn’t corrected, this can result in penalties and interest if the ATO identifies it later — generally more costly than voluntarily amending it yourself.
Missing deductions. Correcting a missed deduction generally works in your favour and results in an amended refund. There’s rarely a good reason not to fix this once you’ve spotted it.
Either way, addressing the error directly is almost always the better path compared to leaving it unresolved.
Generally, individuals and small businesses have a limited period — commonly two years from the date of the original notice of assessment — to request an amendment, though this can vary depending on the complexity of your tax affairs. It’s worth acting promptly once you spot an error, rather than assuming you have unlimited time to correct it.
Gather the correct information. Before requesting an amendment, make sure you have accurate figures and supporting documentation for the correction.
Submit the amendment request. You can generally do this through myGov for straightforward individual amendments, or through a registered tax agent for more complex situations.
Wait for reprocessing. The ATO will reprocess the amended return and issue an updated notice of assessment reflecting the correction.
Review the updated assessment. Once processed, check the amended notice to confirm the correction has been applied accurately.
Complex amendments. Where the error involves multiple income sources, deductions, or affects prior years, professional guidance helps ensure the amendment is handled correctly the first time.
Voluntary disclosures of understated income. If the correction involves previously undeclared income, a tax agent can help manage the process and any potential penalty considerations appropriately.
Uncertainty about how to correct something. If you’re not sure exactly how an error should be corrected, getting advice before submitting an amendment avoids compounding the original mistake.
Keeping better records throughout the year, double-checking figures before lodging, and having a tax agent review your return before submission are all practical ways to reduce the likelihood of needing to amend a return in the first place.
EBATS helps individuals and businesses correct errors on lodged tax returns quickly and accurately, minimising any potential penalties or complications.
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