Clients' Rights & Obligations under the Taxation Laws

 As a client of this firm, we are obliged under the Tax Agent Services Act 2009 to advise you of your rights and obligations under the taxation laws in relation to the services we provide to you. These will vary according to the particular taxation services which you require from us from time to time.

We will ensure that you are provided with this advice in a timely and professional manner as issues arise.

Set out below is a brief explanation of some matters of general relevance concerning the operation of Australian federal taxation legislation. If you have any queries, concerns or issues with any of the matters discussed below, please feel free to contact us.

The self-assessment system
The Australian tax system operates as a self-assessment system. This means that when your tax return or BAS is lodged, the ATO accepts the information in the return at face value and issues you with an assessment notice based on that information. It is essential to note that this does not mean the assessment is final, as the ATO can conduct a review or audit of the information provided in the return at a later time, subject to the time limits outlined in the topic below.

The Commissioner's authority to amend an assessment
As explained above, the ATO accepts the information lodged in your return at face value. However, the ATO also has the power to undertake an audit and amend the assessment if it finds it to be incorrect. The following rules generally apply:

Individuals

• For most individuals, the ATO can amend an assessment within 2 years after you receive your notice of assessment. If the individual carries on a business and is not a Small Business Entity, that period extends to 4 years. (A Small Business Entity is an entity that carries on a business and has an aggregated turnover of less than $10 million.)
• If the individual is a partner in a partnership or a beneficiary of a trust, the period is 2 years. If the partnership or trust carries on business and is not a Small Business Entity, the period extends to 4 years.

Companies

• The ATO can amend a company's assessment within 2 years after the company receives a notice of assessment, provided the company is a Small Business Entity. The same period applies where the company is a partner in a partnership or beneficiary of a trust that is a Small Business Entity.
• In any other case, the period is 4 years.

Trusts

• The ATO can amend an assessment within 2 years after the trustee receives the notice of the evaluation if the trust is a Small Business Entity.
• If the trustee is a partner in a partnership or a beneficiary of a trust that is not a Small Business Entity, that period extends to 4 years.
• In any other case, the period is 4 years.

If the ATO amends an assessment, this will potentially involve, apart from increased taxes, penalties, and interest. If you discover an error in the information declared in the return, lower penalties generally apply for making a voluntary disclosure.

Note: There are no time limits on the ATO amending an assessment where they believe there has been fraud or evasion. The Commissioner tends to take a broad view of what constitutes "evasion".

Obligation to keep records
The tax laws specifically require taxpayers to keep records that adequately explain the transactions they have entered into.

Individuals
Individuals claiming deductions for work-related expenses are subject to the Substantiation rules in the tax laws. This requires taxpayers to keep receipts, invoices, and other documentation of the costs they incur. Where the expenses relate to a taxpayer travelling interstate or overseas, a travel diary may also need to be kept. Where the expense relates to a motor vehicle, a record of the journeys taken, such as a log book, may need to be kept. Failure to maintain the appropriate records can lead to the ATO denying a particular deduction, which may result in the imposition of penalties and interest. Substantiation records must be retained for 5 years after the tax return for the relevant year was lodged.

Businesses
The tax laws specifically require a taxpayer that carries on business to keep records that record and explain all the transactions they have entered into. This includes all the documents that describe how taxpayers' income and expenditure were determined.

Where the tax laws allow or require a taxpayer to make a choice, election, estimate or calculation, documents containing particulars of these matters must be kept.

All these records must be retained for a period of 5 years after your tax return is lodged. There are penalties for taxpayers who fail to do so.

Capital gains tax 

Where an asset has been sold during the year, you must retain the details of the asset's acquisition, including its cost base, and any additions to the asset for a period of 5 years after lodging of the income tax return for the year of sale.

Obligation to provide complete and accurate records

For our firm to be able to lodge returns on your behalf, it is your responsibility to provide us with complete and correct records. Furthermore, to ensure the timely lodging of your return, we require you to provide the relevant information as requested.

Where you are unable to provide us with complete and accurate records, we may be unable to prepare and lodge your return. Under the Tax Agents Services Act 2009, tax agents are subject to a Professional Code of Conduct, which prevents them from acting for a client where insufficient records or information exist to determine the amount of the client's tax or deductions.

The 'safe harbour' rule
Under the Tax Agent Services Act 2009, taxpayers utilising the services of a registered tax agent, such as Ruddicks, will be given a 'safe harbour' or' exemption) from penalties even if:

• Their tax return is later discovered to have contained an error; or
• Their tax return is lodged late.

The 'safe harbour' can only apply for returns lodged on or after 1 March 2010.

The key to benefitting from the 'safe harbour' would, should the need arise, be for you to ensure that you provide us with all of the relevant tax information in your possession. This includes any records or documents we request from you, plus any other information you think may apply to the preparation of your tax return. The information provided must be complete and accurate.

It is equally essential that you provide us with this information by the time it is requested to allow the lodgement of the return by its due date.

The safe harbour from late lodgment penalties can also apply where a BAS, IAS, or FBT return is lodged late.

Whilst the safe harbour can apply to exempt the penalty for an error made in a tax return, it is essential to note that any understated tax and interest will still be payable by you.

Even if you are not eligible for the safe harbour, it is still possible to request the ATO to remit or reduce any penalty and for that decision to be reviewed by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal if you are unsuccessful.

Right to seek a Private Binding Ruling
When preparing your return, we may identify one or more issues that are not clear under the tax laws. Where we have pointed out such issues to you, you have a right to request a Private Binding Ruling from the ATO. Upon providing the ATO with all the relevant facts, they will give you a ruling setting out their view on the proper tax treatment of the issue requested to be ruled upon.

A Private Binding Ruling is binding on the ATO and can be relied on by you.

Lodging a tax return where the tax liability is uncertain
Taking a taxation position on which the law is unsure without obtaining a Private Binding Ruling may result in you lodging a tax return disclosing a tax liability with which the ATO may later disagree.

I suppose the ATO considers that there has been an underpayment of tax. In that case, it will issue an amended assessment for the tax shortfall, plus penalties and a combination of Shortfall Interest Charge (SIC) and General Interest Charge (GIC). These interest rates are generally substantially higher than ordinary bank borrowing rates.

Penalties vary as a percentage of the additional tax assessed, depending on the nature of the disclosure. The rates can range from 25% to 75%. Where 'safe harbour' applies, penalties will not be payable.

SIC and GIC are effectively annual interest amounts charged on the tax shortfall, calculated back to the time the original tax assessment became payable.

Objecting to an assessment
If the ATO issues you with an assessment that you disagree with, you have the right to object to that assessment. The objection must be lodged with the ATO within either 2 or 4 years. As to which period applies, this is determined in the same way as the discussion above under the heading 'Commissioner's ability to amend an assessment'. 

Where the ATO issues an amended assessment, the period for objecting is the greater of:

• 60 days from the time the amended assessment is received; or
• 2 or 4 years (whichever is applicable) from the time the original assessment was received.

Suppose you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of the objection. In that case, you have the right to have the matter reviewed by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal or to appeal the matter to the Federal Court.

Payment of disputed tax
Once tax is assessed, it becomes a debt due and immediately collectable by the ATO. This remains the case even if the assessment is disputed.

If there is a genuine dispute, the ATO will usually not seek collection of the entire amount owing. It is common for the ATO to allow 50% of the primary tax to be paid and for the balance to remain outstanding. At the same time, the matter is disputed before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal or the Court. In other circumstances, the entire amount assessed is allowed to remain outstanding (but attracting GIC) while the review or appeal process is resolved.

Onus of proof
In any dispute with the ATO, the onus of proving that an assessment is incorrect lies with the taxpayer. If the taxpayer cannot make out its case, the assessment stands. Therefore, the argument "the ATO can't prove it" is not a relevant argument in a tax dispute – they don't have to! 

DISCLAIMER: The contents of this publication are general in nature, and we accept no responsibility for persons acting on information contained herein. This publication does not constitute specific advice, and readers are encouraged to consult their tax advisor on matters contained herein.

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