Taxpayers are being advised to lodge their tax returns early and avoid delay, as the Australian Tax Office will shut down over January in order to upgrade the current processing system.
New changes to the tax system in 2010 are likely to affect business and individual taxpayers and there will be some delays in processing returns, according to the ATO.
The Tax Office’s computer systems will be unavailable from Friday, 22 January until Wednesday, 27 January 2010 while the new system is being implemented. In addition, some processing in the weeks leading up to the implementation will be suspended. There will also be some processing delays in the weeks following the implementation as the new system gradually returns to full processing levels. The ATO expects the delays may continue during February 2010.
It is for this reasons that the Tax Office is advising business and individual taxpayers expecting a tax refund to have their income tax returns lodged as early as possible (before Christmas 2009) to reduce the likelihood of any delays.
For more information, please visit the Australian Tax Office website.
