Over the last 12 months, we’ve been hearing about a sharp increase in both people and businesses receiving cold calls from The ATO. Regardless of the nature of their enquiry, we recommend giving no details (beyond identifying yourself). It’s always the safest bet if you get a call.
Don’t speak to the ATO personally. Ask them to speak to your Tax Agent instead. It’s what you pay us for.
You don’t have to be overly evasive or act coy. Just say “I don’t know. Ask my Tax Agent.”
Why? I haven’t done anything wrong.
We know that, and so do you.
But the ATO doesn’t. It’s their job to pro-actively scan and check everybody, all the time, for any hint of non-compliance or inaccurate reporting. The problem is that the language used by ATO officers – the language of legislation, bureaucracy & compliance – is often at odds with the way that regular people talk about their finances.
This means that it’s extremely easy to say the wrong thing, even if it’s completely innocent. What’s more, talking to the tax man makes most people flustered. And any awkward thing you say could cause the ATO to dig deeper or expose you to a full audit. Even if you know you’re all good, being reviewed or worse – audited – can be anxiety-inducing. And it’s often a frustrating, time-consuming task.
Tax legislation is as confusing as any legal jargon out there. So just like you’d always ask for your lawyer in any legal situation, you should always defer any ATO enquiries to your Registered Tax Agent.
We can take care of it for you.
As Tax Agents, we’ve had years of training and experience when it comes to dealing with taxes and the ATO. Not only are we experts at navigating compliance issues, but we know how to communicate with ATO officers in a way that solves problems quickly and effectively.
If we’re already operating as your authorised Tax Agent, then consider this a gentle reminder to send the taxman our way if he comes calling.
If you’re engaged with us for a different service, but you’re interested in what we could offer as your tax agent, then get in touch with us today. We’ll bring the same pro-active attitude & commitment to client satisfaction that we offer across all of our services.
Disclaimer: This advice is general in nature and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider whether this advice is suitable for you and your personal circumstances before acting on it.
