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Your Oz Tax Questions Answered

If you've got any questions that aren't answered here, or you'd like to talk to someone about your refund now, Chat Live online with our staff visa instant messenger.

Q: How much money can I get back?

Taxback.com guarantees to get back the maximum legal tax refund for you. Our customers get an average tax refund from Australia of AU$2500. Your Australian tax refund will depend on things like:

• Your visa
• Your job type
• Your earnings
• The rate you were taxed at
• How long you worked for
• Work-related expenses
• Whether you set up life in Australia or "jobbed" around

Try taxback.com's FREE online tax refund calculator to see how much you could get back.

Q: When can I get my tax back from Oz?

The Australian tax year is from July 1st to June 30th the following year. The 2010 tax year started on July 1st 2009.

If you've worked in Australia anytime from 2003 until now and have since left the country, we can apply to get your tax back now.

If you're still in Australia, we can get back any overpaid tax you paid before June 30th 2009 now, and the rest once you leave Oz or when the tax year ends in June 2010.

We can still claim taxes from as far back as 1998 with special return applications so contact us on australia@taxback.com to see what we can do for you.

Q: Will I get the maximum refund?

Yes. Taxback.com has Authorised Tax Agents who check and lodge every Australian tax return we file to make sure we apply for your maximum legal tax refund - including any additional expenses, deductions or exemptions you may be entitled to.

Q: How long will it take?

For the most recent tax year July 1st 2008 to June 30th 2009 we can get your tax back in just 10-15 working days (2-3 weeks).

For earlier tax years it can take up to 4-8 weeks

Q: What can I get a refund of?

Taxback.com can get two different types of tax refund for you from your time in Oz – your income tax refund and your superannuation refund. Average refunds of Australian income tax for temporary workers are $2500 and for superannuation it ranges from $600-$5000!

Q: How do I know if I'm a resident or non-resident for tax purposes?

Even if you're in Australia on a student or working holiday visa, you can be deemed a resident for tax purposes if you meet certain criteria including if you lived in Australia continuously in one single place for at least 6 months (183 days) and if you had one job for that whole time.

You'll need to complete our one-page residency questionnaire when filling out your application so we can determine whether you're a resident or non-resident for tax purposes.

Q: What if I'm not due a tax refund?

Taxback.com has a no refund, no fee policy, which means you pay nothing up front. And if you're not due a tax refund from Australia, we won't charge you anything at all.

Q: Can I get a refund of my superannuation payments?

Yes. As you probably know, everyone working in Oz who earns more than AU$450 a month has superannuation contributions paid into a fund by their employer. Once you leave Australia permanently and your visa expires, taxback.com can get you a superannuation refund. The average Australian superannuation refund our clients get is between AU$600 and $5000. Chat Live with one of our tax experts about applying for yours today or email us on australia@taxback.com

Q: How does taxback.com work?

Here's how our easy three-step service works:

1. Register online or use our FREE tax refund calculator
2. Scan and send us your documents and signed taxback.com forms. We'll estimate your refund and give you an online tracking account. If you're missing any documents we can get replacements for you.
3. We'll file your tax return and send you your refund as soon as we receive it from the tax office – straight to your Australian or overseas bank account.

Q: How do I know what's happening with my Oz tax return?

You can follow the step-by-step progress of your Australia tax return on your online tracking account. Then as soon as we have your refund we'll contact you to sort out the best way to get your money straight to you.

You can also use our 24-hour online Live Chat instant messenger service if you have any questions you need answered fast.

Q: How much will it cost?

Taxback.com has a no refund, no fee policy, so if you're not owed a tax refund, you don't owe us anything! If you are due taxback then here's how our fees work:

First of all, our FREE Online Tax Estimation costs you nothing - just a few minutes to fill it out. We'll email your refund estimation straight to your personal email with no obligation to use our service.

Once you send us your documents and signed forms, we'll evaluate your refund and what additional services you need such as document retrieval. Then we'll let you know how much it will cost to file your return for you.

Standard Australian Refunds: For standard Australian tax refunds for non-residents we charge a flat fee of AU$87 + levy.

Low refunds: For non residents' refunds and refunds under AU$150 the fee is AU$87 + levy

Australian Residents for tax purposes: For Australian residents for tax purposes we charge 9% + levy of the refund received, subject to a minimum fee of AU$99 + levy for refunds less than $1100

Superannuation Refunds: If you have left Australia permanently we can organise a refund of your superannuation and for this service we charge 20% + levy of the refund received subject to a minimum fee.

If you need us to file an amendment of your tax return, our fees for paper amendments are 25% + levy of the refund received subject to a minimum fee of $250 + levy. For electronic amendments our fee is 15% + levy of the refund received subject to a minimum fee of $200 + levy.

Q: What if I'm missing documents?

We know it's easy to lose documents in the move back home or to not even receive them in the first place. That's why we have a dedicated document retrieval team to organise replacements for you.

You'll find a declaration form authorising us to do this in your Australian TaxPack. We charge a document retrieval fee for this service.

Q: What is a Payment Summary/Group Certificate?

To get your Australian tax refund, we'll need your Payment Summary or PAYG (Pay As You Go) form, also known as a Group Certificate. The PAYG is the official tax form you get from your employer when you finish working for them. It shows all your earnings and tax paid.

Some employers will give you your PAYG when you finish work for them, but usually you have to wait until they post it out at the end of the tax year.

In most cases we can use your PAYG or your final payslip to claim your Aussie tax rebate. So if you haven't got your PAYG yet, but you do have your final payslip, there's no need to wait – start applying for your tax back now.

Q: Can you guarantee that I'll get the refund amount you estimated?

No, but we do guarantee to get you the most taxback that we legally can because your tax return will be lodged by our Authorised Tax Agents in Sydney who check all our tax returns for any additional expenses and benefits we can claim for you.

Our estimate is based on your documents and our experience in filing thousands of tax returns every week since 1996. Naturally, the Australian tax authority has the final decision in your tax refund based on their systems and tax codes.

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