Differences between ATO E-Tax and Etax.com.au

Are you wondering about the differences between ATO E-Tax and Etax.com.au?

The Australian Taxation Office’s e-Tax software and the Etax.com.au online tax return are different in several important ways.

• Etax.com.au was always a true online tax agent service – you can access the secure website from any computer, anytime – plus you can get help from an accountant anytime as well.
• ATO “e-Tax” was government software that you download and install on your computer. (It’s not available anymore; it was retired years ago by the ATO.)
• Etax.com.au includes special features that save you time and provide useful information. Upgraded every year based on user feedback, for 2016 including deduction ideas based on your occupation, easier online help and information, improved auto-prefill (based on ATO data), easy view of last year’s return, fast section selector (so you can skip the bits you don’t need) plus an improved tax refund calculator that updates every time you add more information to your tax return.
• History: At Etax Accountants, we registered the domain name www.etax.com.au in August 1998 and we’ve been Australia’s favourite online tax return service ever since. Later, the Australian Tax Office (ATO) released their software named ATO E-tax.
• Etax.com.au includes checking and advice from one of the biggest tax agents in Australia… all at one of the lowest tax agent fees in Australia.
• Etax.com.au support is aimed at improving YOUR refund and helping steer clear of ATO trouble or delays with your tax refund. The goals of ATO’s e-tax and myTax programs is not clear, aside from being free.
• Reports have suggested that self-management of your tax affairs (incl. using ATO e-tax) may lead to lower average tax refunds than using a tax agent. That’s why most Australians prefer to pay a small fee… plus they get the peace of mind in knowing that trained accountants have reviewed their return and lodged it for them.

Did you know…

The ATO says 70% of Australian tax returns are done with a Registered Tax Agent like Etax—for good reasons.

The Australian Taxation Office released statistics to the media in 2016:

• Over 70% of all tax returns are lodged via a registered tax agent such as Etax.
• Only 30% use the government’s myTax or paper forms.

Some taxpayers believe that by going direct to the ATO they are saving money. Our experience is that people who lodge directly often miss important deductions and offsets that could save them money. The effect of this, year after year could be a lot of lost money for you as a taxpayer.

Missed deductions can add up. Different reports have shown that, over time, people who self-prepare their taxes using ATO systems pay around $1000 more tax than those who use qualified accountants like Etax. More interesting numbers direct from the ATO:

• 38% of tax payers donated to charity and claimed the donation as a deduction.
• 65% of all tax payers claim some form of work related expenses.

A tax agent like Etax.com.au is working on YOUR side, to help find more items to claim, boost your refund and avoid ATO problems.

Here’s an infographic comparing etax.com.au and ATO e-tax software:

Your tax agent fees are tax deductible.

There has never been a better time to do your tax return at Etax.com.au. We look forward to working with you this tax season!