The following will help you understand Taxation statistics 2020–21.
Our tables and charts
Summary tables and charts provide brief overviews of topics. You can access the full datasets in Excel format in data.gov.auExternal Link by selecting the link under the table or chart. In data.gov.au, select the Download button, then open or save the file. The data in our summary tables and charts for previous years is not updated and remains as originally published for that year. This allows for a quick year-on-year point-in-time comparison.
Detailed tables contain substantially more data than summary tables and charts. They contain statistics for most labels on our most common return forms and schedules.
In general, income year statistics in our detailed tables are updated for the previous 2 years. Financial year statistics are not updated. The notes accompanying our detailed tables will specify what data is included.
Using the index
The indexExternal Link includes all item and label descriptions and shows which detailed tables they appear in. It includes links to each detailed table for:
- individuals
- companies
- super funds
- partnerships
- trusts
- fringe benefits tax (FBT).
Changes in data over time
We recommend caution when comparing statistics from current and previous income years.
When doing year-on-year analysis, you should be aware that:
- each year we receive lodgments, amendments or cancellations after the processing cut-off date for the data in the previous publication
- changes in legislation (such as changing income tax rates or thresholds) can impact taxation levels from year to year.
Comparison with other publications
The data in Taxation statistics may be different compared to other publications. There are 2 main reasons for this:
- Our data cut-off date is 31 October, 16 months after the end of the financial year. During this time most returns are already lodged and processed. Other publications may include more recent lodgments.
- Items may be calculated using different methods. We explain our calculations in definitions and calculations.