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Why we have kept your refund

When we are entitled to retain part of, or all your refund.

Last updated 1 November 2021

There are situations when we are entitled to retain part of, or all your refund.

  • We may apply part, or all, of your refund against a tax debt that you owe us – this is known as offsetting.
  • We may firstly offset your credit against your tax debt, and then also receive a payment from you for that same tax debt. As a result, your account may be placed in credit. The payment you made is treated as a voluntary payment in anticipation of a tax debt, which we generally don't automatically refund.
  • We will keep your refund if you haven't nominated a bank account for us to pay your refund into, or the bank account details you provided are incorrect or incomplete.
  • We will keep your refund if you have not lodged one or more of your BAS.
  • We can keep your refund because we need to check or verify details shown on your return or BAS. In these circumstances, we will contact you.

See also:

QC18637