Completing individual information on your tax return 2011

It is important that you complete the individual information on pages 1 and 2 of your tax return accurately to avoid delaying your notice of assessment. We have provided explanations below for the tax-related items so that you can complete these sections correctly.

If you are not sure whether you have to lodge a tax return see Do you need to lodge a tax return?

Your tax file number

Your tax file number (TFN) is shown on your payment summary, as well as on your last notice of assessment. You do not have to quote your TFN on your tax return, but your assessment may be delayed if you do not. If you are new to the tax system and don't have a TFN, phone 13 28 61.

Are you an Australian resident?

You must print X in the:

• Yes box if you were an Australian resident for tax purposes for all of 2010-11
• No  box if you were not an Australian resident for tax purposes for all of 2010-11.

Generally, we consider you to be an Australian resident for tax purposes if:

• you have always lived in Australia or you have come to Australia and live here permanently
• you have been in Australia continuously for six months or more, and for most of that time you worked in the one job and lived at the same place
• you have been in Australia for more than six months during 2010-11, unless your usual home is overseas and you do not intend to live in Australia
• you go overseas temporarily and you do not set up a permanent home in another country
• you are an overseas student who has come to Australia to study and are enrolled in a course that is more than six months long.

If you need help in deciding whether or not you are an Australian resident for tax purposes, go to the Are you a resident? tool or phone 13 28 61.

Has your residency status changed?

If your residency status for tax purposes changed during 2010-11, that is, you were an Australian resident for part of 2010-11, you must print X in the Yes box for this question and complete item A2 on page 7 of your tax return. We need this information to work out your tax-free threshold.

Will you need to lodge an Australian tax return in the future?

This may be your last tax return if:

• your annual taxable income in the future will be below the tax-free threshold ($6,000 for 2011-12)
• your only source of income in the future will be an Australian Government pension
• you will become eligible for the senior Australians tax offset in 2011-12, and your taxable income is below the threshold for lodging a tax return this year (for threshold levels and eligibility for 2010-11, T2 - Senior Australians (includes age pensioners, service pensioners and self-funded retirees))
• you are moving overseas permanently
• you are 60 years old or older and your only source of income is from superannuation benefits (both lump sum and income streams) that have already been subject to tax in the superannuation fund.

Depending on your situation, print X in the Yes, No or Don't Know box.

Electronic funds transfer for your refund

It's faster and simpler to have your refund paid directly to your financial institution account (joint accounts are acceptable).

Complete your account details - even if you have provided them previously - by printing the:

• six-digit bank state branch (BSB) number that identifies the financial institution - do not include spaces, dashes or hyphens in the number
• account number - this cannot have more than nine characters or include spaces
• account name as shown on your account records, including any spaces between words and initials in the account name - this cannot have more than 32 characters.

Do not print the account type - for example, savings, cheque or mortgage offset.

If you do not provide the required information, your refund cheque will be mailed to you.

Deceased estate

Print 'Deceased estate' on the top of page 1 of the tax return.

At the question Will you need to lodge an Australian tax return in the future? print X in the No  box.

The executor or administrator of the estate must sign the tax return on behalf of the deceased person and send it to us.