Check the progress of your tax return

A transcript of this video is available.

How to track the progress of your tax return

The quickest and easiest way to check the progress of your tax return is by using our self-help services.

Most online returns process within 2 weeks (10 business days), however if we need to manually process it, it may take up to 30 calendar days.

Paper returns may take up to 10 weeks (50 business days) to process. It can take up to 7 weeks for paper returns to show in our systems.

If your tax return requires manual checks, it may take longer to process.

If you have forgotten to include something in your tax return or made a mistake, you need to amend your tax return.

You can check the progress:

• online using ATO online services
• using the ATO app
• by phone
• with your registered tax agent.

Check online using ATO online services

If you link the ATO to your myGov account, you can check the progress of your tax return or amendments using ATO online services.

To check the progress of your tax return:

• sign in to myGovExternal Link
• select ATO from your linked services
• from the home page select Manage tax returns
• then select the income year you are checking.

The status shows how your tax return is progressing.

If you don't have a myGov account, it's easy to create a myGov account and link it to us.

Check the progress in the ATO app

To check the progress of your 2023–24 tax return in the ATO app:

• log in to the ATO app
• select Your tax return for 2023–24.

The status will be displayed on the screen within the ATO app. Use the help function for more information by selecting '?' from the top right-hand side of the screen in the app.

Check by phone

Use our self-help phone service at any time:

• Phone 13 28 65 and have your tax file number ready.
• Choose option 1 and then option 1.

Check with your registered tax agent

If you lodge with a registered tax agent, you or your agent can check the progress of your tax return anytime by signing in to ATO online services.

Status of your tax return

When you check the progress of your tax return using our online services, you might see one of these statuses (not all tax returns will display all of these):

• In progress – Processing
  You may see this status at 2 stages of processing
  • We have received your tax return and we’ve started processing it.
  • We have finalised your tax return and are issuing a notice of assessment (you will see an estimated assessment issue date by selecting the down arrow).
• In progress – Information pending
  We are collecting information to help us finish processing your tax return. We will contact you if we need more information.
• In progress – Under review
  We are manually reviewing your tax return to make sure everything is right before we finalise it. This may include reviewing your prior year returns. We will contact you if we need more information.
• In progress – Balancing account
  We are balancing the result of your tax return with your accounts with us and other Australian Government agencies and calculating the amount we will refund or you need to pay. We will contact you if we need more information.
• Extra processing time is required
  We need more time to finish processing your tax return. We will contact you if we need more information.
• Processed
  We have completed processing your tax return. Select the down arrow to display your estimated assessment issue date.
• Issued – Outcome
  We have processed your tax return, you'll be able to see your refund or amount owing (tax debt). For amounts owing, select the Notice of assessment link to view the due date for payment.

If you provide valid Australian bank account details to us when you lodge, we will pay your refund directly into the bank account you nominate.

Cancelled transaction on your income tax account

A cancelled transaction on your income tax account does not necessarily mean your income tax return has stopped processing, your return may be on hold. We may be reviewing your tax return to ensure you have included all of the information that has been reported to us. This may result in your lodgment showing as cancelled for 24 to 48 hours.

Do not attempt to lodge your tax return again during this period. Allow up to 2 weeks for your electronically lodged return to be finalised.

Email and SMS communications

We may send you an email or SMS (text message) to let you know if your tax return or refund has been delayed and why.

Our messages will never ask you to reply by SMS or email to provide personal information, such as your tax file number (TFN).

Why there may be a delay in processing your tax return

Although most tax returns lodged online will be processed in 2 weeks, some tax returns may take longer to process. Examples are if:

• you attempt to lodge your tax return again after previously lodging
• you have made an amendment before we finish processing your original tax return or any previous amendments
• you lodge tax returns for several years at once
• you are under an insolvency administration – for example bankruptcy or debt arrangement (check to make sure your insolvency practitioner advises us of your situation before you lodge your tax return)
• the Australian financial institution account details you included in your tax return are not current
• we need to check information in your tax return – we may need to contact your employer, financial institutions, private health insurers or you to confirm or crosscheck information in your tax return
• we need to check information with other Australian Government agencies, for example, Services Australia, including Centrelink or Child Support – we're required to pay part or all of your tax refund to other agencies if there are outstanding amounts (you will be notified if this is the case)
• you have a tax debt or previously unresolved tax debt with us
• you have a tax debt that was previously put on hold (also known as a re-raised or non-pursued debt).

We will contact you or your tax agent if your tax return is delayed and we need more information or there are ongoing delays. Manual processing for online lodgments generally takes up to 30 calendar days and we can't speed this up even if you phone us. However, if you are experiencing financial difficulties or serious hardship you may be eligible for priority processing of your tax return. You must provide evidence of serious hardship for priority processing.

After your tax return is processed

Once we've processed your tax return, we'll issue your notice of assessment (NOA). It will show:

• if you will receive a refund (a tax credit)
• if you have a tax debt to pay.

You will also receive a tax receipt showing how your taxes have been allocated to key categories of government expenditure.

If you lodge your tax return online with myTax, the calculation you receive before you submit the return is an estimate only. The final balance on your NOA may differ for several reasons, see Why your myTax estimate may differ from your final assessment.

If you have a tax debt, check our advice on why you may receive a tax bill.

How you receive your notice of assessment

If you have the ATO linked to your myGov account, your notice of assessment and tax receipt will be sent to your myGov Inbox. You will receive an email or SMS from myGov advising you that you have mail.

If you lodge by paper and don't have the ATO linked to your myGov account, we will send your notice of assessment and tax receipt to the postal address we have for you.