With millions of pieces of information now pre-filled (including information from most banks, employers, government agencies and private health insurers), the ATO is giving taxpayers with simple affairs the 'green light' to lodge their tax returns.

Taxpayers who plan to claim deductions this year should make sure they have the correct records, and, in most cases, "a bank or credit card statement (on its own) isn’t enough evidence to support a work-related deduction claim – you’ll need your receipts".

The ATO reminds taxpayers that the rules regarding how and when they can claim a deduction can change, including in relation to car expenses and working from home costs. Therefore, they should not just 'copy and paste' their deductions from last year, and they may require assistance from their accountant in this regard.

The ATO notes that taxpayers using a registered tax agent normally have more time to lodge.

Editor: Feel free to contact us if you want to urgently lodge your return, or if you want to confirm that you (and your related entities) are on our deferred lodgment program.

Note: The material and contents provided in this publication are informative in nature only. It is not intended to be advice and you should not act specifically on the basis of this information alone. If expert assistance is required, professional advice should be obtained.