Tax Help

Tax Help is a free and confidential service offered by a network of Tax Office-trained community volunteers. Tax Help is aimed at people who have simple tax returns (that is, salary and wages, bank interest, Centrelink payments and dividends) who meet an income test.

Services UNE is one such Tax Help Centre offering low income earners help with their tax return and baby bonus claim. If you want free help filling out your tax return and you are on a low income our trained Tax Help volunteers may be able to help you.This Tax Help service operates 1 July to 31 October each year.

If you need to fill out a tax return a volunteer can help you do this. In some cases people on low incomes do not need to lodge tax returns. Tax Help volunteers can work out if a tax return is necessary in your case. If it is not necessary, and you lodged a tax return last year, it is important that the Tax Office knows this. Tax Help volunteers can help you to fill out a Non-lodgment advice if this is necessary. Tax Help volunteers will also be able to assist you with claims for family tax benefit, refund of imputation credits and baby bonus.

Tax Help volunteers cannot assist clients with business tax returns, partnership and trust matters, capital gains tax (CGT) and rental property.

Are you interested in becoming a Tax Help volunteer?

Tax Help volunteers help people with fairly straightforward tax matters including giving advice on whether a client needs to lodge a tax return and also helping with claims for the family tax benefit and the refund of franking credits. Where possible returns are lodged electronically using e-tax.

You don't need any special experience to be a Tax Help volunteer. If you can spare a few hours each week between 1 July and 31 October, you can help. Tax Help volunteers come from all sectors of the community with a large diversity of ages and backgrounds, but all willing to assist clients from July to October.

The Tax Office will train you and provide you with all the necessary items to help you prepare tax returns including e-tax training. Training for Tax Help volunteers commences in April each year. Once trained, Tax Help volunteers have access to the Tax Help hotline where Tax Office staff can help you with the technical assistance you may require on behalf of your client. The Tax Office will reimburse you for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses like travel and telephone calls.

New volunteers will need to undertake a police record check, undertake a training course and pass an accreditation test. If you are unable to attend any of our scheduled training courses, you may be able to undertake your training via a self-paced study package. However, you will still need to pass the accreditation test.

If you are interested in becoming a Tax Help Volunteer please contact Services UNE. Training is usually done in early April but names of interested volunteers are taken January to March each year.