Income tax

Glossary

If you owe tax, but are worried about being able to pay it on time, contact the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) on 13 11 42 as soon as possible. It is still important to lodge your tax return or business activity statements (BAS) on time even if you know you can’t pay the tax. This avoids late lodgement penalties and shows you are trying to meet your obligations.

Depending on your circumstances, the ATO may decide to give you more time to pay or agree to one of the following measures.

Learn more about how to:

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Pay your tax debt by instalments

If you have a tax debt and you cannot pay it in full, you may be able to pay by weekly, fortnightly or monthly instalments.

Depending on the amount you owe, there are different ways to make a new payment arrangement with the ATO. For further details, visit ato.gov.au, or ask a financial counsellor to help you.

Ask for interest charges to be reduced

The ATO charges interest on unpaid tax debts. This general interest charge (GIC) applies from the original due date, even if you enter into a payment arrangement. If you are experiencing financial difficulties because of cancer, you can ask for some or all of the GIC to be waived. This is known as the remission of GIC.

→ Contact the ATO on 13 11 42 and explain why your payment was delayed and any steps you took to avoid the delay. For larger amounts, you may be asked to put your request in writing.

How to set up a payment plan with the ATO

Whichever method you choose, have your tax file number (TFN, for income tax debt) or Australian business number (ABN, for activity statement debt) ready.

Use the online service

Debt under $100,000

Visit my.gov.au and link your myGov account to the ATO (myGov is a secure way to connect with various government services – you can create a new account if you don’t have one already).

Call the automated phone service

Debt under $100,000

Call 13 28 65 (individuals) or 13 72 26 (businesses) and follow the prompts. You can suggest a payment arrangement, and if this is accepted, the ATO will send you a confirmation letter within 15 days.

Speak to a customer service officer

 

Debt over $100,000

Call 13 11 42 to speak to someone at the ATO. They will ask about your financial situation, such as why you haven’t been able to pay and how you plan to pay the debt.

Apply for a release of your tax debt

You can apply to be released from some tax debts if you can show paying the debt would cause serious financial hardship. This means you would be unable to provide food, housing, medical treatment or other necessities for yourself or your family.

→ Use the ATO’s debt release tool to work out if you are eligible to apply for a release of your tax debt and to access the application form. You will need to provide pay slips and bank statements. You can also call 13 11 42 to discuss other options.

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Instructions for downloading and reading EPUB files

Apple devices

The iBooks application must be installed on your Apple device before you can read the EPUB.
Different ways to download an EPUB file to your Apple device:

  • email EPUB files to yourself and transfer the attachment to iBooks.
  • copy EPUB files into DropBox (or a similar service) and use the DropBox app to send them to iBooks.
  • open EPUB files directly from Mobile Safari and open them in iBooks, where they are saved automatically by downloading the EPUB from the website.

Need more help? Visit: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4059

Kobo

To download an EPUB file to your Kobo from a Windows computer:

  • download and save the EPUB directly onto your desktop.
  • connect your Kobo to your computer using the USB cable and tap “Connect” on your eReader.
  • select “Open folder to view files” to view the contents of your Kobo.
  • navigate to where you have stored your EPUB file in “Finder”, in documents or downloads, and drag and drop it into the Kobo window. You can now disconnect your Kobo to read the eBook.

To download an EPUB to your Kobo from a Mac:

  • download and save the EPUB directly onto your desktop.
  • connect your Kobo to your computer using the USB cable and tap “Connect” on your eReader.
  • open your “Finder” application.
  • select “Kobo eReader” from the listed devices to view the contents of your Kobo.
  • navigate to where you have stored your EPUB file in “Finder”, probably in documents or downloads, and drag and drop it into the Kobo window. You can now disconnect your Kobo to read the eBook.

Turn on your Kobo and your EPUB will be located in “eBooks”, while a PDF will be located in “Documents”.
Need more information? Visit: http://www.kobo.com/help/koboaura/response/?id=3784&type=3

Sony Reader

To download an EPUB file on your Sony Reader™:

  • ensure you have already installed the Reader™ Library for PC/Mac software
  • select the eBook you want from our website and click the link to download it.
  • connect the Reader™ to your computer.
  • open the Reader™ Library software and click “Library” in the left-hand pane and select the eBook to view it.

Need more help? Visit: https://au.readerstore.sony.com/apps_and_devices/

Amazon Kindle 2nd Generation devices

EPUB files can’t be read on the Amazon Kindle™. However, like most eReaders, Kindle™ 2nd Generation devices are able to display PDFs. We recommend that you download the PDF version of this booklet if you would like to read it on a Kindle™.
To transfer a PDF to your Kindle™ via USB cable from your computer or Mac:

  • download the PDF directly onto your computer.
  • connect the USB cable to your computer’s USB port, and the micro USB end of the cable to your Kindle™. Note: the Kindle™ won’t be available as a reading device while it is connected to your computer until it has been disconnected.
  • open the Kindle™ drive and several folders will appear inside. The “Documents” folder is where you will need to copy or drag the PDF to.
  • safely eject your Kindle™ from your computer and unplug the USB cable. Your content will appear on the Home Screen.

Kindle also provides a Kindle Personal Documents Service that allows users to send documents as an attachment directly to your eReader. For more information on this service, visit http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=help_search_1-1?ie=UTF8&nodeId=200767340&qid=1395967989&sr=1-1
For more information on accessing a PDF on your Kindle™, visit www.amazon.com/manageyourkindle, log in to your account and click on Personal Document Settings.
Need more help? Visit https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200375630

Android and PC

You can also download and open eBooks on Android devices and PCs with appropriate apps or software installed. Suitable eReader apps for Android include Google Play Books, FBReader and Moon+ Reader. Suitable software for PCs include Calibre and Adobe Digital Editions.

This information was last reviewed in October 2018
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