ATO (tax office) payments by credit card

[cove]

Paying someone else's BAS is interesting. I did let my brother get 300,000 Kris miles and then he had to change his flight to Europe and he muffed Suites Saver.
Many businesses do not pay their BAS on time and then there are others who religiously pay by EFT.

 

[Beta4Me]

Many businesses do not pay their BAS on time and then there are others who religiously pay by EFT.

And then there are those that lodge on time but pay late!

 

[Pushka]

I used to lodge paperwork a couple of weeks early then pay by credit card on the date.

I stopped posting the paperwork early because about two weeks after I paid (it takes that long for them to sort through the paperwork) I would get a letter from the ATO stating I had to pay $xx_ based on what I'd put on the paperwork. It used to concern me I'd missed a payment so I'd go check all the receipts and of course I'd paid on time.

Now I pay on time and submit paperwork that day. So paperwork a couple of days late. No more ATO letters.

How much do we pay these people to get it so wrong?

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

I used to lodge paperwork a couple of weeks early then pay by credit card on the date.

I stopped posting the paperwork early because about two weeks after I paid (it takes that long for them to sort through the paperwork) I would get a letter from the ATO stating I had to pay $xx_ based on what I'd put on the paperwork. It used to concern me I'd missed a payment so I'd go check all the receipts and of course I'd paid on time.

Now I pay on time and submit paperwork that day. So paperwork a couple of days late. No more ATO letters.

How much do we pay these people to get it so wrong?

Paperwork? You don't use the online business portal? Takes my finance system 3 seconds to generate the figures and about a minute to paste them in and submit. No letters and you can make a credit card payment from the link in the portal.

 

[Pushka]

I tried using the portal a couple of times and my accountant can use his access on our behalf if I'm away. I had issues with using it and trying to call the ATO was useless. I gave up and went back to paper.

Maybe I'll try again. Wish me luck.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

I tried using the portal a couple of times and my accountant can use his access on our behalf if I'm away. I had issues with using it and trying to call the ATO was useless. I gave up and went back to paper.

Maybe I'll try again. Wish me luck.

Good luck! I recall the setup of the access was extremely painful. Now it's easy - so long as you don't let your digital certificate expire - that's a nightmare and you have to start again

 

[Pushka]

Last time they had to send a CD or something? That was in around 2008?

 

[burmans]

Good luck! I recall the setup of the access was extremely painful. Now it's easy - so long as you don't let your digital certificate expire - that's a nightmare and you have to start again

Concur with this, setting it up was a pain (easier now incidentally) but ongoing use is really easy.

 

[get me outta here]

Oh Oh this paying of someone else's BAS sounds a lot more complicated than calling up the ATO and reading my cc number.

 

[Pushka]

OK, so now I have my auskey and can log in. What now? How do I enter my BAS?

 

[serfty]

Select "Activity Statements" from the left hand menu.

 

[Pushka]

I think I'm right now. That option wasn't available when I first logged in. All I could see was my preferences.

Much easier than the olden days where they actually posted out your digital certificates.

 

[Pukka]

The default cut off date for April is the 28th of that month, both for submission and payment - those entering their BAS online using the ATO business portal can get a (basically automatic) 2 week extension for both, so then the 12th May (yesterday) this time.

ATO Business Portal

(That extension used to be three weeks IIRC.)

Extra 2 weeks that sounds good.

I've just looked at the site registering is easy but is says download to the computer or a USB stick.

Does that mean you can install it on either only 1 computer or a USB to use on multiple computers?

Also when you say 2 week extension is that for submitting the info to the ATO or payment or both.

Finally do you have to pay through the portal or can you pay as normal through the Optus easy pay using the EFT/PRN number?

Thanks in anticipation

 

[docjames]

Received "overdue" notice from ATO - letter dated 3 days before the due date on most recent quarterly statement.

Called ATO - overdue notice was related to December Quarter (now three months overdue!) - Decemebr Quarter notice I never received. Acknowledged on the phone with "I'd say that's entirely correct" as there was a system error with notices that were (supposed to be ) sent for the December Quarter.

New notice to be sent!

Gotta love automated systems that don't work!

 

[serfty]

...

Finally do you have to pay through the portal or can you pay as normal through the Optus easy pay using the EFT/PRN number?

Thanks in anticipation

You can't pay though the portal, although you can print a payment slip.

Note the two week deferral for those who lodge online only apples to Q1, Q3 and Q4 lodgements.

More here: Terms and conditions - two week deferral offer | Australian Taxation Office

 

[Pushka]

Thankyou to everyone for suggesting I try the portal site again. This time, so much easier to get going. Can you let me know the deadline for the last Quarterly BAS? I am always away in July and get the accountant to do it online but this year I will be able to lodge (later than paper) online. I think it's August 21?

 

[serfty]

I believe the standard date is the 28th July (other dates are 28th of Oct, Feb and Apr) - no two week extension for Feb (As there "already is a 4 week extension for all".)

Check the TnC's in my prior post.

Anyhoo - that gives the 11th August.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Extra 2 weeks that sounds good.

I've just looked at the site registering is easy but is says download to the computer or a USB stick.

Does that mean you can install it on either only 1 computer or a USB to use on multiple computers?

Also when you say 2 week extension is that for submitting the info to the ATO or payment or both.

Finally do you have to pay through the portal or can you pay as normal through the Optus easy pay using the EFT/PRN number?

Thanks in anticipation

You can install it on multiple computers or put the key on a USB. You can technically do both also. The key can be exported from one and loaded on the others fairly easily.

No idea about extensions, I ignore them and they credit their general interest charges in time. As far as company PAYG, I'm technically paying them tax in advance, so how interest applies is beyond me.

You don't pay in the portal it just tells you your options.

 

[MelUser]

My accountant and his book keeper seem to manage all this for me and just tell me when to make payment. Isn't that the easiest way?

 

[Pushka]

My accountant and his book keeper seem to manage all this for me and just tell me when to make payment. Isn't that the easiest way?

If you don't mind paying for it.