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We need you to tell us so we can confirm your income details. We use your confirmed income, which is also known as your adjusted taxable income, to balance your payments.
It’s important to keep in mind that we Balance Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and Balance Family Tax Benefit (FTB) separately.
Why you may need to lodge a tax return
Sometimes you may need to lodge a tax return, even if you think you don’t need to. You may need to lodge a tax return if you had any of the following:
- taxable income above the tax free threshold
- tax withheld, even if your income is below the tax free threshold
- a child support assessment.
To check if you need to lodge a return, there’s help available.
Use the Do I need to lodge a tax return? tool on the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) website.
If you need to lodge a tax return, it’s important you don’t lodge your tax return too early. If you lodge before your payment information is pre-filled in myTax, you may have to amend your tax return later if you make a mistake.
How to tell us about non-lodgement
You need to tell us if you or your partner don’t need to lodge a tax return. If you have a Centrelink online account that’s linked to myGov, you can sign in to do this and confirm your income 2022-23
If you don't have a Centrelink online account or a myGov account, you'll need to create them.
We have 2 online guides that show you how to advise non-lodgement of a tax return. You can choose one of the following:
- Advise non-lodgement of tax return using your Centrelink online account through myGov
- Advise non-lodgement of tax return using your Express Plus Centrelink mobile app.
If you separated from a partner during the year and received CCS, we can’t balance your CCS until income for you and your ex-partner is confirmed. Please call the Centrelink families line if you have any concerns about confirming your ex-partner’s income.
Read more about balancing Child Care Subsidy.
What income to declare when advising non-lodgement
You must tell us all the adjusted taxable income you and your partner got from 1 July to 30 June.
Even if you don’t work for an employer now, you still need to tell us all the income you got from them during the year.
When to tell us
You can advise us of a non-lodgement after the end of each financial year.
It’s best to wait until mid-July to tell us. This is so we have time to get any pre-filled income information.
You must tell us within the time limit for CCS and FTB.
If we don’t accept your non-lodgement advice
Sometimes you’ll provide information or we’ll have information that shows that you or your partner may need to lodge a tax return.
If this happens, we’ll let you know that we cannot accept your non-lodgement advice. You or your partner will then need to submit a tax return or a non-lodgement advice with the ATO.