2020 Tax Return Preparation Checklist/Questionnaire

Thank you for using Gateway Tax & Advisory as your trusted tax advisor.

So that we can complete your tax return efficiently and accurately and to maximize your claims, we ask that you take the time to review the following checklist/questionnaire – remember it’s only once a year and, the ATO requires us to notate the details of each and every claim made!

Grab a cuppa and all of your tax paperwork. Write down what you have for each category of expenses. Review the gaps and consider if you may have missed something. You can then go back through receipts, bank or credit card statements, emails, or even contact suppliers. This is a sure way to ensure you are claiming everything you are entitled to!  If you need to make any additional notes regarding anything on this form, there is a space at the end where you can do this before submitting it.

In relation to substantiation, you are required to retain records for either 2 or 5 years from the date you lodge your return depending on the complexity of your return. We often get asked if there is a minimum you can claim without receipts. Unfortunately, there are no automatic deductions and a receipt or written evidence is required for all claims made.

We note that complete ATO Portal Reports will not be available until mid-late August, so please ensure you bring all of the information requested and do not assume that we will have the details from the ATO. Failure to provide all of the information requested will hold up the preparation of your return.

Client Information

Spouse Details

(Complete if we are not preparing their tax return)

If a refund is due, the ATO will deposit this directly into your nominated bank account.

As banking details can change, we ask you to provide this information each year.

Terms of Engagement & Fee Agreement

As part of the quality assurance procedures at Gateway Tax & Advisory, we provide you with this document to confirm our understanding of the terms of our engagement and the nature and limitations of the services we will provide.

Purpose, Scope, and Output of the Engagement
This firm will provide taxation services which will be conducted in accordance with the relevant professional and ethical standards issued by the Accounting Professional & Ethical Standards Board Limited (APESB). The extent of our procedures will be limited exclusively for this purpose. As a result, no audit or review will be performed and, accordingly, no assurance will be expressed. Our engagement cannot be relied upon to disclose irregularities including fraud, other illegal acts, and errors that may exist. However, we will inform you of any such matters that come to our attention.

Our professional services are conducted and income tax returns will be prepared for distribution to the relevant specific organization or party for the purpose specified in the report or as agreed. We disclaim any assumption of responsibility for any reliance on our professional services to any party other than as specified or agreed, and for the purpose which it was prepared. Where appropriate, our report will contain a disclaimer to this effect.

 

Responsibilities
In conducting this engagement, information acquired by us in the course of the engagement is subject to strict confidentiality requirements. That information will not be disclosed by us to other parties except as required or allowed for by law, or with your express consent.

We wish to advise that our firm’s system of quality control has been established and maintained in accordance with the relevant APESB standard. As a result, our files may be subject to review as part of the quality control review program of the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA), which monitors compliance with professional standards by its members. We advise you that by accepting our engagement you acknowledge that, if requested, our files relating to this engagement will be made available under this program. Should this occur, we will advise you.

Clients are required to arrange for reasonable access by us to relevant individuals and documents, and to be responsible for both the completeness and accuracy of the information supplied to us.

The responsibility for providing accurate financial information, including documentation to substantiate any deduction claimed, rests with you. It is important to remember that you are personally responsible for the information contained in any statutory return and that you must retain all necessary supporting documentation to substantiate any claim. We will not take responsibility for any failure on your behalf to maintain adequate records. By signing this engagement, you are agreeing to check your income tax return as well as any other work prepared by us, and inform us of any errors or omissions.

We also remind you that it is your responsibility to inform us immediately if you change your home, postal, or email address or telephone number.

 

Limitation of Liability
Our liability is limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation. Further information on the scheme is available from the Professional Standards Councils’ website: http://www.professionalstandardscouncil.gov.au.

 

Fees
Our fees are reviewed every year on 1st July. Any additional work may be performed at your request and these fees can be discussed and quoted by your accountant. The fee for the preparation of a standard salary/wage earner taxation returns for the 2020 year are as follows (all fees are inclusive of GST):

Our Fee Schedule is attached

Additional fees will apply to prepare Business Profit & Loss Statement, share or dividend trades, rental property schedules, capital gains schedules, and/or any other work required outside the salary/wage earner tax return requirements.

Additional fees will also apply if you engage our firm during the year to attend to other matters eg, evaluation of a rental property purchase, evaluation of salary sacrifice arrangement, provision of documents, and declarations to third parties.

 

Billing Arrangements
Card or cash payment on the date of appointment is our preferred method.  If you are entitled to a refund it will process to you the quickest using this method.  If you pay by card, you can opt for us to not process your payment for 7 days which in most cases will be the time it takes for the ATO to deposit your refund to your bank account.

If you choose for us to deduct our fee from your refund, there will be an additional cost of $22 plus GST per return.   Where this service is used, we will require credit card details together with the authority to deduct our fees in the event that the Australian Tax Office withholds your refund for any reason. If previous refunds have been held by the Australian Tax Office for any reason, credit card or cash payment will be required prior to lodging the return.

 

Audit Protection
Please note that additional fees will apply if we are engaged by you to assist in an audit, review, or investigation by the ATO  or other government agencies. We offer Audit Protection insurance (information sent separately) which will cover our fees for such an audit if you elect to pay the premium.

 

Ownership of documents
All original documents obtained from the client arising from the engagement shall remain the property of the client. However, we reserve the right to make a reasonable number of copies of the original documents for our records.

Our engagement will result in the production of income tax return(s). Ownership of these documents will vest in you. All other documents produced by us in respect of this engagement will remain the property of the firm.

The firm has a policy of exploring a legal right of lien over any client documents in our possession in the event of a dispute. The firm has also established dispute resolution processes.

 

Confirmation of Terms
Acceptance of our services in conjunction with this information document indicates that you understand and accept the arrangements. This information will be effective for future engagements unless we advise you of any change.

 

I have read and understood this document and wish to engage Gateway Tax & Advisory as my/our Tax Agent and Accountant.

Please fill in the below information, by entering amounts or selecting yes, no or n/a.

Salary and Wages, Centrelink Pensions, Interest, and Dividends are provided to us in Prefilled data from the ATO. However, it is important that the following information is provided so we can cross-check the data from the ATO with your records.

Where information is not provided we will rely on the ATO data and your check of the tax return before lodgement for any errors.

We also ask in places for receipts. These can be emailed to tax@gatewayadvisory.com.au or (if using our online form) uploaded using the button below.

Work-related car expenses (up to 5000km)

Work-related car expenses (over 5000km)

Work-related travel expenses

Work-related uniforms

Self Education Expenses

These are courses that will provide you with a formal qualification from a school, college, university, or other place of education.
You must have met one of the following conditions:

K: The study maintained or improved your skill or specific knowledge required for your work activities
I: You can show that the study was leading to, or was likely to lead to, increased income from your work activities
O: You can show that other circumstances existed which established a direct connection between your self-education and your work activities

You cannot claim a deduction for self-education for a course that relates only in a general way to your current employment or will enable you to get new employment.

Other Work-related expenses

Interest and Dividend Deductions

Others

Superannuation

Private Health Insurance

Please provide annual statement showing type of cover & days covered

We remind you that it is your responsibility to provide us with accurate financial information and to retain documentation to substantiate any deduction claimed. We will not take responsibility for any failure on your behalf to maintain adequate records. We will prepare your income tax return from the information supplied you have supplied to us and by signing the ELS declaration for lodgement with the ATO you are agreeing that the information is complete, accurate, and free from any omissions.