Here’s what we’re seeing from the ATO ‘coz it happened to us!!

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At Hansens, we spend a lot of time supporting our clients with their dealings with the ATO. But sometimes, we find ourselves on the receiving end too. 

On 27 August, the ATO issued us a letter for our June BAS. The strange part? The BAS was due and paid on 25 August. We received the letter on 28 August, three days after everything had already been finalised. 

So what’s going on? 

What the ATO is doing right now

​The ATO has been cracking down on compliance across the board. They have become more aggressive in chasing up activity statements, payments and lodgements. The challenge is that their systems do not seem to account for the natural payment turnaround period that happens when money moves through the banking system. 

As a result, businesses are getting incorrect, automated letters warning them of non-compliance, even when payments have been made on time. That is exactly what happened to us. 

Why this matters for small businesses

​We know firsthand how stressful it can feel to receive a letter from the ATO, especially one that suggests you have done something wrong when you have not. It can feel like harassment when you have done the right thing, lodged on time, and made your payment. 

The reality is, the ATO is cracking down hard. And they are not just targeting a few industries, they are targeting every business. Even we are on their radar, which shows how widespread this approach has become. 

You are not alone

If you have received a letter like this, please know you are not the only one. We are seeing these kinds of automated messages sent to many of our clients, and as we have shared, we have even received them ourselves. 

The good news is, in most cases, you have done nothing wrong. It is simply a matter of the ATO’s systems not catching up with reality. 

At Hansens, we are here to work through this with you, to double-check your lodgements and payments, and to give you peace of mind. 

You are not alone and we are here to help.