This is a new ATO requirement to help ensure that only your ‘authorised’ Tax Agent, BAS Agent or Payroll Service Provider can access your ATO accounts and act on your behalf for your tax and super affairs.
The reason the ATO have introduced this process is due to the increasing attempts to commit identity theft and fraud.
Who does this apply to?
This process applies when you change to a new Accountant or change the authorisations you have already given your existing Accountant, or when you would like your existing Accountant to start representing you for a new entity in your group.
This process applies to all types of entities with an ABN, except for Sole Traders.
What you need to do
- You need to nominate us in ‘Online Services for Business’, before we can access your ATO accounts and perform tasks on your behalf, such as lodging your Tax Returns and/or BAS’s etc.
- To nominate us, you need to follow the ‘Client-to-Agent linking steps’ once you have logged into the ‘Online services for business’. These steps will lead you through the nomination process. This has to be done by the Client – we cannot do this nomination on your behalf.
- For this process you will need our registered agent number which you can obtain by calling our office.
- Once you’ve submitted your nomination on-line, you must notify your Accountant that they have been authorised to add your business/organization as a Client or to add additional tax accounts.
- The Accountant has 28 calendar days to add you as a Client before the nomination expires.
- Your Accountant you have authorised will NOT receive an automated system notification about the nomination, so it is important you advise them as soon as it has been submitted.
If you experience any errors/issues while completing the Agent nomination process, you can contact the ATO on 13 28 66 for assistance. Before calling them ensure you are able to sufficiently identify yourself, and that you have your Accounting Practice’s name and their Registered Agent number available.
Author
Lynne Linton
