近来，澳大利亚税务局（ATO）通过提醒个人及其税务代理人注意尚未支付的历史税务债务，在纳税人群体中引起了轰动。这一突如其来的通知让许多以前不知道存在这些债务的人感到十分困惑。在本文中，我们将重点关注历史税收债务的最新进展、ATO 的做法、以及纳税人在管理其税务义务时可采取的基本步骤。

了解基本情况

ATO只有在特殊情况下才有权免除债务，比如严重的经济困难。如果在这样做不经济的情况下，ATO 有时可能会选择将债务“搁置”。在这种情况下，债务会被暂时中止，但不会取消，这意味着它可能会在以后重新出现在纳税人的账户上，并有可能从未来的退税中扣除。值得注意的是，在 COVID 期间，ATO暂停了这种抵消债务的做法，使这些暂时搁置的债务不受处理。

然而，在2023 年，澳大利亚国家审计署(Australian National Audit Office)强调，无论债务的账龄有多长，将债务排除在抵消范围之外都是违反法律的。因此，ATO开始与纳税人就搁置的历史债务问题进行联系，这让许多人感到措手不及。

揭露隐藏的债务

许多纳税人在不知不觉中积累了债务，因为这些债务在澳大利亚税务局的系统中一直被标记为 “未激活”。虽然ATO已保证，在重新评估其方法期间，已暂停对 2017 年之前搁置的债务采取行动，但重要的是要明白这并不意味着债务不存在了。未解决的纳税义务负担可能对个人和企业都有重大影响，因此必须及时有效地解决这些问题。

 对小型企业的影响

在欠ATO的500亿澳元可收债务中，小企业占了三分之二，它们尤其受到这些事态发展的影响。随着ATO从2023年7月开始恢复其标准债务催收做法，包括向信用局报告超过10万澳元的债务，小企业主必须保持警惕。对于有尚未支付税款的企业来说，积极主动地与ATO保持联系是至关重要的，以减轻进一步升级的风险。

管理纳税义务

对于那些为未解决的历史税收债务而苦苦挣扎的纳税人来说，需要采取战略性的方法来解决这一问题。首先，个人和企业应仔细评估其纳税记录，以确定任何未付债务。寻求税务专业人士或会计师的专业建议，可以对复杂的税法和澳大利亚税务局的程序提供有价值的见解。此外，直接与ATO讨论付款计划或困难条款也可以帮助减轻未支付款的负担。

皮特马丁会计师事务所 Pitt Martin Group 是一家提供税务，会计，生意咨询, 自管养老金及审计等综合性服务的经澳洲会计师公会认证的注册会计师事务所。我们每年会花上几百个小时去研究新的税法，以保证我们的客户可以最大化合理避税。我们的中文联系方式是 Robert Liu +61292213345 或邮件 robert@pittmartingroup.com.au。皮特马丁会计师事务所Pitt Martin Group坐落在交通便利的悉尼市市中心，是一家拥有可以说中文合伙人的会计师事务所。我们的荣誉包括2018年CPA新州首席优秀奖，2019年澳洲知名媒体《每日会计师》年度最佳会计师奖，2020年澳洲知名媒体《每日会计师》年度最佳咨询师奖及澳大利亚小生意年度冠军入围奖, 2022年澳洲知名媒体《每日会计师》年度最佳新人入围奖。

皮特马丁会计师事务所 Pitt Martin  Group资质包括超过十五年的从业经验，澳大利亚注册会计师协会（CPA）执业认证会员，澳大利亚税务注册代理，新州和维州律师协会信托账户 (Trust Account) 认证审计师，澳大利亚证券及投资委员会注册代理，XERO， QUICKBOOKS, MYOB等会计软件授权单位及认证顾问。

本文内容仅供参考，不构成对任何个人或团体的具体情况而形成建议。任何个人或团体应该在征求专业人士的意见后方可采取行动。由于税法的时效性，我们在发布时已致力于提供及时、准确的信息，但不能保证所称述的内容在今后任然可以适用。转发该文内容请注明出处。

By Zoe Ma @ Pitt Martin Tax

Zoe Ma

In recent times, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has been sending shockwaves through the taxpayer community by alerting individuals and their tax agents to unpaid historical tax obligations. This unexpected notice confused many people who were previously unaware of the existence of these debts. In this article, we will focus on the latest developments in historical tax debt, the ATO’s approach, and the basic steps taxpayers take in managing their obligations.

Understanding the Situation

The ATO possesses the authority to waive debts only under specific circumstances, such as severe financial hardship. Occasionally, ATO may choose to place a debt “on hold” if it is not economical to do so. In such scenarios, the debt is temporarily suspended, not cancelled, meaning it could resurface in the taxpayer’s account later, potentially being deducted from future refunds. Notably, the ATO paused this practice of offsetting debts during the COVID period, leaving these amounts untouched.

However, in 2023, the Australian National Audit Office highlighted that excluding debts from offsetting contradicts the law, regardless of the debt’s age. Consequently, the ATO initiated contact with taxpayers regarding the historical debts placed on hold, catching many off guard.

Unveiling Hidden Debts

Numerous taxpayers accumulated debt unknowingly, as these obligations remained labelled as “inactive” within the ATO’s systems. Although the ATO has assured that action on debts placed on hold before 2017 has been suspended while they reevaluate their approach, it’s vital to understand that this does not nullify the debt. The burden of unpaid tax obligations can have significant implications for individuals and businesses alike, making it imperative to address these issues promptly and effectively.

Impact on Small Businesses

Small businesses, which constitute two-thirds of the $50 billion collectible debt owed to the ATO, are particularly affected by these developments. With the ATO resuming its standard debt collection practices as of July 2023, including reporting debts exceeding $100,000 to credit bureaus, small business owners must remain vigilant. Proactive engagement with the ATO is crucial for businesses with outstanding tax debts to mitigate the risk of further escalation.

Managing Tax Obligations

For taxpayers struggling with unpaid historical tax debts, a strategic approach is needed to address the issue. Firstly, individuals and businesses should carefully assess their tax records to identify any outstanding debts. Seeking professional advice from a tax professional or accountant can provide valuable insight into the complexities of tax law and the ATO’s procedures. In addition, discussing payment plans or hardship clauses directly with the ATO can help reduce the burden of outstanding tax debts.

Should you please have any question in regards to above, please feel free to contact our friendly team in Pitt Martin Tax at 0292213345 or info@pittmartingroup.com.au.

The material and contents provided in this publication are informative in nature only.  It is not intended to be advice and you should not act specifically on the basis of this information alone.  If expert assistance is required, professional advice should be obtained.

By Zoe Ma @ Pitt Martin Tax

Zoe Ma