Accountant not disclosing Tax lodgment

[PaulF]

Hey guys,
I've been requesting my own Tax Return lodgement form(going thorough last years' financials...) from my accountant and they keep on stalling and stating that they can't due to privacy and security reasons!

Can i force them to disclose the form and any reason that i'm missing that could explain why they don't want to give the form to me? It's my own info after all!

 

[Paul@PFI]

The ATO require that the lodgement declarations etc signed by client be retained for their audit. Ditto its good practice to retain client records as evidence and for a potential audit or PI issue etc. Most accts scan and file the whole return. The software they MUST use retains the form anyway. It can generate a PDF of the full return, schedules and estimates. I get asked by clients all the time for bank loans etc.. A two minute job. No cost. Sure I give them a copy when its all done but many lose it or its hard to find. Its part of the service.

Phone the tax agent and speak to them personally. (If reception stall you tell them its about a complaint- They will put you through) You can make a complaint about conduct through the Tax Practitioners Board. Privacy ?? BS to me. They could always mail it to your address or you can pickup with ID....If they are trying to limit you going elsewhere that grounds for a complaint.

My policy is the client owns all their own info and if you give me a flash drive I will give you everything. No charge. No arguments. You paid me so its all yours. We use a 100% scanned file system so its easy. But some may charge a fee esp if there is time consuming effort for retrieval and compiling from archives etc.

 

[Evachange]

Hi,

Agree, the client has paid for the tax return so I would have thought that they own the information as well.

We have an accountant that we work with and the same with his clients, if they ask for copies of the returns etc he can usually email them over within minutes.

Also at no extra cost.

Sorry to hear you are having issues.

 

[Rob G.]

Ask if they have actually lodged it yet ?

 

[datto]

Contact ATO for copy..you got the notice of assessment right? paid the bill/got the refund right?

Sometimes a tax agent might think you are going to another agent and might try stalling or they might just be a drip.

 

[travelbug]

Can I ask why you need the lodgement form?

I'm assuming you have a copy of the tax return itself (otherwise you couldn't have signed to say it was correct).

 

[Paul@PFI]

Contact ATO for copy..you got the notice of assessment right? paid the bill/got the refund right?

Sometimes a tax agent might think you are going to another agent and might try stalling or they might just be a drip.

That doesn't work Tax agents use electronic lodgement and there is not a lot that gets transmitted. They cant reprint it either. Only the tax agent software can generate the form.

I believe under the Code of Professional Conduct that a tax agent has a requirement to provide the taxpayer with a copy of each form etc that is lodged.

 

[Paul@PFI]

Can I ask why you need the lodgement form?

I'm assuming you have a copy of the tax return itself (otherwise you couldn't have signed to say it was correct).

Some agents don't provide a copy - They store and file it for the client or the client loses it and seek another.


By the way we were discussing who was going to replace the drink of water cause someone walking past spat in it. You should have waited and been less an opportunist and been more cautious.

 

[PaulF]

Thanks for all the replies guys, much appreciated.

It seems like it was a slight misunderstanding after all. The tax agent thought i was after the actual lodgment return that her office gets back from the ATO which explains the weird cut out documents she was sending...

She thought I was after that because i work in the IT industry... Don't know how she ended up making that assumption but yeah...

All good, received the actual lodgement and it's all happy days.
Thanks again guys

 

[travelbug]

By the way we were discussing who was going to replace the drink of water cause someone walking past spat in it. You should have waited and been less an opportunist and been more cautious.

haha. Good one. I'll be more careful in future.