Australian accountants warn against rushed 2026 tax returns and scams

CPA Australia, through tax lead Jenny Wong, is urging Australians not to rush their 2026 tax returns. The body advises waiting until the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) provides pre‑filled data—generally in late July—to reduce errors, reviews and potential penalties. ATO figures show more than 595,000 individual returns were amended in the last financial year due to missing income, overstated deductions and other mismatches; taxpayers who lodge before pre‑fill data is available are more than twice as likely to need amendments.

The warning also highlights a surge in tax‑time scams, with fraudsters impersonating the ATO or tax agents via email, text and phone to steal personal information or money. CPA Australia advises the public to verify any unexpected contact, use only official ATO websites or apps, and avoid clicking unknown links.

Separately, the ATO has emailed roughly 500,000 drivers who previously claimed vehicle expenses, stressing that only work‑related travel qualifies for deductions and warning against claiming the maximum 5,000 km allowance without genuine need. The agency says it is scrutinising vehicle expense claims more closely than ever.