Nobody means to be disorganised, but if you find yourself rushing to meet important Australian Tax Office (ATO) business lodgement dates throughout the year – or worse, missing them – start this year off right by creating a dedicated calendar outlining the dates most important to your business. The lodgement due dates for the ATO are all available on the ATO website in an effort to help balance the workload of small and medium businesses during the year. To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list outlining some of the important ATO business lodgement dates up until the end of the financial year.

When to Lodge

January
15 January – Tax return for taxable large/medium entities (all entities other than individuals).
21 January – Quarterly PAYG instalment activity statement, quarter 2, 2014–15 for head companies of consolidated groups.
21 January – December 2014 monthly business activity statements.
28 January – Super guarantee contributions for quarter 2, 2014–15 – employers must make contributions to the fund by this date,

February
21 February – January 2015 monthly activity statement.
21 February – December 2014 monthly business activity statement for small business clients (up to $10 million turnover) who report GST monthly and lodge electronically.
28 February – Tax returns for various large/medium entities – check the ATO website for full details

March
21 March – February 2015 monthly activity statement.
31 March – Tax returns for companies and super funds with total income in excess of $2 million in the latest year lodged (excluding large/medium taxpayers).
31 March – Tax returns for individuals and trusts that were tax level 6 in the latest year lodged, excluding large/medium trust entities.

April
21 April – Quarterly PAYG instalment activity statement, quarter 3, 2014–15 for head companies of consolidated groups.
21 April – March 2015 monthly activity statement.
28 April – Quarterly activity statement, quarter 3, 2014–15 – paper lodgements.
28 April – Super guarantee contributions for quarter 3, 2014–15 – employers must make contributions to the fund by this date.
30 April – Lost members report for the period 1 July 2014 to 31 December 2014.

May
15 May – Tax returns for all other entities that did not have to lodge earlier (including all remaining consolidated groups), and are not eligible for the 5 June 2015 concession.
21 May – April 2015 monthly activity statement.
26 May – Eligible quarterly activity statement, quarter 3, 2014–15 – due date for lodging and paying if you lodge using any of the following:
• electronic commerce interface (ECI)
• electronic lodgment service (ELS)
• Tax Agent Portal
• BAS Agent Portal
• Standard Business Reporting
28 May – Fringe benefits tax annual return
28 May – Due date for lodging the Superannuation guarantee charge statement – quarterly

June
5 June – Tax return lodgment, including companies and super funds where the tax return is not required earlier and both of the following criteria are met:
• non-taxable or a credit assessment as at latest year lodged
• non–taxable or receiving a credit assessment in the current year
21 June – May 2015 monthly activity statement.
25 June – 2015 fringe benefits tax annual return lodgement due date for tax agents (if lodging electronically).
28 June – Super guarantee contributions must be paid by this date to qualify for a tax deduction in the 2014–15 financial year.

Remember that when a due date falls on a non-business day (i.e. a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday), lodgement or payment may be made on the first business day after the due date without incurring a penalty or fee.

As a business owner you’re going to have a lot on your plate during the year, so being organised from the get go will make your life considerably easier. Make sure you’ve checked over the ATO business lodgement dates that apply to you and marked them in your calendar to minimise stress and avoid making mistakes or lodging late. Our experienced team of accountants and tax agents here at The Quinn Group can assist you with all of your taxation needs. For more information submit an online enquiry or call us on 1300 784 667 to book an appointment.