Staying on Top of ATO Communications: What’s Changing
The way the Australian Taxation Office communicates with individuals and businesses has evolved, with most notifications now sent directly via SMS, email, or through online services like myGov and the ATO Business Portal. As a result, we’re updating how we handle ATO communications on your behalf to reduce duplication and focus on what truly requires your attention.
Why This Change?
In the past, we downloaded and forwarded a wide range of ATO communications to help keep you informed. However, the ATO now delivers many of these notifications to you directly, often in real time.
In many cases, you may receive the notification before we do.
Continuing to send every update can lead to duplication, unnecessary emails, and important messages being lost among routine notifications.
What Will We Still Notify You About?
Going forward, we will continue to notify you of ATO communications that are important and may require action, including:
- Notices of assessment
- ATO correspondence relating to outstanding tax debts
- Payment demands or reminders with financial impact
- Compliance-related matters or ATO requests
These are the areas where our input and guidance are most valuable.
What You’ll Need to Keep an Eye On
For general ATO correspondence, you will now need to monitor this directly. This includes:
- Routine notifications and updates
- General ATO messages
- Reminders already sent to you via SMS or email
- Paper mail sent to your registered address
The ATO will continue to notify you when new messages are available, so it’s important to check these regularly.
Examples of ATO Notifications You May Receive
The ATO sends a wide range of notifications directly to you via SMS, myGov, email, or paper mail. Many of these are routine and informational.
Examples include:
- Activity statement availability notifications
- Lodgment reminder SMS or emails
- Payment reminder messages
- Confirmation of tax return lodgment
- General account updates or system notifications
- Superannuation and PAYG notices that do not require immediate action
These are typically informational and are already delivered to you directly by the ATO.
Staying on Top of Your ATO Communications
If you haven’t already, we strongly recommend ensuring your access is set up and working:
- Link your ATO account through myGov
- Log in periodically to review new messages
- Make sure your email and mobile number are up to date
If you’re unsure how this works or need a refresher, we’ve covered it in our earlier guide: How to Stay on Top of Your Tax Notices with myGov.
If you’re a business, you can also access communications through the ATO Business Portal using your myID login.
A Quick Reminder on Scams
With more direct ATO communication, it’s important to stay cautious.
- Do not click on links in unexpected SMS or emails
- Always log in directly via myGov or the official ATO portal
- Contact us if you’re unsure whether something is legitimate
This update allows us to focus on what matters most, helping you understand and act on important ATO matters rather than forwarding every notification, while also recognising that staying across your own ATO communications is now an essential part of managing your tax affairs, so if you’re ever unsure about a message you’ve received or need help accessing your ATO account, feel free to reach out to the team at MKG.
