Extra time to lodge for those affected by natural disasters

The Commissioner of Taxation has announced additional time for tax-related lodgments and associated payments for individuals and businesses affected by the recent natural disasters in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia.

Those in the affected postcodes will automatically have the following lodgement and payment dated deferred:

• lodgment and payment of the December monthly activity statement from the original due date of 21 January 2011 to 21 March 2011;
• lodgment and payment of the January monthly activity statement for the original due date of 21 February 2011 to 21 March 2011;
• lodgment and payment of December quarterly activity statements from the original due date of 28 February 2011 to 28 March 2011;
• lodgment and payment obligations of income tax due in February 2011 for a period of one month; and
• lodgment of superannuation guarantee charge (SGC) statements for the quarter ending 31 December 2010 from 28 February 2011 to 28 March 2011.

Note: Although this removes the risk of employers in those areas from being penalised for late lodgment, the Commissioner does not have any discretion in relation to the nominal interest component of the SGC which is charged to employers who have not made contributions to a fund on time.

“This includes any other lodgments due on 28 February 2011 which will be deferred until 28 March 2011,” the Commissioner said.

Any deferrals that have already been granted will continue to apply.

A list of indentified affected postcodes can be found on the ATO website.