It’s tax time – here’s how your phone can help
The end of financial year doesn’t have to mean a shoebox full of receipts. Here’s how your phone can make tax time a lot less painful.
The ATO App is your free tax helper
The Australian Taxation Office has a free app called the ATO app. You can download it from the App Store or Google Play at no cost. It’s just been updated for the 2025-26 tax year.
The app lets you:
- Lodge your tax return
- Track your refund
- Get messages from the ATO
- Access your tax history
It’s surprisingly easy to use and saves a lot of paperwork.
Tip: Take photos of receipts as you get them
Instead of keeping paper receipts, take a photo as soon as you get one. Most people find it much easier to photograph receipts immediately rather than trying to find them later.
You can then store them in a dedicated folder in your Photos app or upload them to a cloud folder (Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud, etc.).
— Yvonne Lee