What is changing?
From 1 July 2023, non-charitable not-for-profit organisations with an active Australian Business Number (ABN) that self-assess as income tax exempt are required to lodge an annual self-review return with the Australian Tax Office (ATO).
The first self-review return is due between 1 July 2024 and 31 October 2024.
Do the changes apply to your not-for-profit organisation?
The new reporting obligation will affect your organisation if it:
- is a not-for-profit organisation,
- has an active ABN, and
- self-assesses as income tax exempt.
How do the changes apply to charities?
These changes do not apply to charities already registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC). However, they do affect not-for-profit organisations that haven’t registered with the ACNC but are eligible to do so.
If you are not sure whether your organisation is a registered charity, you can search the ABN Lookup Tool and the ACNC Register.
If you are not sure whether your organisation is eligible to register as a charity, read the ACNC’s checklist on eligibility for charity registration.
How do I get more information?
We encourage you to access and read the resources listed below to gauge if your organisation might be impacted.
- The ATO has published a guide to completing the self-review return form.
- Download the fact sheet published by the ATO.
- Read the April ‘Straight from the source’ blog by Assistant Commissioner Jennifer Moltisanti.
- Justice Connect Not-for-Profit Law has published a range of information about the upcoming changes.
Disclaimer
The content on this page was last updated on Tuesday 4 June 2024 and is not legal advice.