Frequent questions
General
- Who can use payroll tax online payment?
All clients can use online payment, which is available in the monthly calculator and annual reconciliation form. Before making your first payment, you must register to use the facility.
- How do I register for payroll tax online payment?
You can register for online payment using the online payment registration form. If you need any assistance in completing the form, please contact us.
- What information do I need to register for payroll tax online payment?
To register to make online payment, you will need:
your BSB number - this must be a six-digit number. If you are unsure of this number please contact your financial institution
your account number - this cannot be more than 9 digits
account name
financial institution
email address
contact name and daytime phone number for any enquiries.
- How do I know when I can start making online payments?
You can start making online payments immediately after you have successfully registered for online payment.
- Do I still receive a booklet of remittance slips?
No, once you have registered for online payments you will no longer receive a booklet of remittance slips. Instead, in mid-June you will receive a letter containing instructions on how to complete your annual reconciliation. You can make your June payment online as part of your annual reconciliation.
Making online payments
- How do I make an online payment?
You make an online payment using the monthly calculator or annual reconciliation form. To access this form you will need your client ID and correspondence ID.
Once you have calculated your tax due using the form, you can make a payment by selecting the 'pay online' button.
If you are not already registered for online payment, the registration option will be displayed. Once registration is completed, you will have to select the ‘Pay Online’ button again to authorise the payment.
Once the payment has been processed, you will receive an onscreen receipt that can be printed for your records.
- Can I make a future dated payment?
Yes, you can schedule a future dated payment once you have calculated your tax due using the 2009 annual reconciliation or 2009-10 monthly calculator. When the future dated payment option is used, the payment will be automatically made via the online system on the date requested. The future payment date selected must be on or before the due date for payroll tax.
- What are my obligations when making an online payment?
You must comply with the terms and conditions for online payment that you agreed to when registering.
- Are there any fees for making an online payment?
We do not charge any fees for making online payments. Your financial institution, however, may impose fees or charges on any online payment made. Please check with your financial institution for more information.
- Is my financial institution a participant in the online payment arrangement?
To use online payment, your financial institution must be a participant in the Bulk Electronic Clearance System (BECS). You will need to check with your financial institution to see whether they are a participant and whether they will allow you to make online payments. Most major banks, building societies and credit unions are participants in the system.
- What if I select the payment button and nothing happens?
The payroll tax online payment facility currently uses a 'pop-up' window. The application will not work if the pop-up windows function on your browser has been disabled.
- What account types are acceptable for online payments?
Online payment is not available on a full range of accounts. If you are unsure whether you can make payments from your account check with your financial institution.
- Can I pay online from my credit card account?
No, we do not provide facilities to debit credit card accounts.
- Can OSR debit funds from my account at any time?
No, only you can authorise an online payment. If you do not use the online payment facility for a given month, we will not debit any funds from your account. If you decide not to use online payment for a month you will need to contact us to make alternative payment arrangements.
- Can I make additional payments online for the same return period/month?
No, if you need to make additional payments for any reason you should send us a cheque for the amount due. Please include a covering letter listing your client number, name, return period and reason for the additional payment. All correspondence should be mailed to our payments address.
- Can I make a payment greater or lesser than the calculated amount?
No, you can only make a payment for the amount calculated by the monthly calculator or annual reconciliation form.
- Can I pay my June 2009 annual reconciliation online?
Yes, the online payment facility is incorporated in the 2009 annual reconciliation available online from mid June 2009.
- If I make my online payment after business hours, when will OSR debit the amount from my account?
Online payments authorised on or before 5:00 pm on a business day will be debited from the nominated account on that business day.
Online payments authorised after 5:00 pm on a business day, or on a day other than a business day, will be debited from the nominated account on the following business day. The date of receipt will be the date you authorised the online payment.
Late or incorrect payments
- What happens if I pay late?
Payments made after the due date will still be accepted online, but interest and, in some cases penalty tax, will be applied in accordance with the Taxation Administration Act 1996.
- What happens if I overpay my tax using the online payment facility?
You will need to apply in writing to our office for a refund. Please mark all correspondence 'Attention: Returns Branch'.
- What happens if I don't have enough funds in my account to cover the online payment?
It is your responsibility to have sufficient cleared funds available in your account on the payment date to allow the payment to be processed.
If a payment is returned unpaid by your financial institution you will be liable for any dishonour fee charged by that financial institution.
- How do I dispute an online payment debited from my account?
If you wish to dispute any online payment please provide full details in writing to us at our postal address.
We will make every attempt to ensure that any disputes are resolved within 14 business days.
Changing your details
- What happens if any of my account details change?
If your account details change you can update these online or contact us for further assistance.
- Can I cancel my registration to pay online?
Yes, you can cancel your registration to make online payments at any time by completing the online cancellation form. If you cancel your registration you will receive a return booklet in the mail with instructions on how to make future payments.
Security
- What happens to the information I provide during the payroll tax online payment process?
The information you provide on the site is used only to process online payments that you have authorised. Some information may be given to your financial institution in the event of a payment dispute, or to verify that we have received a payroll tax online payment registration from you.
- How secure are my payment details?
To ensure confidentiality of account details transferred over the Internet, payroll tax online payment uses 128 bit SSL encryption. SSL stands for 'Secure Sockets Layer'; it describes a way to transfer data between a client and a server using a secure connection. The data is encrypted (coded) so that no one else can read it. Under normal circumstances the estimated time required to crack a 128 bit scrambled message is 1019 years.
Our website has a firewall in place to stop unauthorised access, as well as virus protection to guard your data from attack.
