The 30 June finish line can arrive quickly when you are running jobs, paying staff, managing suppliers and looking after customers. The key year end deadlines for 2025-26 are not limited to lodging a tax return. They include actions that need to happen before 30 June, followed by payroll, BAS, tax and reporting obligations through July, August and beyond.
For Gippsland business owners, the practical aim is simple: keep records complete, meet each due date and avoid turning tax time into a last-minute scramble. The dates below are a useful planning guide, although your exact obligations can depend on your business structure, GST reporting cycle and whether you lodge through a registered tax agent.
Key year end deadlines before 30 June
30 June: complete the actions that affect this financial year
The financial year ends on Tuesday, 30 June 2026. Income generally needs to be derived, and deductible expenses generally need to be incurred, by this date to be included in your 2025-26 tax position. Paying an invoice early does not automatically make it deductible, and receiving cash after year end does not always mean income can be deferred. The correct treatment depends on your accounting method and circumstances.
Start by bringing your bookkeeping up to date. Reconcile bank accounts, credit cards, loans, merchant facilities and payment platforms. Check that sales are recorded correctly, supplier bills have been entered, and private expenses have not been claimed through the business. For trades and contractors, this may include reviewing material purchases, subcontractor invoices, vehicle costs and tool records. Transport operators should ensure fuel records and journeys supporting any fuel tax credit claim are complete.
If you hold stock, arrange a stocktake as close as practical to 30 June. Retailers, manufacturers and businesses with parts or consumables need reliable quantities and values to prepare accurate financial statements and tax returns. Identify obsolete, damaged or unsaleable stock rather than carrying it at an unrealistic value.
Review unpaid customer accounts as well. A bad debt deduction may be available where a debt is genuinely bad and has been written off before year end. It is not enough for an invoice simply to be overdue. Keep records of collection efforts and the decision to write it off.
30 June: pay super early if you want a deduction this year
Superannuation is one of the most commonly missed year end details. To claim a deduction for an employer super contribution in 2025-26, the contribution must be received by the employee’s super fund by 30 June. Starting a payment on 30 June may be too late if clearing-house or fund processing delays apply.
This matters for employers making an additional contribution before year end, as well as sole traders and business owners contributing to their own super. Check contribution caps and eligibility before making extra payments. Personal contributions can also require a notice of intent to claim a deduction, depending on your circumstances.
The compulsory super guarantee payment for the April to June quarter is due by 28 July 2026. That later payment date does not change the deduction timing rule. If cash flow allows and a current-year deduction is needed, pay early enough for the fund to receive it before 30 June.
30 June: trusts need distribution decisions documented
Trustees must generally decide how trust income will be distributed by 30 June, with the exact timing and wording guided by the trust deed. A late or poorly prepared trustee resolution can have costly tax consequences, including assessments at the highest marginal tax rate in some situations.
Do not assume last year’s resolution can simply be copied. Beneficiaries, income levels, family circumstances and the trust’s income may have changed. Trustees should obtain advice and have properly signed distribution documentation in place before year end.
Review payroll, vehicles and fringe benefits
For employers, year end is a sensible time to review payroll records while the year is still fresh. Confirm employee details, tax file number declarations, pay categories, allowances, leave balances, PAYG withholding and super calculations. Errors are easier to correct before STP finalisation than after employees have used their income statements to lodge their returns.
Fringe benefits tax operates on a different timetable. The FBT year ended on 31 March 2026, but vehicle use, meal entertainment, employee reimbursements and other benefits can still require attention when preparing records. Keep odometer readings, logbooks, invoices and employee declarations. The standard FBT lodgment and payment deadline is generally 21 May, though a later date may apply for eligible tax-agent electronic lodgments.
Key year end deadlines after 30 June
14 July: finalise STP reporting
Most employers must make their Single Touch Payroll finalisation declaration by 14 July 2026. This tells the ATO that employee income statements are tax-ready. Employees can then access the finalised information through myGov or provide it to their tax agent.
Before finalising, compare payroll reports against BAS figures, general ledger wage accounts, PAYG withholding paid and superannuation records. Check that termination payments, allowances, bonuses and reportable fringe benefits have been treated correctly. If a correction is needed, it is usually better to make it before finalisation rather than leaving employees with confusing income information.
21 July: Victorian payroll tax annual reconciliation
If your business is registered for Victorian payroll tax, the annual reconciliation and payment are generally due by 21 July 2026. This reconciles the monthly payroll tax paid during the year against your actual taxable wages.
The calculation can include more than ordinary wages. Contractor payments, allowances, bonuses, superannuation and payments to interstate employees may need consideration. Medical centres, labour-intensive cleaning businesses, manufacturers and growing trade businesses should take particular care, as contractor arrangements and grouped entities can affect payroll tax obligations.
28 July: lodge and pay the June quarter BAS
For many quarterly GST reporters, the June 2026 BAS is due on 28 July 2026. This BAS may include GST, PAYG withholding, PAYG instalments and fuel tax credits where relevant. It is a major cash-flow point because it follows closely after super guarantee and payroll tax obligations.
Do not rely on the BAS balance alone to tell you whether the result is right. Review GST coding on larger purchases, deposits and asset acquisitions. For example, a business ute, machinery purchase or commercial rent payment may have different GST treatment depending on the invoice and how the expense is used. Businesses using subcontractors also need to ensure payments are accurately recorded and PAYG withholding rules have been considered where applicable.
Some clients may be eligible for a tax agent lodgment concession, but this should be confirmed early. A concession is not automatic, and outstanding prior lodgments can affect access to it.
28 August: lodge a taxable payments annual report if required
The taxable payments annual report, or TPAR, is generally due by 28 August 2026 for businesses in affected industries. This can apply to businesses that pay contractors for services in building and construction, cleaning, courier and road freight, information technology or security services.
The report includes details of payments made to contractors during the financial year. Cleaning operators, builders, logistics businesses and owner-operators should not wait until August to identify contractor ABNs, addresses and payment totals. Good bookkeeping throughout the year makes this reporting far more manageable.
31 October: individual tax returns lodged without a tax agent
Individuals who lodge their own 2025-26 tax return generally need to do so by 31 October 2026. Employees should wait until their income statement is marked tax-ready and gather evidence for work-related deductions, including vehicle use, uniforms, training, tools, home office expenses and income protection premiums where applicable.
A deduction must be connected to earning income, not reimbursed by an employer and supported by records. A reasonable estimate is not a replacement for evidence. For people with investment properties, sole trader income, capital gains, crypto assets or multiple income sources, early preparation is particularly worthwhile.
Business, company, trust and self-managed super fund returns can have different due dates. Clients registered with a tax agent before the relevant deadline may be covered by the ATO’s tax agent lodgment program, but the actual date depends on their lodgment history and entity type. Leaving engagement until the due date can remove options and create unnecessary pressure.
A practical way to stay ahead
Set aside a short year end review before 30 June, then schedule time in July for payroll finalisation, BAS preparation and payroll tax reporting. Keep digital copies of invoices, receipts, logbooks, contracts and payment records as they arise. This gives you clearer figures for decisions, not just better paperwork for the ATO.
If a deadline has already passed, act promptly rather than hoping it will resolve itself. Tax and Accounting Solutions Gippsland can help identify what is outstanding, correct reporting where needed and put a workable process in place for the next reporting period. A calm, organised response now can protect your cash flow and give you more confidence heading into the new financial year.