ATO to keep a watchful eye on plumbers, IT managers

20/07/2012 - The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has warned it will be keeping a close eye on the work-related claims of people in certain occupations, including plumbers, defence force personnel and IT managers.

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The tax office also is focused on high-income earners involved in tax avoidance schemes, and unreported cash transactions in the plastering and cafe industries.

"By openly setting out our focus areas for the year ahead, we want to encourage people to make the right decisions," tax commissioner Michael D'Ascenzo said in a statement on Thursday.

The ATO is stepping up efforts to ensure people can recognise, reject and report tax avoidance schemes, while also stopping false claims and identity crime.

"We check over 600 million transactions a year," the commissioner said.

"This means that we can detect those who do not report all their income from things like dividends and interest, capital gains, and foreign income."

Last year, the ATO stopped more that 109,000 income tax returns for potentially incorrect or fraudulent claims, saving the community almost $200 million in revenue.

Contractor arrangements, especially in the construction industry, will also be under the microscope this year, along with the self-managed superannuation fund sector and employer obligations for super in high-risk industries.

Those industries include cafes and restaurants, real estate agencies, and carpentry businesses in home building and construction.

Source: AAP

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