Education Tax Refund Q

[siraulo23]

You can't claim online, but you can phone them - that is how I have done mine and you get the refund in 14 days. You need to download and print the form and fill it all in and have it in front of you when you call. You can only claim things that relate directly to the education of the child, so uniforms etc aren't included because they aren't directly related to education.

If you post it to ato, u have to include receipts for proof right?

If you phone them, how do they check your claims are true?

[~clover~]

Its the same as any tax claim. You keep any reciepts in case they need to be seen in the future.
I do etax online every year & the same goes. Any deductions, you would keep the reciepts for. There is a time period, I think its 5 or 7 years you'd need to hold onto them.
Even an accountant doesn't necessarily need to view the reciepts when they do your return. Not last we went to one anyway, that was about 5 years ago now though.

[Oorki Galoorki]

its only for those in primary and high school though? not kindergarten?

[~clover~]

I claimed for DD2 in kindy... I'm sure it would count. I would've got the $50 if they still did it at the start of the year, so I'm assuming this counts too?
It does say, on the last page, if they only attended for any one day out of those 2 6 month periods you are entitled.

[siraulo23]

I just lodge my application by phone, it says it would be processed within 14 days, how long did it take for you guys to get the refund?

Thanks

[Trillian]

Siraulo, it took the full 14 working days to get it

Oorki, it is just for children enrolled at 'big' school, not prep/kinder/preschool

[~clover~]

I'm pretty sure it took the 14 days last time.

Yeah, sorry Oorki. Primary school starts at kindy here.

[siraulo23]

ok thanks

hopefully i get it sooner

[~me~]

Mmmm, my BIL is an accountant. We didn't get much at all last year and DS1 was in school the whole year. There are alot of things you can't claim such as School Fees, Uniforms. I would have a good look at the ATO site at what is eligible to claim.
We missed out on claiming our computer as we purchased it 2wks before school started (he was in prep last year).

[~clover~]

Heather do you know you can claim internet costs?

[~me~]

Thanks Clover, you just jogged my memory..I think last year as he was only in Prep for the first 5mths of the Financial Year it didn't amount to much. This financial year will be better as we have the whole 12mths to claim from July last year to June 30 this year.

[~clover~]

Darn, was hoping to have mine today... Maybe tomorrow.

[siraulo23]

i just got my edr

another question, i did not claim last year, can i still claim the 2008-2009 edr?

thanks

[Trillian]

Siraulo, I have no idea - I've only done it by phone and have never been asked to prove if the expenses were legit - they were because I have the receipts, but I'm sure by not asking for them leaves it open to rorting.

[siraulo23]

Oh ok