About
The Melbourne Law School Tax Clinic is a supportive, inclusive, student-run clinic where you will receive free tax assistance from Melbourne Law School students. Our students are supervised by a dedicated clinic supervisor and experienced tax practitioners.
The Clinic is a registered Community Legal Centre that offers online or in-person appointments at Melbourne Law School. We are one of 19 tax clinics under the National Tax Clinic Program.
How we can assist
During its active season, the MLS Tax Clinic provides assistance to clients in need. The Clinic aims to educate and guide clients on their tax obligations - we are not a substitute for tax agent services. At times, matters may be beyond the scope of our expertise and resources. Whilst we will endeavour to assist you to the best of our abilities, there may be issues we are unable to assist you with.
Below are some of the areas we can assist with.
Correspondence from the Australian Taxation Office
If you have received correspondence from the Australian Taxation Office and you do not understand the correspondence or are unsure as to what you need to do in response, we can assist.
Disagreeing with your tax assessment
If you disagree with your tax assessment, we can help you understand your rights and options for what to do next.
Outstanding tax debts
If you have difficulty paying your outstanding tax debts, we can assist you to negotiate a payment plan with the Australian Taxation Office.
Penalties and interest
If you have been charged penalties or interest by the Australian Taxation Office, we can assist you to apply for a reduction or waiver of those charges.
Income and expenses
We can assist you to work out whether or not an amount is income (and subject to tax) and whether or not an expense could be tax-deductible (and therefore reduce your tax payable)
Residency for tax purposes
We can assist you in determining whether you are a resident for Australian tax purposes.
Representation in dealing with ATO
We can represent you in dealing with the Australian Taxation Office.
Registration for Goods and Services Tax (GST)
We can assist you in determining whether you need to register for Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Current and/or prior year tax returns
If you think you need assistance to lodge your current year tax return or you have outstanding tax returns from prior years.
Great experience with the MLS Tax Clinic. I was initially unsure whether they'd be able to help, considering my situation is a bit complicated as I am a dual citizen with tax obligations in two different countries. However, they were quick to identify my issues and provide me step-by-step instructions on how to find my tax residency, file my taxes, and more. I feel much more comforted after meeting with them. MLS Tax Clinic client
Tax Clinic resources
The Tax Clinic has produced a wide range of videos for general educational purposes.