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.
How we can assist
During its active season, the MLS Tax Clinic provides assistance to clients in need. 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)
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.
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).
Eligibility
- You are an individual, sole trader, independent contractor, gig economy worker or small business entity; and
- You do not have any tax or legal professional representation; and
- You need assistance with lodging an outstanding tax return, corresponding with the ATO, an unpaid tax debt, or some other tax or ATO-related issue.
Applications
The MLS Tax Clinic will re-open in March for Semester 1, 2024. The clinic will be operating on Wednesdays with appointments.
Please note: Submitting an application does not guarantee that we will be able to accommodate your request for an appointment. However, we will endeavour to get back to you as soon as possible.
If your tax matter is urgent, we advise you to seek assistance through the National Tax Clinic. A list of participating clinics is available on the National Tax Clinic program. Alternatively, if you have the means to do so, you may need to engage a professional advisor.