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jess274(I'm new)I'm new
5 July 2023

Hello!

Hoping for some clarity. For the last year I have been paying my HECS loan through the compulsory repayments taken from my salary. My tax return is not tax ready yet, but I thought I’d look at the estimate. It says I owe the ATO money - looking at the break down, it has $2500 in HECS repayments owing which puts me in negative. Is this because my tax return is not ready yet? Once it is ready, will this amount disappear? Because I’ve been paying the compulsory payment every pay check. I don’t know why I’ve paid it all year & it’s asking for another $2500. Thank you.

20,679 views
15 replies
20,679 views
15 replies

Most helpful response

Most helpful replyATO Certified Response

RileyATO(Community Moderator)Community Moderator
ATO Certified Response26 Apr 2024

Hi @Purple22,


If you've paid the compulsory HECS repayments but still owe the ATO, this might be because it would've been part of your tax refund or used to pay your other tax liabilities. Your compulsory repayment amount is worked out as a percentage of your income - the amount your employer withholds isn't always equal to this.


We've got a helpful article with more answers to common HELP debt questions if you're interested.


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Paid my compulsory HECS repayments - why do I still owe the ATO? | ATO Community