I am a joint Australian US citizen who has been away from Australia for 20 years. In 2025 my wife and I will come home to AUS. Is there a checklist of things that I need to do with the tax office to make sure I am
all clear? I still have my tax file number but have not earned money in AUS in that time. I have maintained an Australian bank account with minimum funds in my absence.
look forward to advice.
Hey there @ismcintosh,
It's great you have your TFN still, this is something that will stay with you for life.
There isn't a check list as such. It would really depend on what you plan on doing when you're here. Would you start your own business? If so, you'd need to apply for an ABN.
Seeing as you've been living overseas for 20 years, your TFN would have been dormant. You'll need to re-apply for your TFN so this can become active. It will still be the same TFN number, you'd just want to be able to use it if you decide to gain employment while you're back.
Also, we have a few online platforms where you can look into your own tax records, instead of having to wait in the queue to call us – one of them being myGov. When you've received confirmation that your TFN is active again, you can link your ATO Online account through myGov. It's a fast, simple way when lodging your tax return.
Hey there @ismcintosh,
It's great you have your TFN still, this is something that will stay with you for life.
There isn't a check list as such. It would really depend on what you plan on doing when you're here. Would you start your own business? If so, you'd need to apply for an ABN.
Seeing as you've been living overseas for 20 years, your TFN would have been dormant. You'll need to re-apply for your TFN so this can become active. It will still be the same TFN number, you'd just want to be able to use it if you decide to gain employment while you're back.
Also, we have a few online platforms where you can look into your own tax records, instead of having to wait in the queue to call us – one of them being myGov. When you've received confirmation that your TFN is active again, you can link your ATO Online account through myGov. It's a fast, simple way when lodging your tax return.
15 Apr 2026 · 4 min read time
16 July 2025 · 5 min read time
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