Loading
E.Hall(Newbie)Newbie
28 July 2025

Hello. For about a year and a half I was being underpaid at my job. I caught this last financial year and I was paid a lump sum for the missed wages. I was taxed a large amount on that payment because they paid me the entire amount at once plus my usual fortnightly wages.

The amount I was underpaid was about 2.5K.

Now I have attempted to lodge my tax return and I was directed to put the information on this payment into the LSPIA section which I did. I was anticpating a $600-$700 return this year but when I did the calculation it says I owe the ATO $254.

I don't understand why I owe money to the ATO when I have already paid the tax on the lump sum payment and it wasn't even my error in the first place.

I didn't know I was being underpaid, I was paying taxes for what I was receiving and this lump payment did not push me into a higher tax bracket nor does my correct pay.

Is this something I can rectify or am I just up the creek without a paddle?

131 views
1 replies
131 views
1 replies

All replies

RachelATO(Community Moderator)Community Moderator
31 July 2025

Hi @E.Hall,


All may not be lost here.


When you receive a Lump Sum Payment in Arrears (LSPIA), it's added to your regular income, and this has pushed your total taxable income higher for the year.


However, you might be eligible to apply the LSPIA tax offset.  You need to use your income statement to breakdown the payment, here are the instructions to report your LSPIA using myTax.


It's worth noting that if the income statement is incorrect, you should first contact your employer to have it corrected.


It might also help to speak with a tax agent to make sure the offset is applied correctly.

Loading
Received payment for missing wages from previous FY and now owe ATO a debt? | ATO Community