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Zamc(I'm new)I'm new
27 Aug 2025

Hi everyone,


I just lodged my 2024–25 tax return. My Notice of Assessment shows I was due a refund of $1,990.80. However, only $139.80 actually went into my bank account.


When I checked my Statement of Account, I saw that the rest of my refund was transferred to my Integrated Client Account (business PAYG instalments) in three chunks of $617 each.


Here’s the issue:


  • Last year my business income was about $15,000, so the ATO set my PAYG instalments based on that figure.
  • This year, my business only earned around $3,000.
  • Because I didn’t vary my PAYG instalments during the year, the system still treated those instalments as payable debts and offset my refund against them.


So essentially, I’ve overpaid tax instalments that I didn’t actually owe based on my lower income, and I’ve lost most of my refund because of it.


My questions are:


  1. Is there any way to have those overpaid instalments refunded now, or do I just have to wait until next year’s return?
  2. Going forward, where exactly in myGov can I lodge a PAYG variation so I don’t get stuck overpaying again?


Thanks in advance I just want to make sure this doesn’t happen again.

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Refund reduced due to PAYG instalments? | ATO Community