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askingqwestion(Initiate)Initiate
8 Jan 2026

Hello,


I will be permanently departing Australia to live overseas ✈️🌏


My actual departure flight is on Wednesday 28th. However, for practical administrative reasons, I would like to use the prior weekend (Saturday 24th / Sunday 25th) as the date to complete my “ceasing Australian tax residency” calculations, including determining the market value of my stock investments for the deemed disposal (CGT) rules.


This is not to time markets 📊 - but simply to use a reasonable and consistent cut-off date and to complete the required calculations and record-keeping before the final, busy days of moving and travel.


In addition, I understand that for this situation the ATO requires a paper (postal) tax return to be lodged, and I would prefer to prepare and post this while I am still physically in Australia, as the country I am moving to has unreliable postal services and I don't trust at all that it would arrive to the ATO from there 📮🙂


Is it acceptable to use a practical date shortly before departure (e.g. the weekend of 24th/25th) for the purpose of determining the market value of assets, rather than the exact day of departure (Wednesday 28th)?


Thank you 🙏

486 views
3 replies
486 views
3 replies

All replies

KaraATO(Community Support)Community Support
9 Jan 2026

Hi @askingqwestion,


You'd need to use the market value of your shares on the actual date you cease to be an Australian resident for tax purposes, not a practical date a few days earlier.


This means the date you permanently depart Australia. You must work out the market value of these assets using a reliable source as at that date.


When you cease to be an Australian resident:

  • CGT event happens on that specific date.
  • We'd deem some of your assets (generally shares) to have been disposed of for CGT purposes on the date you stop being a resident.
  • You must use the actual cessation date for calculating the deemed disposal values.

You can prepare your calculations and paperwork before leaving Australia, but your asset valuations must reflect the market values on the actual date you cease residency.


Check out how changing residency affects CGT. You can also use our determination of residency status - leaving Australia decision tool to confirm your residency change date and tax obligations.

askingqwestion(Initiate)Initiate
11 Jan 2026

Thank you Kara,


Do I have the option to do the tax return online on 1 July this year? And to say that I was a tax resident for xyz days of this tax year? Doing it online is so much easier and that fixes the post issue.


I guess I would need to still tell the ATO when I permanently leave Australia in 2 weeks as well? Please guide me on the best way to do this all so that I'm not bothered by the ATO unnecessarily :-) I want as least amount of issues as possible.


Thank you kindly

KaraATO(Community Support)Community Support
12 Jan 2026

Hi @askingqwestion,


As the 2025-26 financial year is from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, yes, you can lodge your tax return online from 1 July 2026. When you lodge, you can specify the dates you were an Australian tax resident and this will report your part-year residency status.


If you're leaving Australia permanently, update your contact details and let us know through ATO online services via your myGov account. You can also notify us by phone. This ensures we send correspondence to the right address and apply the correct tax treatment.


If you leave before 30 June 2026, you may be eligible to lodge your tax return early as a departing taxpayer.

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