I have already submitted a tip off no responses from ATO. My ex partner amended her tax returns from 2021 and 2022, after receiving approx 12,00 in returns from the ATO. As I have 100% care of the children that created a Child Support debt for her as she underestimated and that money was intercepted and paid to me. Those ATO assessed incomes where then changed to amended and I have now been left with a 12,000 government debt. My question is how does the ATO issue 2 returns if someone has not earned an income and paid tax. Child Support have stonewalled me saying bad luck basically they don’t look into these issues. Feel like I am being ignored as a father raising 3 kids with little to no financial support from the mother as its uncommon and the benefit of the doubt goes to her. In the whole 7 years I raise them with no input or support other that those 2 years she earned an income I get approx $20 a fortnight contribution which is meeting her obligations but now will be wiped out by this debt. I just wish I could go back and never rely on a government agencies to help assist me.
108 views
3 replies
All replies
Hi @singledadvic,
We can help explain how tax amendments and refunds work, especially when they affect child support assessments.
When someone lodges a tax return, any refund they receive is based on the income and tax withheld reported to us. If they later amend their return, we’ll reassess their tax position.
This can result in a change to their taxable income, which may also affect other agencies like Services Australia (Child Support). We don’t determine child support amounts though. That’s managed by Services Australia, but we do share income information with them.
The debt you’ve mentioned sounds like it’s with Child Support. They use the income data provided by us to calculate obligations. They may recover overpayments from future entitlements. Unfortunately, we can’t intervene in how Child Support manages those adjustments.
If you believe the amended returns were incorrect or fraudulent, you’ve done the right thing by lodging a tip-off. These are reviewed, but we can’t provide updates or outcomes for privacy reasons.
Yes understand that and thankyou for responding. Child Support want nothing to do with it saying it’s a government debt therefore I am now liable as I received the ex partners returns directly as she underreported and they intercepted.Then she has amended the amount which means in theory the tax returns should not have been issued . My question no one seems to be able to answer is ATO don’t issue tax returns unless tax has been paid and there is an adjustment. How can someone earn a gross amount of $90000 per annum which was an ATO assessed amount for 2 years get 2 tax returns back to back total $12,000 then amend back to $20000 per annum and that not be investigated. Either way I am stuck with debt that for all intent and purposes trusted a government agency to handle to avoid over or underpayments. Somehow either the issue of $12000 in tax returns was in error or a fraudulent claim has been lodged twice and I am the unsuspecting victim. I didn’t ask child support to give that money to me they told me I was entitled to it due to the underreporting. I wish I never got child support involved and I would not have this mess. And second is the ATO in the business of handing out tax returns in error? I ultimately have a $11000 debt which I am liable for have no course of action other than bad luck someone might one day look into it until pay or face financial consequences and reporting. Mean while ex partner sits back with no repercussions. The mental strain and anxiety doesn't seem to matter here. And child support are a joke no care at all. I hope the ATO who they get their information from can sort this mess out before it has a irreversible affect on me and my health and well-being
Hi @singledadvic,
You’ve already done the right thing by submitting a tip‑off. That information goes directly to us for investigation. We’ll assess it against the records we hold. Because we don’t have access to tax accounts here, we can’t confirm what may have happened with any tax returns or how we'll assess the information.
For child support debts, the correct place to review the decision or raise concerns about how the debt was calculated is Services Australia. They’re the ones who can look at the assessment, the income that was used, and whether anything needs to be adjusted. They may have a review process you can access. They can also advise on anything they need from you to look into the matter properly.
Featured articles
15 Apr 2026 · 4 min read time
16 July 2025 · 5 min read time