ATO to data match eBay transactions

Tax Office: eBay transactions to be data matched

The Tax Office has gazetted a notice announcing that it will request and collect online selling data relating to registrants that sold goods and services of a total value of $10,000 or greater in either or both of the following periods:

from 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012, and
from 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013.

What type of data is being sought?

Data will be sought from eBay Australia & New Zealand Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of eBay International AG which owns and operates www.ebay.com.au.

How will the data be used by the Tax Office?

The acquired data will be electronically matched with certain sections of the Tax Office's data holdings to identify possible non-compliance with registration, reporting, lodgement and payment obligations under tax law.

It is expected that records relating to between 15,000 and 25,000 individuals for each of the targeted financial years will be data matched.

This program is called the '2012 and 2013 online selling data matching program' and it will enable the Tax Office to:

"address the compliance behaviour of individuals and businesses selling goods and services via the online selling site who may not be correctly meeting their taxation obligations particularly those with undeclared income and incorrect lodgement and reporting for GST, and be more strategic in its approach to determine appropriate educational and compliance strategies to encourage voluntary compliance for taxpayers in the online selling market to ensure they meet their taxation obligations."

More information

The gazetted notice can be accessed here.

(Source Taxpayers Australia, 17 June 2014)