The annual reconciliation (AR) is designed to reconcile all taxable wages and any payroll tax liability payments, excluding penalty and interest, made during the financial year. It is completed at the end of the financial year and lodged online through PTX Express.
This online lodgement is known as the electronic annual reconciliation (e-AR).
How do I lodge the e-AR?
PTX Express enables employers to complete their payroll tax annual reconciliation via our website and pay online, using these steps:
- Log in to PTX Express.
- Select 'Annual Reconciliation' from the menu to lodge an e-AR.
- The relevant financial year should be displayed, select 'Begin' from the 'Actions' field.
- Review your details including your employer type and your employing period during the financial year.
- Enter your wages.
- Review your payroll tax payments made during the financial year for the reconciliation period.
- Review the calculation for your amount of tax payable or amount overpaid.
- Lodge your e-AR by selecting the 'Lodge' button on the 'Lodgement' page.
Once you have lodged your return, you will get a lodgement reference number and information about payment options.
Watch a video about lodging your electronic annual reconciliation
When is the e-AR available?
The e-AR is available from the middle of June until late in the following financial year.
When is my annual reconciliation due?
Your annual reconciliation is due on 21 July after each financial year. If that day falls on a weekend, it is due the next business day.
Do I need to lodge a June return?
No. Instead, the taxable wages for the June period are simply included in the year’s wages you provide in the e-AR.
How long will it take to complete the e-AR?
If you have the following information, your e-AR should take no longer than 30 minutes to complete:
- Login details.
- Customer number.
- Group number, if applicable.
- Employer type.
- ABN.
- Victorian and interstate reconciliation periods.
- A break-up of your Victorian wages into taxable components for the financial year.
- If you are a regional employer, a break up of your Victorian wages into total taxable components for regional and non-regional employees for the financial year.
- The amount of any interstate wages paid.
- The amount of any Victorian primary tax paid for the period of this reconciliation.
- If you pay fringe benefits, your fringe benefits tax (FBT) return for the the same financial year.
- Estimated Victorian and interstate wages for the next financial year.
If you are the designated group employer, you will also need:
- Group Victorian and group interstate reconciliation periods.
- A total of all payments made by the ordinary members in the group.
- Estimated group Victorian and estimated group Australian wages for the next financial year.
- Victorian and interstate wages and tax paid in Victoria for all members of the group.
- For each regional employer in your group, the Victorian and interstate wages for regional and non-regional employees and tax paid in Victoria.
Can I get an extension to lodge and pay my annual reconciliation?
There are no extensions available for your annual reconciliation. You must lodge and pay it by 21 July after each financial year or the next business day if it falls on a weekend.
If we have not received your completed annual reconciliation and payment by the due date, penalty tax of up to 25% plus interest may apply from the due date.
How do I get help with the e-AR?
If you require help at any stage, use the help file within PTX Express or contact us.
What if my payment figures displayed are incorrect?
If any payment details displayed in the 'Review Payments' section of the e-AR are incorrect or incomplete, please change the total amount at the bottom of the payments list and provide discrepancy details in the corresponding text box.
How do I save my information?
Your data up to the last completed page is automatically saved when you use the 'Next' button or the 'Save & Exit' button.
Can I leave the e-AR and come back to it?
You can exit at any stage and come back to it at a later date. Your data up to the last completed page is automatically saved (see above).
How can I pay an e-AR liability?
The quickest and simplest way to pay is online through PTX Express using our secure Westpac online payment option.
Can I change details after lodging my e-AR?
Yes. Once you have lodged your e-AR you can make changes up until the following May by lodging a replacement e-AR via PTX Express.
If you want to make changes for other financial years, you need to write to us explaining why and include the amended wage details.
How do I make changes to my e-AR in PTX Express?
You lodge a replacement e-AR by editing your existing e-AR. You do this by selecting the 'Annual Reconciliation' button in the navigation bar to access the e-AR page and from here use the 'Edit' link in the 'Actions' column of your relevant return.
The 'Employer Details' page contains your previously lodged content. To start changing this data, use the 'Next' button until you reach the section you want to alter.
Please note that changing data in certain sections may force you to review all subsequent sections. For example, if in your initial return you indicated that you paid no FBT and in your updated return you indicate that you do pay FBT, this will change your Victorian wages and your liability calculation. You will therefore have to review all sections from 'Victorian Wages' on.
Once you have made changes, you MUST go to the 'Lodgement' page and use the 'Lodge' button. This will send a replacement return to us. The relevant year’s e-AR page will then show the record of the replacement return being lodged and its lodgement number.
After lodging my e-AR, can I print a copy?
Yes. In PTX Express select 'Annual Reconciliation' and you will be taken to the relevant year’s e-AR screen. Click on the 'View PDF Summary' link in the 'Actions' column corresponding to your relevant return, which will now be displayed.
To print, use your internet browser's 'Print' button. Close this window by using the 'X' button and return to the relevant year’s e-AR screen.
Why have I been logged out?
The system automatically logs you out after 30 minutes of inactivity. To access your e-AR again, just log back in.
Will I receive an acknowledgement after lodging?
Once you have completed and lodged your e-AR, you will be issued with a lodgement number and will be returned to the relevant year’s e-AR screen. The lodgement number confirms that we have received your e-AR.
If your return calculation resulted in an increased tax liability, use the 'Pay' link in the 'Actions' column to show the outstanding amount and payment options ('Pay Online' and 'Other Payment Options'). We recommend paying your liability online.
