ATO Calls for NFPs to Update Their Details

The Australian Tax Office has called on organisations that are endorsed as tax concession charities to update their details before the new charity regulator begins operation.

In the letters sent nationally, the ATO asked each organisation to review its details and charity endorsement status and to inform the Tax Office if anything has changed.

The ATO says it is important that the details it holds are up-to-date as it will be providing this information to the proposed new national regulator, the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).

From 1 October 2012, the Government has proposed that:

• the ACNC will be responsible for determining charity status for all Australian Government purposes and for maintaining a charity register
• existing charities endorsed by the ATO as income tax exempt will be automatically registered with the ACNC
• the ATO will continue to be responsible for administering tax concessions for charities.

The ATO says it can only discuss an organisation's tax affairs with the authorised contact listed on its records.

If the authorised contact person has changed, organisations need to advise the ATO, to enable the new contact person to access or update information.

Additionally, organisations need to tell the ATO if they have changed their:

• legal or trading name
• postal, email or business address
• associate details (including public officer, director, office bearer, partner or trustee)
• main business activity.

For more information on how to update details go to the ATO fact sheet How do you ensure we can speak to your organisation's representative? 

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