For a lot of people, lodging a tax return feels like the most stressful admin job of the year. It really shouldn't be. Below is exactly what happens when you do your return with us — step by step, in plain English — so there are no surprises about how it works or what it costs.
Step 1: You tell us a bit about your year
It starts with a short conversation, either online or over the phone. We want to understand your situation: whether you're an employee, a sole trader, have an investment property, sold any shares or crypto, worked from home, or had any big changes during the year.
This matters because the right questions up front are how we make sure you claim the deductions you're genuinely entitled to — and avoid the mistakes that can trigger an ATO review later.
Step 2: You send us what you have
Next, you send through your details securely online. The good news is that a lot of the heavy lifting is already done for you. Much of your income — your salary, bank interest, dividends, private health details and more — is pre-filled by the ATO, and as your registered tax agent we can access that information directly.
So you don't need a perfect, complete folder of paperwork to get started. Typically the things worth gathering are:
- Receipts or records for work-related expenses
- Your working-from-home hours (you can use the fixed rate of 70c per hour for 2025–26, or the actual-cost method)
- Logbook or kilometres if you claim car expenses (you may use 88c per kilometre for up to 5,000 km in 2025–26, or the logbook method)
- Rental property income and expense summaries, if you have an investment property
- Details of any assets you sold, such as shares or crypto
If something is missing, don't stress. We'll cross-check against the ATO pre-fill and tell you exactly what else we need — nothing more.
Step 3: We prepare and check your return
This is where the value of a real accountant shows up. We prepare your return carefully, making sure it's accurate, compliant and claims everything you're properly entitled to.
You deal directly with a qualified accountant, not a call-centre or a junior reading off a script. Nebula is CA ANZ-led and a registered tax agent (No. 26259377), so the person looking at your return actually understands the rules — including the trickier areas like investment property deductions, the 50% CGT discount on assets held longer than 12 months, and how recent changes (such as ATO interest no longer being deductible from 1 July 2025) might affect you.
Step 4: You review before anything is lodged
Once your return is ready, we send it to you to review and approve. We'll walk you through what we've claimed, what your estimated result is, and answer any questions.
Nothing is lodged with the ATO until you've seen it and you're comfortable. It's your return and your name on it, so you should always understand what's being claimed before it goes in. There's no pressure and no rush.
Step 5: Fixed fee, agreed up front
We confirm your fee before any work begins — not after. You'll know the price in advance, so there are no surprise invoices at the end.
A nice bonus: the fee you pay for a tax agent to prepare your return is generally deductible in the following year's return. So part of the cost may effectively come back to you.
How long does it take?
Because the whole process is online, it's usually quick. For a straightforward return, once you've sent everything through, we can often have it prepared and ready for your review within a few days.
More complex situations — multiple properties, a business, capital gains — naturally take a little longer, but we'll give you a realistic timeframe at the start so you always know where things stand. You can do the entire thing from your phone or laptop, wherever you are in Australia.
Why people choose to do it this way
The combination is simple: the convenience of doing everything online, with the reassurance of a qualified, registered tax agent actually checking your work. You're not gambling on a DIY return, and you're not sitting in a waiting room either.
- Everything online — no office visit needed
- A real, qualified accountant on your return
- A fixed fee agreed before we start
- You approve everything before it's lodged
Ready for a simple, fixed-fee tax return done properly? Book a chat at nebulaaccounting.au or call 0433 822 227.
This article is general information only and does not take account of your personal circumstances — it is not personal tax, financial or legal advice. Tax laws change and apply differently to different people. Nebula Accounting Pty Ltd is a registered tax agent (No. 26259377); please speak with us or check with the ATO before acting.