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What to report
The following taxable payments won’t show on your payment summary. You’ll need to report these payments in your tax return if you got any of them:
- New Zealand Disaster Recovery Allowance
- Disaster Recovery Allowance Top-up
- High-Risk Settings Pandemic Payment
- Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment.
You can check the amount of any payments you got:
- in the Payment history section of your Centrelink online account
- in letters we sent you online or in the post
- by calling our Emergency information line.
If you lodge your tax return online using myTax, you can declare the amount under the Australian Government special payments section. You can read about Australian Government special payments on the Australian Tax Office website.
If you lodge your tax return by paper, declare the payments in the other income section at question 24.
If you have a registered tax agent or accountant ask them to include the payments.
What not to report
The following non-taxable payments won’t show on your payment summary. You don’t need to include them in your tax return if you got any of them:
- Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment
- Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment - Special Supplement
- Australian Victim of Terrorism Overseas Payment
- Cost of Living Payment.
If we pay you extra amounts with your taxable payment, you don’t need to report them in your tax return. The following extra amounts won’t show on your Centrelink payment summary:
- regular Additional Assistance
- Transitional Basic Pension Supplement
- Basic Pension Supplement
- a lump sum payment when someone dies, above the tax exempt amount
- a lump sum payment when your partner dies, above the tax exempt amount
- Living Allowance, Term or School Boarder
- National Work Experience Programme
- Remote Jobs and Communities Programme Supplement
- School Fees Allowance, Group 2 or Board
- Work for the Dole.
What to get advice on
We recommend you seek tax advice if you got any of these payments:
- MH17 Commemoration Support Package 2024
- the 2022 Memorial for Bali Bombings Travel Assistance Payment
- MH17 Family Support Package.
You can seek tax advice from either:
- the Australian Taxation Office
- your registered tax agent.
Contact numbers available on this page.
Emergency information line
Call this line if you’re affected by a natural disaster and need help to claim a payment.
There are other ways you may want to contact us.