Tax agents can enrol their clients in JobKeeper from next week

The Australian Tax Office has released guidance on the JobKeeper program, providing a step by step process for tax agents along with further information on eligibility.

Tax agents are asked to make sure their clients are eligible for the $1,500 per fortnight payment by ticking all the eligibility criteria before proceeding to enrol them in the program from 20 April.

The tax authority has set out a five-step process to guide agents, and has confirmed that enrolments will take place using the ATO Online services for agents.

Tax agents are asked to provider their clients’ bank details, confirm if they are entitled to a business participation payment, and specify the number of their clients’ employees, among other things.

They are then instructed to between 4 May and 31 May, apply to claim the first two JobKeeper payments on behalf of their clients by logging into the ATO business portal or Online services for agents.

“We will pay your client the JobKeeper payment for all eligible employees after receiving their application,” the ATO said.

Having passed Parliament last week, the JobKeeper payments will be paid from the first week of May 2020.

But tax agents are being asked to take action on behalf of their clients now, to ready themselves for enrolment on 20 April.

“People need to take action now. In the month of April they have to have paid their eligible employees $1,500 before tax for each fortnight. Now that’s payable by the end of April and then from there of course they need to enrol into the scheme,” deputy commissioner James O'Halloran said.

He, however, urged people not to rush.

“Please don’t rush. Enrolments will be available for some time,” Mr O'Halloran confirmed, adding that the enrolment period will run until the end of April.