Why Is My Tax Refund Delayed? Here’s the 2025 Guide to What’s Holding It Up

Date Updated: June 2025

Ah, the good old tax refund. You can practically smell that sweet direct deposit. But suddenly… nothing. Zilch. Radio silence from the ATO. If your refund’s gone MIA, don’t panic just yet — the cause is usually something simple and very fixable.

Let Derek take the wheel and steer you through the most common tax refund delay disasters (and how to dodge them like an overcooked meat pie at the servo).

Reason #1: Your Personal Details Don’t Match

Here’s the big one. If your name, address, or other personal info doesn’t match what the ATO has on file, your tax return might get parked in the “please hold” lane.

Most common changes that cause delays:

• You got married and changed your last name

• You moved house and forgot to update your address

• You changed your phone or email and can’t verify your myGov

If the ATO can’t verify you, they won’t process your return. It’s that simple.

How to Fix It (Before You Lodge)

If you’ve updated your name, phone, or moved since last tax time, do a quick check:

• Changing your name? You must contact the ATO directly — GoTax can’t do this bit for you.

• Changing your address or phone number? Easy! You can update this directly inside your GoTax account while doing your return.

To change your name, call the ATO on 13 28 61 with one of the following:

• Your full Australian birth certificate (not just an extract)

• An Australian marriage certificate

• A legal change of name certificate

No documents? No refund. (That’s not a threat — that’s just how the system works.)

Reason #2: The ATO Thinks You’re a Mystery Person

If your return hits the ATO and something doesn’t line up — maybe your TFN doesn’t match your birth name or your old address is still hanging around — the whole process goes into pause mode.

The ATO will:

• Flag your return for review

• Possibly reject it outright

• Ask for identity verification

And yes, this adds days (or weeks) to your refund timeline.

Derek’s Tip:

Double check your details BEFORE lodging. One tiny mismatch can throw a spanner in the whole works. Your return can be perfect — your deductions flawless — but if your surname is off by one letter, it’s refund limbo.

Reason #3: You Just Lodged Early (or During a System Upgrade)

The ATO doesn’t start fully processing tax returns until early July, so if you submitted yours in late June, it might be sitting in the queue. Plus, if you tried to lodge during ATO maintenance windows or system upgrades (like our own GoTax upgrade from 18–19 June 2025), that could explain the radio silence.

How GoTax Helps You Avoid All This Drama

When you use GoTax, you’re not just clicking boxes. You’re:

• Getting step-by-step prompts to update key info

• Triggering checks to catch ATO mismatches

• Getting expert eyes on your return if things seem off

And hey — if you’re stuck or not sure what needs changing, Derek (our in-house Tax Wizard) is here to help, without the boring hold music.

Ready to Get Your Refund Moving?

Do this before you lodge:

• ✅ Check your name, address, and contact info match ATO records

• ✅ Update your address in your GoTax profile

• ✅ Call the ATO if your name changed (13 28 61)

• ✅ Have your ID ready (birth certificate, marriage cert, etc.)

• ✅ Avoid system maintenance windows (we’ll let you know when we’re upgrading)

Signup to GoTax and not only get your Tax return done, you can also ask as many questions as you like and get informed answers. You have access to the equivalent of a Tax Einstein — that is our very own D.e.r.e.k as well as the best credentialed Tax Accountants around.

More tax questions? See what others are asking here:
https://www.gotax.com.au/crazy-tax-answers

Frequent Questions

Disclaimer:
Note that the information provided is general in nature and subject to change. Please contact one of our professionals who can evaluate your circumstances and provide more accurate advice to your current situation.

For more reasons why your tax return may be delayed, click the links below

Delayed Tax Returns - Stolen TFN
​Delayed Tax Returns - Dodgy Deductions
​Delayed Tax Returns - Cross Checks
​Delayed Tax Returns - Outstanding Debts