Tax Time 2026: ATO's main focus areas

Tax time 2026 is upon us. And in this first episode, unpack the ATO's major focus areas.  Also, for tax agents and taxpayers, gain practical insights ahead of lodgement season. Key learnings:  The ATO's biggest priorities for tax time 2026  Why misinformation and AI-generated advice are growing risks  Common errors in work-related and car expense claims  What taxpayers often miss in income reporting  How to manage work-from-home deductions correctly  Why accurate record keeping matters more than ever  What agents should know about trust reporting updates  How to identify increasingly sophisticated tax scams  Why trusted advice and official sources are still critical  Tune in now.  Host: Jenny Wong, tax lead, CPA Australia  Guest: Anita Challen, assistant commissioner, ATO.  For more, head to CPA Australia's tax time tools and resources page.  And of course, you can head to the ATO website or you can download the ATO app.  The ATO also has online services and you can go on the ATO website and search verify or report a scam or how to stay scam safe for more information. And you can phone the ATO on 1800 008 540.  Loving this episode?  Listen to more With Interest episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@CPAaustralia/podcasts  And don't forget to click subscribe to the channel for a wide range of content that will help your career.  CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting:  With Interest https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/with-interest  INTHEBLACK https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack  INTHEBLACK Out Loud https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack-outloud  Excel Tips https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/excel-tips  Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at [email protected]  Chapters: 00:00 Episode opening  00:14 Introduction to CPA Australia's With Interest podcast Tax Time episode 1  01:01 What is the ATO focusing on this tax time?  02:17 Tax time 2026 updates agents need to know  03:24 ATO toolkits, rental property checklists and trust return pre-fill  04:32 How the ATO is using AI and automation  05:39 The biggest tax mistakes taxpayers still make  06:00 Why record keeping and substantiation matter  07:03 Work-related expenses under ATO scrutiny  07:12 Car expense claims: what you can and cannot claim  08:43 Self-education deductions: what qualifies and what does not  09:24 Working from home deductions: records, rates and receipts  11:07 Income reporting mistakes that trip people up  12:49 Do cash jobs need to be declared?  13:03 Good record keeping habits for tax time  13:59 How to spot tax misinformation online  15:09 Tax scams: warning signs and how to stay safe  16:09 How to verify ATO contact using the ATO app  17:45 Final advice for agents and clients heading into tax time 2026  18:37 Episode wrap-up and key takeaways