The ATO is collecting data from eBay Australia & New Zealand Pty Ltd of sellers who had sold more than $10,000 worth of goods and services on the eBay online trading website during the 2013–2014 financial year.
The ATO said the data will be electronically matched with its records to identify possible non-compliance with the tax law.
The data-matching program is designed to enable the ATO to address the compliance behaviour of individuals and businesses selling goods and services via the online-selling site who may not be correctly meeting their taxation obligations, particularly those with undeclared income and incorrect lodgment and reporting for GST.
It is expected that records relating to between 15,000 and 25,000 individuals will be matched.
TIP: If you sell products or services online, you need to understand whether you are doing it as a hobby or carrying on a business. The ATO said the ongoing collection of online-selling data enables it to review online sellers who are transitioning from hobby status to potentially being “in business”. When selling online becomes a business, the income you earn from it is subject to tax. If this is the case, you may also be eligible for tax deductions.
