LTMH2

Thanks Ken, that's really helpful! That's the answer I was hoping for. I mean, I can survive if I pay high tax for a month or two and then it goes back to normal (ish) once I've submitted the TFN. I was worried after reading something on another site that I might be locked into the high rate of tax for the rest of the financial year. Great to hear that's not the case. Probably just jetlag making me misunderstand the intricacies of the tax system...

Hi Mimi, I wonder if you can advise me as I'm a bit worried about my situation regarding tax. I've just arrived in Canberra to start a new job at one of the universities here. My contract actually started back in October, when I came out for two weeks, but I was then put on unpaid leave so I could have time to take care of some stuff back in the UK. When I saw my salary paid into my Westpac account for those two weeks, I realised it was much lower than I expected and after several emails back and forth with payroll and HR, I realised that I was being charged the top rate of tax because I hadn't supplied a TFN. I've applied for this now that I'm in Canberra so the TFN should arrive some time this month. Looking at other sites online, I get the impression that because I missed the 28-day window to supply a TFN to my employer, they will continue to tax me at around 50% and that I can't apply for a refund until the end of the financial year, i.e. June. Have I understood that right? Or is it the case that if I give my employer my TFN later this month, that the tax rate will change immediately? I'm a bit confused and worried, as I'm looking at various rental properties this week but suddenly not sure I can actually afford to live here, if my salary has effectively been halved...! Any help would be greatly appreciated.