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ATO issues $1,650 fine to 97-year-old woman who had not ‘prioritised tax obligations’ after husband’s death
TL;DR
A 97-year-old woman in Brisbane was fined $1,650 by the ATO for not prioritizing her tax obligations after her husband's death. The fine was overturned following public outcry after her accountant shared the incident on LinkedIn.
Key points
- 97-year-old woman fined $1,650 by ATO
- Fine issued after husband's death
- Incident shared on LinkedIn
- Fine overturned after public outcry
- Complicated by sale of tax practice
The Australian Taxation Office fined a 97-year-old Brisbane woman $1,650 because she had not “prioritised her tax obligations”, despite the recent death of her husband who managed their financial affairs.
The decision was only overturned after her accountant posted details of the incident on LinkedIn – catching the attention of industry associations and the tax ombudsman, who issued a stinging rebuke direct to the ATO.
After a lifetime of submitting tax returns on time, the elderly Brisbane resident lost her husband in mid-2023, according to details provided to Guardian Australia by accountant Nathan Watt.
Her circumstances were further complicated by the sale of the tax practice formerly used by the couple.
Then, the 97-year-old was charged $1,650 for the late lodgement of her 2025 returns.
Watt detailed the extenuating circumstances to the ATO and asked for the charge to his client to be overturned.
The ATO’s response read: “Your remission has been considered, we’ve decided not to remit.”
“You have not prioritised your tax obligations. It is your responsibility to manage your affairs to ensure lodgment by the due date,” the response said.
“Remission would not be considered fair or reasonable when other taxpayers have taken steps to lodge on time.”
The ATO rejection letter sent to the Brisbane woman.
In his LinkedIn post, Watt said he wondered “how the person at the ATO who wrote this felt when they were doing it”.
The ombudsman, Ruth Owen, who oversees complaints against the ATO, said such decisions had become systemic.
“In too many circumstances that I see, they fail to see the human being behind the tax return,” Owen said.
“We then get examples like this where clearly this is an elderly person who’s been recently bereaved. They should start there.
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“It is really important that these things are raised as complaints because the ATO won’t learn unless people highlight the mistakes that they make.”
A report published by the ombudsman’s office in March found that the tax office routinely failed to account for personal circumstances when making decisions about penalties and interest charges on tax debts.
Q&A
Why was the 97-year-old woman fined by the ATO?
She was fined for not prioritizing her tax obligations after the death of her husband, who managed their financial affairs.
What led to the fine being overturned?
The fine was overturned after her accountant shared the incident on LinkedIn, prompting attention from industry associations and the tax ombudsman.
What was the amount of the fine issued to the Brisbane woman?
The fine issued to the woman was $1,650 for the late lodgement of her 2025 tax returns.
What circumstances complicated the woman's tax situation?
Her tax situation was complicated by the recent death of her husband and the sale of the tax practice they previously used.
