The Tax Practitioners Board has released new guidelines to tax agents to help them strengthen client verification.
“Strong client verification helps to protect tax practitioners, their clients, and Australia’s tax and superannuation systems from misuse and abuse due to identity theft and related issues. With an ever-increasing reliance on technology and remote work practices, the risks presented by this continue to rise.
There are increasingly widespread and sophisticated attempts by criminals to commit refund fraud by stealing taxpayer identities. This has devasting financial consequences to affected individuals and a flow-on effect to the Australian community.”
For our existing clients, proof of identity may not be necessary, but some documentation will still need to be provided for changes to client details. For new clients, we will now need to conduct a Proof of Identity (POI) check before Bentley & Co can proceed with the engagement.
This includes where an existing clients wants to bring across a related person or entity (such as a trust or company, spouse or other family member).
The POI requirements for an individual are:
An original or certified copy of a primary photographic identification document, or both of the following:
an original or certified copy of a primary nonphotographic identification document; and
an original or certified copy of a secondary identification document.
The POI requirements for an individual representing another person (such as a child) are:
1) For both the individual representative and the individual client, an original or certified copy of a primary photographic identification document, or both of the following:
an original or certified copy of a primary non-photographic identification document; and
an original or certified copy of a secondary identification document;
2) legal document demonstrating the authority of the individual representative to engage the registered tax practitioner on behalf of the individual client, including in relation to parental, guardianship or power of attorney representation.
The POI requirements for an individual representing another entity (such as a company, trust or SMSF) are:
For the individual representative, an original or certified copy of a primary photographic identification document, or both of the following:
an original or certified copy of a primary non-photographic identification document; and
an original or certified copy of a secondary identification document.
For the non-individual client -
documentation or data that verifies the existence of the non-individual client; and
a legal document demonstrating the authority of the individual representative to engage the registered tax practitioner on behalf of the non-individual client.
Please review this List of Accepted Documentation in relation to the above requirements.
More information can be found here:
and here: https://www.tpb.gov.au/tpb-practice-note-tpbpn-52022-proof-identity-requirements-client-verification