How Much Does an Accountant Charge for a Tax Return?

What a simple tax return costs

A simple return means one or two employers, bank interest and standard work deductions. Lawpath's guide, dated 22 June 2026, puts a simple individual return at $100 to $300 and individual returns generally at $100 to $400. Oneflare's cost guide, updated 11 March 2026, gives $100 to $290 for standard returns and a Queensland average of $150 for a tax accountant.

Online tax agents sit at the bottom of the market. Etax's published 2026 prices start at $87.49 for a return, with a $44.90 low-income service for eligible Centrelink recipients and people under 18. These services suit people whose return is mostly pre-filled and who do not need a conversation about their situation.

If you prefer to lodge yourself, myTax through myGov is free. The trade-off is that you carry the full responsibility for getting it right, and you do not get the later lodgment dates or the penalty protection that come with using a registered agent.

What adds to the fee: rentals, shares and a business

Each extra income source means more work: another schedule, more records to check and more rules to apply. Whatsthedamage's independent cost guide, last verified in October 2026, puts returns with rentals, investments or capital gains at $250 to $500 and sole trader returns at $150 to $500, both excluding GST. Its Brisbane guide shows the same ranges.

Etax prices the extras separately: $59.90 for each rental property schedule, $59.90 for capital gains including crypto, $129.90 for an overdue prior-year return, and business returns from $219.90 where detailed business items are needed. A full-service firm usually builds these into one quote rather than listing them.

• Rental properties, including depreciation and loan interest
• Share, property or crypto sales (capital gains)
• A sole trader business schedule, GST and BAS
• Foreign income or a change of residency
• Overdue returns from earlier years
• Incomplete or disorganised records

Why quotes for the same return differ

Firms price differently. Some charge a fixed fee per return, some charge by the hour and some bundle the return into a monthly package. Lawpath lists Queensland hourly rates for qualified accountants at $110 to $280 as at April 2026, so a return that takes two hours can cost very different amounts depending on who does it.

Record quality is the biggest variable you control. Whatsthedamage says disorganised paperwork can double a return fee, and that clean records can cut fees by 20 to 40 per cent. Bringing a summary of income, receipts sorted by type and your rental statements saves the accountant time and saves you money.

When you compare quotes, check whether the price includes GST and what is not included. Questions from the ATO, amendments and prior-year returns are often billed separately.

Is the fee tax deductible?

Yes. The ATO lets you claim the cost of having a registered tax agent prepare and lodge your return, and the cost of tax advice from a recognised tax adviser. The ATO says you generally incur the fee in the income year you pay it, so a fee paid in August 2026 for your 2025-26 return goes on your 2026-27 return.

If one invoice covers you and your partner, split it and claim only your share, keeping a record of how you worked it out. Travel to see your tax adviser is also deductible. Interest the ATO charges you (the general interest charge and shortfall interest charge) is no longer deductible if it is incurred on or after 1 July 2025.

Worked example: you pay $250 in August 2026 for your 2025-26 return and your income falls in the 30 per cent tax bracket. With the 2 per cent Medicare levy, the deduction is worth $250 x 32% = $80 when you lodge your 2026-27 return. The real cost of the return is $250 less $80, or $170.

When to get help

If your return is wages and pre-filled interest, the cheapest option may be all you need. Once you have a rental, a business, capital gains or overdue years, the fee is a small part of the money at stake, and the quality of the work matters more than the price.

Acquire Strategic Accounting provides registered tax agent services from Victoria Point and Jimboomba. If you are comparing quotes, ask each firm the same questions about scope, GST and extras so the numbers are comparable.