Every student should leave school knowing how to do their own tax.
First Return is a practical tax seminar for high schools. In one 50-minute session, students learn what school doesn't cover: setting up their first job correctly, claiming deductions, lodging a tax return step by step and taking control of their super. Every session is presented by a qualified accountant.
Built by recent school leavers who learned about tax the hard way
- Length
- 50 minutes
- Year levels
- 10, 11 & 12
- Group size
- Class or cohort
- Presenters
- Qualified accountants
School teaches the maths of tax. We teach students how to actually do it.
Year 11 Mathematics Standard has students calculate taxable income from tax tables. Commerce covers payslips and tax returns, but it's an elective, so many students never take it.
Then they start a casual job. They sign a TFN declaration without understanding it, claim the tax-free threshold at two jobs, guess at deductions, or never lodge and miss out on a refund.
- Builds on Money Matters in Year 11 Mathematics Standard
- Reaches the students who didn't choose Commerce
- Run by an external presenter, so no extra prep for teachers
of young Australians felt they'd learnt enough at school about managing money
said they want to learn how to file a tax return
working young people didn't know whether they were being paid super
of parents and community members want tax and super taught at school
Sources: ASIC Young People and Money survey of 15–21 year olds (2020–21); ATO-commissioned research by Kantar Public (2018).
Inside the 50-minute session: the things school doesn't show you
We skip the maths students already do in class and focus on what school leavers get stuck on once they start working. In 50 minutes, students learn everything they need to set up their first job, lodge their first tax return and choose the right super fund.
- 0:00 – 0:10
Your first job: getting the paperwork right
Applying for a tax file number, filling in the TFN declaration, which job to claim the tax-free threshold with, the super choice form, and setting up myGov linked to the ATO.
Claiming the tax-free threshold at two jobs is a common cause of a surprise tax bill.
- 0:10 – 0:25
Deductions: what you can actually claim
The ATO's three rules, the work expenses young workers can and can't claim (uniforms, tools, phone use, study for your current job), the new $1,000 standard deduction, and which receipts to keep and how.
Most people either claim nothing, or claim things they're not entitled to and risk an ATO review.
- 0:25 – 0:40
Lodging your tax return, step by step
Linking myGov to the ATO, waiting for your income statement to be “tax ready”, checking pre-filled information, adding deductions, the 31 October deadline, and whether you'll get a refund or a bill. Plus where to get free help.
This is the part almost nobody is shown, so many school leavers put it off or never lodge.
- 0:40 – 0:45
Choosing the right super fund
When to choose (your first job, before a default or stapled fund is picked for you) and how to compare funds on fees, performance and insurance using the ATO's free YourSuper comparison tool. Plus how to avoid ending up with several accounts.
Fees on a super fund you never chose can quietly cost you thousands by retirement.
- 0:45 – 0:50
Open Q&A
Students ask their own questions, from casual jobs and side hustles to what happens when they start uni.
What every school leaver should know
A preview of what students take away from the session. Figures are for the 2026–27 income year.
The tax-free threshold
Australian residents pay no income tax on the first $18,200 they earn each year. You claim it on the TFN declaration when you start a job. Claim it with your main job only: claiming it at two jobs means too little tax is withheld, and you can get a bill at tax time.
| Taxable income | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 – $18,200 | Nil |
| $18,201 – $45,000 | 15% |
| $45,001 – $135,000 | 30% |
| $135,001 – $190,000 | 37% |
| $190,001 and over | 45% |
Resident rates for 2026–27. The lowest rate fell from 16% to 15% on 1 July 2026. Most people also pay a 2% Medicare levy.
Bracket estimator
Each rate applies only to the dollars inside its bracket. Move the slider to see where your income lands.
Income tax estimate using 2026–27 resident rates, before the Medicare levy and offsets such as the low income tax offset. General information only.
What each line means
Example figures for teaching purposes.
The ATO's three rules
- You spent the money yourself and weren't paid back.
- The expense is directly related to earning your income.
- You have a record to prove it, usually a receipt.
Usually claimable
- Compulsory uniform with your employer's logo
- Protective gear like steel-capped boots
- Occupation-specific clothing, like chef's pants
Not claimable
- Plain black pants or a white shirt, even if required
- Normal travel between home and work
- Anything your employer paid back
New from 2026–27: a $1,000 standard deduction for work-related expenses.
Super: 12% on top of your pay
Employers pay super into your fund. If you're under 18, you're entitled to it when you work more than 30 hours in a week. From 1 July 2026, super must reach your fund within 7 business days of payday.
Lodge by 31 October
Lodge online through myGov. If tax was withheld from your pay and you earned under the tax-free threshold, lodging is how you get that money back.
Side hustles and scams
Income from an ABN, gig work or online sales has no tax taken out, so set some aside. The ATO will never ask you to pay with gift cards or crypto.
One session, built to fit a single period
A 50-minute seminar presented by a qualified accountant, adjusted to the year level and finished with Q&A.
The First Return seminar
- First-job paperwork: TFN, tax-free threshold and super choice
- Deductions: what you can claim and which receipts to keep
- Lodging a tax return on myGov, step by step
- Choosing the right super fund
- 5 minutes of Q&A
- Length
- 50 minutes
- Year levels
- 10, 11 and 12
- Audience
- A whole year group or individual classes
- You provide
- A projector, screen and microphone
- Presented by
- A qualified accountant
Where it fits in the NSW curriculum
Students already calculate taxable income and tax payable. The seminar shows where those numbers appear on a real payslip and tax return.
Payslips, applying for a TFN and lodging a tax return, as an applied session.
Practical preparation for part-time work and life after school.
We left school without knowing how to do our tax. So we built the session we needed.
First Return was started by a group of young Sydney students. When we left school and started working, we realised how little we knew about tax. Then we ran into the problems that come with it.
- !
We didn't even know how to lodge our first tax return.
- !
We guessed at deductions, and didn't know which receipts we needed to keep.
- !
Some of us got unexpected tax bills. Others never lodged and missed out on refunds.
We worked it out the hard way, and turned what we learned into one clear, practical session.
Presented by qualified accountants
Every session is delivered by a qualified accountant who knows the tax system inside out and sees the mistakes young workers make every tax season. Students get our first-hand story and real professional expertise in the same room.
General information, done properly. The session explains how the tax system works. It doesn't give personal tax advice; students are pointed to the ATO and registered tax agents for their own situation.
Common questions from schools
Who presents the sessions?
Every session is presented by a qualified accountant. First Return was started by students who struggled with tax after leaving school. Our accountants bring the professional knowledge, and our story shows students why it matters.
Is this financial or tax advice?
No. The session gives general information about how tax works in Australia. It doesn't apply tax law to any student's personal circumstances. Students who need advice about their own situation are referred to the ATO or a registered tax agent.
What do you need from the school?
A room with a projector and screen, and a microphone for larger groups. A staff member stays with students for the session, as with any visiting presenter.
Which year level gets the most out of it?
Year 10 and Year 11, because that's when most students start casual work. It also suits Year 12 students about to finish school.
How much does it cost?
Pricing depends on the number of students and sessions. Get in touch with your year level and approximate numbers for a quote.
Bring First Return to your school in 2027
Send an email with a few details and you'll get a reply with available dates and a quote.
- School name and suburb
- Year level and approximate number of students
- Preferred term or dates