Latest news with #Paije
Daily Telegraph
22-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Telegraph
'The way I gasped!' Aussies gobsmacked over Gen Z's way of doing their tax returns
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. A Gen Zer has left older Aussies gobsmacked after revealing how she submitted her tax return this year. In a revelation that would blow the mind of any Baby Boomer, Melbourne woman Paije recently divulged that she does her taxes each year using nothing but her smart phone. 'I just saw a video on my for you page where they were talking about that thing where some purchases you can do on your phone but big purchases have to be on your laptop,' the 28-year-old explained. 'I would like everyone to know that I did my taxes on my phone. I do everything on there.' Want to join the family? Sign up to our Kidspot newsletter for more stories like this. The 28-year-old worker received a lower tax return than previous years. Picture: @princesspeeny/TikTok For more stories like this, visit: Everything is on the phone The laptop Vs phone debate has gained traction in recent years. For Gen Zers who grew up as digital natives, they wouldn't think twice about making big purchases or completing in-depth tasks on their phone. For Millennials and other generations, things they consider 'major' tasks, such as purchasing a plane ticket, are reserved for the laptop, with the idea of being left with nothing but their mobile enough to send them into a panic. So, when Paije made her tax return confession, there were plenty of older Aussies who couldn't comprehend how she could complete such a significant task without whipping out her laptop. 'The way I gasped. Not on your phone,' one person said, with another joking, 'this feels illegal'. 'I didn't think anything at tax time could be worse than people saying getting a return just means you paid too much during the year, then I saw this,' another said. One person branded it 'criminal', adding that flights, tax and online furniture shopping are all laptop tasks. Another added: 'No way, that's definitely a desktop job.' However, there were plenty of people who saw no issue with it, with others claiming it is easier to do your taxes on your phone, particularly if you use the ATO app. 'I haven't opened my laptop since high school in 2019, I use my phone for everything,' one person said. Speaking to Paije said she wanted to tap into the running joke that older generations think some activities should only be done on laptops. 'I suppose I fall into that more Type B personality type and my attitude is that a phone is just a mini computer now,' the 28-year-old said. She also noted that the ATO's myDeductions app has become increasingly user friendly, making it really easy to do your tax return with nothing but your phone. In another video, Paije revealed she was getting a $921 refund after submitting her tax return, a figure she says is the 'worst' she has ever received. While the young worker understands that getting a smaller or no return means you have paid the correct amount of tax throughout the year, she noted that 'it still hurts'. In previous years, after submitting the same kind of deductions she did this year, her return would be in the $1500 to $2000 range. She also touched on her increasing HECS-HELP debt, which is currently sitting at almost $92,000. On June 1, indexation of 3.2 per cent was applied to all student loan debts. RELATED: Easy way to minimise the amount of tax you pay Paije said doing your taxes on your phone is a lot easier than people think. Picture: ATO Hecs and tax - what students need to know While there have been welcome changes to the way indexation occurs, with the lower of either the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or the Wage Price Index applied, there is still a lot of contention around the process. While payments towards your HECS debt are taken out of your pay in real time, that money is not coming off your debt at the same rate. Instead, the ATO holds these funds as a credit until you file your tax return on or after July 1. But, because indexation occurs before this on June 1, your past contributions are actually applying to the higher indexed rate, despite coming out of your pay much earlier. Because of this, many people with student loans feel like they will never see their debts reduce. 'The indexation from the last few years means that you're not really paying anything off because it just gets added again,' Paije said. She has two bachelors degrees and is currently doing her Masters and says the idea of paying off the debt doesn't even cross her mind anymore. 'I don't see it ever happening and so the best thing to do it just ignore it. Since the payments come out of my pay each fortnight I never see the money anyway, so I am kind of just choosing peace and pretending it doesn't exists,' she said. 'It would be too much mental effort that I don't have to care about it.' Originally published as 'The way I gasped!' Aussies gobsmacked over Gen Z's way of doing their tax returns
Herald Sun
22-07-2025
- Business
- Herald Sun
'The way I gasped!' Aussies gobsmacked over Gen Z's way of doing their tax returns
A Gen Zer has left older Aussies gobsmacked after revealing how she submitted her tax return this year. In a revelation that would blow the mind of any Baby Boomer, Melbourne woman Paije recently divulged that she does her taxes each year using nothing but her smart phone. 'I just saw a video on my for you page where they were talking about that thing where some purchases you can do on your phone but big purchases have to be on your laptop,' the 28-year-old explained. 'I would like everyone to know that I did my taxes on my phone. I do everything on there.' Want to join the family? Sign up to our Kidspot newsletter for more stories like this. The 28-year-old worker received a lower tax return than previous years. Picture: @princesspeeny/TikTok For more stories like this, visit: Everything is on the phone The laptop Vs phone debate has gained traction in recent years. For Gen Zers who grew up as digital natives, they wouldn't think twice about making big purchases or completing in-depth tasks on their phone. For Millennials and other generations, things they consider 'major' tasks, such as purchasing a plane ticket, are reserved for the laptop, with the idea of being left with nothing but their mobile enough to send them into a panic. So, when Paije made her tax return confession, there were plenty of older Aussies who couldn't comprehend how she could complete such a significant task without whipping out her laptop. 'The way I gasped. Not on your phone,' one person said, with another joking, 'this feels illegal'. 'I didn't think anything at tax time could be worse than people saying getting a return just means you paid too much during the year, then I saw this,' another said. One person branded it 'criminal', adding that flights, tax and online furniture shopping are all laptop tasks. Another added: 'No way, that's definitely a desktop job.' However, there were plenty of people who saw no issue with it, with others claiming it is easier to do your taxes on your phone, particularly if you use the ATO app. 'I haven't opened my laptop since high school in 2019, I use my phone for everything,' one person said. Speaking to Paije said she wanted to tap into the running joke that older generations think some activities should only be done on laptops. 'I suppose I fall into that more Type B personality type and my attitude is that a phone is just a mini computer now,' the 28-year-old said. She also noted that the ATO's myDeductions app has become increasingly user friendly, making it really easy to do your tax return with nothing but your phone. In another video, Paije revealed she was getting a $921 refund after submitting her tax return, a figure she says is the 'worst' she has ever received. While the young worker understands that getting a smaller or no return means you have paid the correct amount of tax throughout the year, she noted that 'it still hurts'. In previous years, after submitting the same kind of deductions she did this year, her return would be in the $1500 to $2000 range. She also touched on her increasing HECS-HELP debt, which is currently sitting at almost $92,000. On June 1, indexation of 3.2 per cent was applied to all student loan debts. RELATED: Easy way to minimise the amount of tax you pay Paije said doing your taxes on your phone is a lot easier than people think. Picture: ATO Hecs and tax - what students need to know While there have been welcome changes to the way indexation occurs, with the lower of either the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or the Wage Price Index applied, there is still a lot of contention around the process. While payments towards your HECS debt are taken out of your pay in real time, that money is not coming off your debt at the same rate. Instead, the ATO holds these funds as a credit until you file your tax return on or after July 1. But, because indexation occurs before this on June 1, your past contributions are actually applying to the higher indexed rate, despite coming out of your pay much earlier. Because of this, many people with student loans feel like they will never see their debts reduce. 'The indexation from the last few years means that you're not really paying anything off because it just gets added again,' Paije said. She has two bachelors degrees and is currently doing her Masters and says the idea of paying off the debt doesn't even cross her mind anymore. 'I don't see it ever happening and so the best thing to do it just ignore it. Since the payments come out of my pay each fortnight I never see the money anyway, so I am kind of just choosing peace and pretending it doesn't exists,' she said. 'It would be too much mental effort that I don't have to care about it.' Originally published as 'The way I gasped!' Aussies gobsmacked over Gen Z's way of doing their tax returns
Sky News AU
22-07-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
'This feels illegal': Australians divided after Gen Z woman shares her surprising way of completing tax return
Taxpayers have been left divided over an Australian woman's revelation about how she completed her tax return this year. Gen Z woman Paije shared a video on TikTok, explaining she surprisingly completed her tax return on her phone. "I'd like everyone to know that I did my tax return on my phone. I do everything on there," said the 28-year-old. Some Aussies were baffled over how the woman did the tax return, something that can be complex at times, on her laptop instead of her phone. "Criminal... flights, tax, and online furniture shopping are for tablets/laptops," one commented. "This feels illegal," another said. While a third simply commented "jail" in response. Many agreed with Paije though, noting they also preferred to use their phone for purchases which historically have been reserved for computers or laptops. "We organised a house build on a rural property on our phones. Also sold our other house on our phones. We also do our taxes, book holidays etc all on our phones. we don't own a computer," one said. "A laptop/computer is just a giant phone?!?. Why wouldn't you be able to do all that on your phone? I purchased a house and took out a mortgage all from my phone," another commented. "I booked my mum's international flights on my phone, I do taxes on my phone, I do therapy on my phone, I booked my dang wedding on my phone," a third said. Another agreed that they also filled out their tax return on their phone, but when it came to big purchases they would use their laptop. In a pair of other videos uploaded by Paije, she revealed her whopping HECS debt and how it impacted how much money she received in her tax return. She showed her HECS debt had surpassed $90k, in a video which which garnered more than 420,000 views. In the following video, she complained "the ATO is really out to get me" after receiving "the worst tax return I've ever had" with a refund of $921.75. But commenters were quick to explain that was still a good tax return in comparison to others, as some often have to pay tax rather than receive a refund. "You know if you get a large return that just means you paid too much tax during the year right? Tax returns aren't meant to be the cash windfall everyone expects them to be... getting a small return means you had some deductions that were claimable and that the tax you paid during the year was pretty much spot on," one said. "Girl I OWE $450 after paying $30,000 in tax," another said.
News.com.au
21-07-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Gen Z reveals how she did her tax return this year, leaving older Aussies gobsmacked
A Gen Zer has left older Aussies gobsmacked after revealing how she submitted her tax return this year. In a revelation that would blow the mind of any Baby Boomer, Melbourne woman Paije recently divulged that she does her taxes each year using nothing but her smart phone. 'I just saw a video on my for you page where they were talking about that thing where some purchases you can do on your phone but big purchases have to be on your laptop,' the 28-year-old explained. 'I would like everyone to know that I did my taxes on my phone. I do everything on there.' The laptop Vs phone debate has gained traction in recent years. For Gen Zers who grew up as digital natives, they wouldn't think twice about making big purchases or completing in-depth tasks on their phone. For Millennials and other generations, things they consider 'major' tasks, such as purchasing a plane ticket, are reserved for the laptop, with the idea of being left with nothing but their mobile enough to send them into a panic. So, when Paije made her tax return confession, there were plenty of older Aussies who couldn't comprehend how she could complete such a significant task without whipping out her laptop. 'The way I gasped. Not on your phone,' one person said, with another joking, 'this feels illegal'. 'I didn't think anything at tax time could be worse than people saying getting a return just means you paid too much during the year, then I saw this,' another said. One person branded it 'criminal', adding that flights, tax and online furniture shopping are all laptop tasks. Another added: 'No way, that's definitely a desktop job.' However, there were plenty of people who saw no issue with it, with others claiming it is easier to do your taxes on your phone, particularly if you use the ATO app. 'I haven't opened my laptop since high school in 2019, I use my phone for everything,' one person said. Speaking to Paije said she wanted to tap into the running joke that older generations think some activities should only be done on laptops. 'I suppose I fall into that more Type B personality type and my attitude is that a phone is just a mini computer now,' the 28-year-old said. She also noted that the ATO's myDeductions app has become increasingly user friendly, making it really easy to do your tax return with nothing but your phone. In another video, Paije revealed she was getting a $921 refund after submitting her tax return, a figure she says is the 'worst' she has ever received. While the young worker understands that getting a smaller or no return means you have paid the correct amount of tax throughout the year, she noted that 'it still hurts'. In previous years, after submitting the same kind of deductions she did this year, her return would be in the $1500 to $2000 range. She also touched on her increasing HECS-HELP debt, which is currently sitting at almost $92,000. On June 1, indexation of 3.2 per cent was applied to all student loan debts. While there have been welcome changes to the way indexation occurs, with the lower of either the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or the Wage Price Index applied, there is still a lot of contention around the process. While payments towards your HECS debt are taken out of your pay in real time, that money is not coming off your debt at the same rate. Instead, the ATO holds these funds as a credit until you file your tax return on or after July 1. But, because indexation occurs before this on June 1, your past contributions are actually applying to the higher indexed rate, despite coming out of your pay much earlier. Because of this, many people with student loans feel like they will never see their debts reduce. 'The indexation from the last few years means that you're not really paying anything off because it just gets added again,' Paije said. She has two bachelors degrees and is currently doing her Masters and says the idea of paying off the debt doesn't even cross her mind anymore. 'I don't see it ever happening and so the best thing to do it just ignore it. Since the payments come out of my pay each fortnight I never see the money anyway, so I am kind of just choosing peace and pretending it doesn't exists,' she said. 'It would be too much mental effort that I don't have to care about it.'
