Nominating Helen as your agent
If your business has an ABN, the ATO needs you to nominate Helen before she is allowed to act for you. It is a short job, but it has to be done by you and it catches people out. Here is what actually happens.
Two things worth knowing first
Helen cannot do this for you
This is the part people find frustrating, and it is deliberate on the ATO's side. The nomination is the security step that proves you chose your agent, so it has to come from you. She can talk you through it, but she cannot press the buttons.
It expires after 28 days
Once you nominate her, Helen has 28 days to accept before it lapses. If it lapses you have to do it again from the start. So tell her once you have done it, rather than assuming she has been notified — she does not get an alert.
What you need before you start
- A myID set up on your phone, at Standard identity strength or above.
- RAM access to your business — Relationship Authorisation Manager. If you are the principal authority (usually the director or trustee), you link yourself. If not, someone who is has to authorise you first.
- Helen's details, so you nominate the right agent. Ring her on 02 9905 4997 and she will give you her registered agent number.
If you have never used myID or RAM, that setup is genuinely the longest part of this. It is worth doing on a laptop with your phone next to you.
The steps
Log in to Online services for business
Using your myID. This is the ATO's portal for businesses, not the myGov one you use for your personal tax.
Go to Profile, then Agent details
There is an option to add or nominate an agent.
Search for Helen and nominate her
Check the details that come back match what she gave you before you confirm. This is the step where nominating the wrong agent is possible.
Tell Helen you have done it
She has 28 days to accept, and she is not notified automatically. A quick call or a message through your documents page is enough.
The ATO changes its screens from time to time. If what you are looking at does not match, their page above is the one that will be current.
If you get stuck
Ring Helen on 02 9905 4997. Getting stuck on this is normal and it is not a tax question — she has talked plenty of people through it.