On 18 July 2022, Justice Derrington of the Federal Court ordered Franibelle Saludo Ordiales of Brisbane to stop preparing and lodging income tax returns, for a fee, while not a registered tax agent with the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB). 

If Ms Ordiales breaches the order imposed by the Court, she will be liable to imprisonment or other punishment for contempt. This order will remain in place until the TPB’s application for penalties and a final injunction is heard by the Court.

The TPB has notified the clients of Ms Ordiales and is working closely with Griffith University’s Tax Clinic, who are offering free tax advice to people impacted by Ms Ordiales. Anyone caught up with an unregistered preparer should urgently review their affairs, and if required, contact the Australian Taxation Office.

TPB Chair, Mr Ian Klug AM, said ‘Ms Ordiales’ behaviour has subjected her clients to significant risk, potentially exposing them to thousands of dollars in taxes and penalties which they are accountable for and will need to repay.’ 

He continued, ‘when engaging a tax agent check the TPB register to ensure the authenticity of the agent’s registration and be wary of promises of a large tax refund. Never share your myGov password with anyone as doing so puts your personal and financial information at risk.’

‘The TPB will continue to build focus on unregistered preparers and are committed to deterring this conduct by ensuring these preparers are stopped from acting unlawfully and putting consumers at risk. We expect to build upon the success of cases we litigated last year, which included 219 cases of complaints about unregistered preparers who are failing to provide legal and ethical advice to their clients.’

Taxpayers obtaining professional tax advice should engage a tax practitioner registered with the TPB. This can be done by checking the TPB Register. It’s free and easy to use and could potentially save taxpayers from penalties and additional fees. In addition, to further assist taxpayers, the TPB has added new website content that outlines their unregistered preparers strategy and the outcomes of court proceedings.

About the Tax Practitioners Board 

The TPB regulates tax practitioners in order to protect consumers. The TPB aims to assure the community that tax practitioners meet appropriate standards of professional and ethical conduct. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.