Difference between BAS & IAS

BAS & IAS Services


There are two (2) types of activity statements. The Business Activity Statement (BAS), which must be completed by those taxpayers who are required to report GST in that activity statement period. The Instalment Activity Statement (IAS), which applies to those not registered for GST, taxpayers with investment income and GST-registered businesses that have to report GST on a quarterly basis and other obligations on a monthly basis.


BAS Preparation & Lodgement
Business Activity Statement (BAS) is a form that businesses must submit to the

Australian Taxation Office (ATO) in order to report and pay their tax liabilities. A large part of BAS is related to GST.

When you complete a BAS form you are essentially reporting the goods and services tax
amount you’ve collected on your sales minus any that you’ve paid on your purchases, with the difference being your refund or what you owe to the ATO.

Your BAS can also include PAYG withholding and instalments, wine equalisation tax, fuel tax credit and fringe benefit tax if these apply to your business.


IAS Preparation & Lodgement

An Instalment Activity Statement, or IAS, is a form used by taxpayers who are not registered

for the GST. The IAS is also the form required to be lodged by entities that prepare a quarterly BAS but are required to remit their PAYG withholding tax on a monthly basis because they are a medium withholder. The IAS is a pre-printed document issued by the ATO monthly which summarises the amounts of PAYG instalments, PAYG withholding and ABN withholding.

If you are a business or individual that deals with PAYG Instalments, PAYG withholding, and/or FBT Instalments, and you aren’t registered for the GST you will need to lodge IAS’s. It is also possible, if you’re a trustee for example, that you’ll have to fill out a combination of both business activity statements (BAS) and IAS forms.