The ATO has stepped up in its efforts to support businesses in making the necessary move to myGovID.
The ATO has reiterated that it and 26 other government agencies are set to implement myGovID and replace the decade-old AUSkey on 27 March. This means anyone who uses the ATO’s Business Portal must set up and start using a myGovID.
The ATO’s Assistant Commissioner for Small Business Experience, Andrew Watson, said, “Time is running out before AUSkey retires, and this date can’t be extended. That’s why we’re strongly urging everyone who uses the ATO’s Business Portal and hasn’t set up their myGovID yet to make the move now. We’re here to help every step of the way.”
Once it is set up, the principal authority of the business must link their myGovID to their business using the authorisation service called Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM) and authorise who can act on behalf of their business.
Together, myGovID and RAM will prove the identity of an individual prior to granting them access to the ATO’s Business Portal and other government online services.
Each employee who will need to access the ATO’s Business Portal must have their own smart device and set up their own myGovID as well. The ATO recommends they use a personal email address to set up myGovID, as it belongs to them and not the business.
“It’s important to note that after 27 March businesses won’t be able to access the Business Portal to lodge their activity statements or pay super guarantee contributions through the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House, unless they have set up a myGovID,”Watson said.
Watson added, “myGovID and RAM help protect your business and ensure no one can access your information or act on your behalf online without your permission. We’ve had more than 670,000 myGovID downloads so far, and we think most people will find it solves a lot of problems they had with AUSkey. Set up your myGovID today and link it to your business using RAM – it’s simple, secure and flexible.”
The ATO has developed a range of materials to help businesses make the move to myGovID ahead of the retirement of AUSkey and the Manage ABN Connections login credentials on 27 March. Factsheets, guides, webinars and Q&A material are all available at www.ato.gov.au/mygovid.
