Tax when you're headed overseas
Most people's "to-do" list when they are planning a trip overseas will likely include items such as travel insurance, phone chargers or taking photos of their passport - but probably the last thing on anyone's minds will be their likely tax situation before, during or after that trip-of-a-lifetime.
There are a few simple considerations, taken in the context of your personal circumstances, that may end up making quite a difference to your final fiscal outcome.
Generally you will remain an Australian resident for tax purposes if you're overseas temporarily and you don't set up a permanent home in another country.
There's usually nothing stopping you from working overseas, but you must lodge an Australian tax return and declare your "worldwide" income, even if tax was taken out in the country where you earned the income (there will most likely be a tax offset to take care of any doubled-up tax).
