Tax Refunds: Eligibility and Process in New Zealand

Claiming Your Donation Tax Credit

If you have donated to causes and have receipts, you may claim a tax refund. It is easiest to claim this online in myIR. This allows your tax credit to be worked out without having to file a claim when the tax year ends on 31 March. You can submit your receipts throughout the tax year or all together at the end of the tax year. Your tax credit will be available after the end of the tax year.

Individual Tax Credits and Refunds

There are tax credits you can claim as an individual. These credits mean you do not have to pay as much income tax. If you’ve paid the tax, you may get a refund at the end of the year.

Getting a GST Refund

If you request your GST refund to be paid out, it will be paid to your bank account within 15 working days from when your return is received. If your refund is under $5, it will be carried forward to the next period rather than being paid out to you.

You usually need a New Zealand bank account for us to pay a GST refund to. If you’re a non-resident business registered for GST, there may be an exception. You can update your bank account details in myIR when you file your return.

Transferring Your GST Refund

If you wish, you can request your GST refund to be transferred to another GST period, account type (like provisional tax) or a different customer. You can do this via myIR or by contacting us directly. Your request must provide the name and IRD number of the customer to whom you want the refund transferred, the account type and period, and whether the transfer is related to an arrears under an instalment arrangement.

When Refunds Are Not Paid

In some situations, your refund might not be paid. These include:

• Using a refund, or part of a refund, to pay any other taxes you owe.
• If you have an overdue GST return to file.
• If we require more information from you.

If we’re not going to pay your refund or if we need more information from you, we will inform you.

Interest on GST Refunds

Interest will be paid on GST overpayments that are more than $100. If you file your GST return before the due date, interest starts from the day after the earlier of the:

• 10th working day after you file your return.
• Original due date for the GST return.

If you file your GST return on or after the due date, interest begins from the day after you filed your return.