If your business has a 31 March balance date, the standard deadline to file your income tax return with Inland Revenue is 7 July. Many business owners don’t realise there are ways to obtain more time. Here are the 3 main ways to get an extension, including what to do if you’ve ...

Every year around this time, thousands of New Zealand business owners panic because they believe they have until 7 July to file their income tax return. And they start worrying about whether Inland Revenue will hit them with penalties. The truth? Many business owners don’t actually n...

The IRD has just released its new kilometre rates for the 2026 income year, and you’ll be able to claim more than you could last year. The new rates are relevant to you whether you’re: The rates have increased across all vehicle categories, including petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric v...

Last month, my team saved a client thousands of dollars without claiming a single extra expense. IRD charged a four-figure late payment penalty, plus interest. Most taxpayers would have simply paid it. Instead, we reviewed the circumstances, prepared a case, and negotiated with IRD on the client&#82...

If your business owes IRD money, I’ve got some bad news. Budget 2026 has just given Inland Revenue another $15 million a year to strengthen compliance and debt collection activities. And the Government expects that investment to generate roughly $3 of additional tax revenue for every $1 spent. Tha...

After 25 years of standing still, the Government has proposed doubling the Foreign Investment Fund (FIF) threshold from $50,000 to $100,000. If you’ve invested in overseas shares through Hatch, Sharesies, Interactive Brokers or overseas ETFs, Budget 2026 probably gave you something to smile ab...

One day there is suddenly extra money sitting in your bank account, sometimes hundreds or even thousands of dollars you were not expecting. It’s because the IRD has given you a tax refund. For many people, it feels like free money. But I hate to be the one to burst your bubble, a tax refund [&...

Nobody likes getting a surprise tax bill from IRD. One day everything feels fine. Then suddenly there is an email, a letter, or a notification in myIR saying you owe thousands in tax you were not expecting. And the frustrating part? In many cases, the tax bill was completely predictable. The worst p...

Recently, a client paid me an extraordinary $8,500 to fix a simple GST mistake that could have been easily avoided. Here’s how you can avoid making the same mistake when registering for GST with the IRD. The 3 Registration Questions IRD Asks You (and How to Get These Right) When you register for G...