PAY TAX
When do I need to pay income tax?
Find out when your income tax is due, what happens if you’re linked to a tax agent, and why your due date might be later than you think.
When Is Income Tax Due for Small Businesses in New Zealand?
For each income tax year ending 31 March, the standard due date to file and pay is 7 July.
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However, if you’re linked to an accountant or tax agent, you’ll usually fall under their Extension of Time, which pushes your deadline to 31 March the following year. That’s a significant difference and one of the practical benefits of working with an accountant from early on.
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The process works like this: your accountant prepares a set of financial statements, uses those to calculate your tax, files your return with IRD, and then you pay whatever is owed (or receive a refund if you’ve overpaid).
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You’ll only receive a refund if you’ve actually paid tax during the year. If you haven’t paid anything, there’s nothing to refund.