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This page shows overdue tax debt by product, tax debt by age of debt, and tax debt by customer type, as at the end of each quarter.

This data is provided through an Excel file located at the bottom of this page. The data is due to be updated two months post the end of each quarter.

Total amount of tax debt by product as at the end of each quarter

This graph shows the amount of debt at each quarter, split by product and number of customers with debt up to 31 March 2024.

Total amount of quarterly tax debt by product up to March 2024

This graph has 15 stacked vertical bars and a horizontal line tracking tax debt data over each quarter from September 2020 to 31 March 2024.

The vertical bars show each tax product including income tax–individuals, income tax–non individuals, GST, employer activities, Working for Families tax credits, and other tax. The vertical axes show both the amount of debt (billions), and the number of debtors (thousands). The horizonal line tracks the number of customers with debt.

As at 31 March 2024:

  • Tax debt for income tax (individuals) increased from $1.1 billion in March 2023 to $1.6 billion in March 2024.
  • Tax debt for income tax (non-individuals) increased from $540.0 million in March 2023 to $773.3 million in March 2024.
  • Tax debt for GST increased from $1.9 billion in March 2023 to $2.6 billion in March 2024.
  • Tax debt for employer activities increased from $916.7 million in March 2023 to $1.4 billion in March 2024.
  • Tax debt for Working for Families tax credits increased from $191.9 million in March 2023 to $282.9 million in March 2024.
  • Tax debt for other tax decreased from $154.7 million in March 2023 to $148.3 million in March 2024.
  • The number of customers with debt increased from 436 thousand in March 2023 to 551 thousand in March 2024.
  • Total tax debt across all tax types increased from $4.8 billion in March 2023 to $6.7 billion in March 2024.

Notes:

  • The rise and fall of the number of customers with tax debt coincides with key filing dates.
  • How IR mitigates debt growth is covered in IR’s annual reports.
  • Data is taken as at the last day of the month specified.
  • Tax debt excludes child support, student loans, Covid-19 relief products, and cost of living payments.
  • In 2020 there was a significant upgrade to our systems which changed the way debt was reported. The number of customers with tax debt is only available from September 2020 onwards.
  • Income tax reporting and total tax debtor numbers for September and December 2023 have been restated to incorporate overdue tax debt of tax pooling customers and these will be included going forward.

Total amount of tax debt by age of debt as at the end of each quarter

This graph shows the amount of debt, split by age of debt (under two years and over two years), up to 31 March 2024.

Graph showing quarterly total amount of tax debt by age up to March 2024

This graph has 15 stacked vertical bars tracking tax debt data over each quarter from September 2020 to March 2024. The vertical bars show tax debt over two years old, and tax debt under two years old. The vertical axis shows the amount of debt (billions).

As at 31 March 2024:

  • Tax debt over two years old has increased from $2.6 billion in March 2023 to $3.1 billion in March 2024.
  • Tax debt under two years old has increased from $2.3 billion in March 2023 to $3.6 billion in March 2024. 

Notes:

  • Data is taken as at the last day of the month specified.
  • Tax debt excludes child support, student loans, Covid-19 relief products, and cost of living payments.

Total amount of tax debt by customer type as at the end of each quarter

This graph shows the amount of tax debt owed by customers, split by customer type, up to 31 March 2024.

Total amount of quarterly tax debt by customer type up to March 2023 

This graph has three horizontal lines tracking tax debt from different customer/entity types: companies, individuals, and other over each quarter from September 2020 to 31 March 2024. The vertical axis shows the tax debt value (billions).

As at 31 March 2024:

  • Tax debt for companies has increased from $2.9 billion in March 2023 to $4.0 billion in March 2024.
  • Tax debt for companies has increased from $1.7 billion in March 2023 to $2.3 billion in March 2024.
  • Tax debt for other entities has increased from $288.1 million in March 2023 to $357.5 million in March 2024.

Notes:

  • Data is taken as at the last day of the month specified.
  • Tax debt excludes child support, student loans, COVID-19 relief products, and cost of living payments.
  • Other entities are all customers that are not individuals or companies. This includes embassies, high commissions, holding accounts, government entities, Māori authorities, partnerships, societies/clubs, superannuation scheme providers, trusts, and unit trusts. 
Last updated: 06 Jun 2024
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