Skip to main content

End-of-year closedown Our offices and phone lines will close down over the holiday season but you can still contact us online. Find out more

Managing Working for Families More information

Audio and visual transcript

Scene 1

Visual

The title Working for Families Tax Credits is displayed.

A person is standing outside their home. To show how busy life can be the following appear around the person:

  • a baby in a stroller
  • a child wearing a school bag
  • a child on a scooter
  • a child kicking a ball
  • the person’s partner.

After all this lightning bolt symbols appear over the person’s head.

The lightning bolts are replaced by a thought bubble with our logo inside of it.

Audio

Music

Easy listening and joyful music plays throughout the entire video.

Narrator

Life is busy, especially when you’re managing childcare, school, work, family, and all the other unexpected challenges life can throw at you.

It can be hard to remember to keep us up to date with changes.

Scene 2

Visual

A circle appears on the left of the screen with a dollar sign in the middle. Another circle appears on the right with a calendar in the middle.

The dollar sign turns into a form with YOUR INFORMATION written on it.

The calendar turns into 2 people with arrows spinning around the edge of the circle.

A big tick appears on top of the YOUR INFORMATION form.

The YOUR INFORMATION form moves to the middle of the screen, a dollar sign with an arrow pointing down appears, this is then replaced by a dollar sign with an arrow pointing up. These indicate you could be under or overpaid if the information we have about you is not up to date.

Audio

Narrator

It’s important we pay you the right amount, at the right time.

To do this, we need you to check that the information we have is correct, and keep us up to date with any changes to your family circumstances.

Because the amount we pay you depends on the information you provide, you could be underpaid, or overpaid if we don’t have the right information.

Scene 3

Visual

The YOUR INFORMATION form moves to the left of the screen again. A person sitting at a desk with a computer and folders appears on the right.

The form flies to the left, the work scene changes to show 2 parents at home. The form lands on the left of the screen again.

The form increases in size and the following appear with ticks next to them:

  • Family details
  • 1 April to 31 March income
  • Income for next tax year.

The form decreases in size, a cross appears indicating some information is wrong.

Icons for letters and emails, and the myIR logo appear.

A tick appears on the form again.

Audio

Narrator

If you work, we receive some information from your employer, but it is your responsibility to update your information with us, if you or your partner’s income changes.

You need to check we have:

  • the right details about you and your children
  • the right income for the past tax year, that’s the first of April till the thirty-first of March
  • estimated the right family income for the next tax year.

If you see that we don’t have the right information about you or your partner based on letters or emails we send you, or what you see in myIR, you need to update your details to make sure you get paid the right amount.

Scene 4

Visual

The screen is split into 2 halves side-by-side. A person sitting in an armchair and a toddler with a speech bubble appear on the left. 2 Parents celebrating a child kicking a ball appear on the right.

A circle with a dollar sign appears on the left. A circle with 2 people and arrows spinning around the edge appears on the right.

The circle on the right disappears. The dollar sign changes into the following symbols:

  • 2 arrows, 1 pointing up and the other down indicating increases or decreases in income
  • a clock indicating changes in hours of work
  • a person with a dollar sign next to them indicating self-employed income
  • a hand with a child in it indicating changes to child support
  • a hand with a dollar sign in it indicating changes to benefits
  • a hand with a piggy bank in it indicating changes to pensions
  • the letters ACC indicating changes to ACC payments
  • a graduation cap (mortar board) indicating changes in a student allowance.

The circle on the right with 2 people and arrows spinning around the edge reappears. The icon in the middle changes to the following:

  • a house with 2 people next to it indicating a partner leaving or joining the family
  • a baby indicating a new child is in the care of the family
  • a person holding the hand of a parent indicating the child is moving out
  • 2 arrows circling each other indicating shared care arrangements have changed
  • a house with a letterbox beside it indicating the family has moved
  • an old telephone indicating a change in contact details.

Audio

Narrator

You don’t need to tell us about every family milestone like first words or first football goals.

You just need to tell us when your family income changes, or your family circumstances change, so we can make sure you’re getting paid the correct amount.

We need to know about increases and decreases in income, changes in hours of work, if you start or stop earning self-employed income, changes in child support, benefits, pensions, ACC and any changes to your student allowance.

We also need to know if your family circumstances change.

Please tell us if your spouse or partner moves in or out, you start looking after a child, a child leaves your care, or your shared care arrangements change.

We also need to know if you move to a new address, or change your contact details.

Scene 5

Visual

An internet browser takes over the screen with the myIR logo on it.

Our web address ird.govt.nz replaces the myIR logo.

A form with YOUR INFORMATION written on it replaces our web address. A tick appears on the form indicating the family details have been checked in myIR and are correct.

An envelope icon replaces the form indicating you can message us in myIR. A circle with 15 appears next to the envelope indicating it can take up to 15 working days to get a response to any messages sent in myIR. An envelope icon replaces the circle with 15 in it, suggesting we normally respond quicker than that.

A circle with the deaf and hard of hearing logo appears on the left, a circle with a speech bubble appears on the right.

Our web address ird.govt.nz replaces both circles.

Audio

Narrator

The simplest, fastest way to tell us about any changes is through your myIR account.

If you haven’t registered yet, you can set this up by visiting ird.govt.nz.

You can keep your information up-to-date and send us messages through myIR.

You’ll receive a reply letting you know it may take up to fifteen working days for a response.

We usually respond to messages faster than that, so you’re likely to hear back from us sooner.

If you are hard of hearing, or would like a translator to help you, there is a range of services to help support you.

Please visit ird.govt.nz for more information.

Scene 6

Visual

A family of 2 parents and 4 children appears with a calendar next to them on the left. The calendar has a day highlighted each week. These highlighted days disappear indicating payments have stopped.

An end-of-year bill notice replaces the calendar.

A thought bubble appears over the head of 1 parent with our logo inside it. Our logo turns into a tick indicating the family has told us about any changes.

INCOME TAX ASSESSMENT appears on the bill notice and moves to the middle of the screen.

A magnifying glass appears on the assessment with 7 FEB inside it, this changes to 7 APR.

The magnifying glass is replaced by an envelope icon indicating we’ll send a reminder letter before the due date of a bill.

A percent symbol appears indicating penalties and interest apply when a bill is not paid in full by the due date.

Audio

Narrator

If you don't tell us about changes as they happen, your weekly or fortnightly payments may reduce or stop, or you may get a bill at the end of the tax year.

The sooner you tell us about a change, the better.

If your end-of-year income tax assessment shows you have a Working for Families bill to pay, we’re here to support you to do this.

Your bill won’t be due until the seventh of February, or seventh of April if you have a tax agent.

We’ll send you a reminder letter before your payment is due.

If you haven’t paid your bill in full by the due date, penalties and interest may apply.

Scene 7

Visual

The income tax assessment moves to the left, a circle with a dollar sign and WORKING FOR FAMILIES PAYMENTS appears on the right.

Quarter of the Working for Families circle is shaded indicating some of this is being used to repay the bill every pay day. A laptop with the myIR logo appears indicating you can choose to use this option in your myIR account. The myIR logo is replaced by an envelope.

Audio

Narrator

We’ve got options on how to repay overpayments to suit your circumstances, including, using current Working for Families payments to repay overpayments.

Some customers prefer to use some of their weekly or fortnightly Working for Families payments to pay off their bill.

If this sounds like you, you can set this up in myIR specifying how much you would like taken out of your payments every week or fortnight.

Or, get in touch and we’ll set it up for you.

Scene 8

Visual

A calendar replaces the Working for Families payments circle. A day is highlighted on every week, then 2 days disappear indicating you can make payments weekly or fortnightly.

A payslip replaces the calendar indicating you can have repayments made straight from your pay. A tick appears on the payslip.

Audio

Narrator

Setting up a payment plan.

Payment plans can make things easier by splitting what you owe over weekly or fortnightly repayments.

This could be an automatic payment or a deduction from your income.

We’ll work with you to ensure any repayments are affordable.

Scene 9

Visual

A thumbs down icon appears, this is then replaced by a laptop with 3 dollar signs on the screen indicating a payment plan. An envelope icon replaces the dollar signs indicating you can message us with your payment plan proposal.

A big tick appears in the middle of the screen. A family then appears with 2 parents and 4 children.

The video ends with our web address ird.govt.nz and logo.

Audio

Narrator

Online instalment arrangement.

We know sometimes talking about money can be awkward.

If you’d prefer not to talk to us, you can propose a payment plan that works for you, using our online installment arrangement tool.

Or, send us a myIR message, letting us know your current situation and how we can help.

If paying money back just isn’t possible right now, we’ll work with you to come up with a solution.

Send us a message through myIR or give us a call.

We want to make this as stress free as we can, so you can focus on your family, and the things that are important to you.

Last updated: 28 Apr 2021
Jump back to the top of the page