Income tax Dates
We're aware that the drought is causing financial issues for many farmers and growers in the entire North Island, Tasman, Marlborough, Kaikoura, North Canterbury, and the Chatham Islands and understand it's likely to affect income for the 2020 and later years.
Income equalisation scheme - deposits
We're able to accept later deposits to the income equalisation scheme.
For farmers and growers whose current or future income will be significantly affected by the drought in the above-mentioned areas, we'll allow late deposits for the 2019 income tax year up to 30 April 2020, regardless of when the 2019 return is filed or what the due date is for filing the tax return.
An affected farmer will need to:
- provide evidence of how they were significantly affected by the drought - the minimum criteria for this is a statement signed by the farmer or tax agent that the farmer was significantly affected
- ensure the deposit is received by us by 30 April 2020
- provide a notice with the deposit stating that:
- it is for the main income equalisation deposit scheme
- it is to apply for the 2019 tax year
- the late deposit criteria in this notice apply.
Income equalisation scheme - withdrawals
Normally income equalisation deposits are not available for refund until 12 months after the deposit is made. However, we do have discretion to allow early refunds, particularly in the case of a medium-scale adverse event or when the person is suffering serious hardship.
We also have the ability to determine a "class of case" that qualify for an early refund.
We'll allow farmers and growers in the North Island, Tasman, Marlborough, Kaikoura, North Canterbury and the Chatham Islands who are materially affected by the drought to make early withdrawals. In this case, materially affected means that the farmer or grower is in financial difficulty or is incurring extra expenditure as a result of the drought.
All applications for an early refund must be in writing and will take approximately 20 days to process. It should be remembered that the refund will be income in the year that the application is made unless it is elected to treat the refund as income in the prior income year where the application for refund is made in the specified period.
For more information on income equalisation and deposits please refer to our Standard Practice on income equalisation deposits and refunds.
Standard Practice Statement 19/03 Income equalisation deposits and refunds
For more information please contact us on our emergency helpline 0800 473 566