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From 1 April 2024, multi-year backdated lump sum payments of support from Veterans’ Affairs will show as a new income type in myIR.

Multi-year backdated lump sum payments

Multi-year payments of support cover more than 1 tax year. Veterans’ Affairs pays them as a backdated lump sum.

How Veterans’ Affairs will tax a multi-year backdated lump sum payment

Multi-year payments get taxed separately from the other income you receive in the year that Veterans’ Affairs makes the payment.

The lump sum payment is usually taxed at your average tax rate for the past 4 tax years. We will provide Veterans’ Affairs with the appropriate average tax rate.

Other backdated lump sum payments

Other backdated lump sum payments from Veterans’ Affairs do not cover more than 1 tax year.

How other backdated lump sum payments will be taxed

We:

  • look at your earnings over the past 4 weeks, up to when the backdated lump sum is due to be paid
  • take this 4 weeks’ pay and times it by 13 to work out what your yearly earnings would be
  • add the lump sum to that amount and work out how much tax and ACC to deduct.

End of year income tax obligations

Both multi-year and other backdated lump sum payments will be in your annual income tax assessment.

When we work out your tax for you: income tax assessments

Request for more information - income tax assessment

If you also earn other income you need to pay tax on, such as rental or shareholder salary, you will need to file an individual income tax return instead.

Individual income tax return - IR3

KiwiSaver

You do not have to contribute to your KiwiSaver from your backdated lump sum payment from Veterans’ Affairs. It is an option you can discuss with Veterans’ Affairs. 

Employee contributions to KiwiSaver

Working for Families, child support and student loans 

If you get Working for Families payments, pay or receive child support, or have a student loan they may be affected by the backdated lump sum payment from Veterans’ Affairs.

Working for Families

If you receive weekly or fortnightly payments of the minimum family tax credit, in-work tax credit, or the Best Start tax credit for a child over 1 years old, then you must contact us to adjust your income.

You can do this in myIR, call us, send a message in myIR or send us a letter.

Adjust your income for Working for Families and student loans

Working for Families and Best Start - contact us 

Child support

If you are a liable parent or a receiving carer, you may need to estimate your income.

Estimating your income for child support 

If you are a liable parent or a receiving carer and have already estimated your income this year, you need to contact us.

Child support - contact us 

Student loans

If you live in New Zealand, you may need to pay back some of your student loan from your Veterans’ Affairs backdated lump sum payment.

Repaying my student loan when I am self-employed or earn other income

If the Veterans’ Affairs backdated lump sum payment is more than $8,333 you may have to make interim payments.

Interim student loan repayments

If you think you should not have to make interim payments, you can look at estimating your repayments or contact us.

How to estimate your interim repayment in myIR

Student loans - contact us

It is important that you contact us if you have any questions, especially if you have to pay back your student loan when you normally do not need to.

Last updated: 31 Mar 2025
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