COVID-19
We understand the effect that COVID-19 has had on the income and businesses of many of our customers. Tax relief and income assistance is available to people affected by the downturn in business due to COVID-19.
If you have paid tax late that included interest and penalties, you can request remission of the interest and penalties if your income has been affected by COVID-19. This remission is available for all tax types except student loan and child support payments.
Remission requests can be made by phone or in myIR.
Penalties and interest remission
You cannot use the COVID-19 use of money interest remission provision when any tax is underpaid because of a loss carry-back.
Temporary loss carry-back scheme
We may charge late payment penalties for unpaid tax. We will not charge late payment penalties on:
- unpaid tax of $100 or less
- student loan payments - but we may charge late payment interest.
Penalty amounts
Late payment penalties start from the day after the payment due date. If your tax is reassessed, we may set a new due date before we charge penalties.
Penalties for late payments can be given in 3 stages:
- 1% penalty on the day after payment due date
- 4% penalty for remaining tax including penalties on 7th day after payment due date
- 1% penalty every month the remaining tax including penalties is unpaid.
If it's your first late payment in a 2 year period, we may give you a grace period before we charge penalties. We'll tell you if you have a grace period and your new due date. If you do not pay by the new due date, we'll charge the penalty from the original due date.
These penalty rates do not apply for child support. Child support penalties have different rates.
Penalties for employment information
If you file employment information but do not pay the correct amount, you may have to pay:
- a non-payment penalty
- late payment penalties and interest.
The non-payment penalty is 10% of the overdue amount. If you still do not pay, another 10% penalty will be added each month an amount remains unpaid.
When you pay the unpaid amount or enter into an instalment arrangement, the last 10% penalty given will reduce to 5%.
Māori authority penalties
Māori authorities with a debit balance in their Māori authority credit account (MACA) at 31 March will get a 10% penalty on that amount. The debit balance is further income tax due, and the penalty is a Māori authority distribution penalty tax.
Further income tax and Māori authority distribution penalty tax are due by 20 June following the end of the MACA year.