If you're a New Zealand tax resident and you earn between $24,000 and $70,000 in a tax year, you might be able to get the independent earner tax credit (IETC).
Your type of income counts
You can get the IETC on income from:
- salary or wages
- Student Allowance
- Veterans' weekly compensation payments
- ACC compensation payments
- paid parental leave
- investments
- self-employment
- business that is run through a trust
- other types of business income.
You cannot get the IETC if:
- you or your partner are entitled to and receive Working for Families
- you receive an income-tested benefit
- you receive New Zealand Superannuation
- you receive a Veteran’s Pension
- you receive an overseas equivalent of any of the above.
IETC is worked out on whole months. If you receive any of the above payments and/or entitlements any time during a month, you will not be entitled to IETC for that whole month.
How much you can get
From July 2024 if your income (before tax) in the tax year is between:
- $24,000 and $66,000 – you get $10 per week
- $66,001 and $70,000 – your entitlement reduces by 13 cents for every dollar you earn over $66,000.
Your before-tax income does not include any losses you may have brought forward from previous years.
Am I eligible for the IETC?
Depending on your sources of income, you'll either get this tax credit by giving your employer the right tax code or filing your tax return. The most you can receive is $520 per year.
How to get the IETC
The way you get the IETC depends on where your income comes from. The following pages explain how you can get it in different situations.
Getting the independent earner tax credit if you earn salary or wages
Getting the independent earner tax credit if you get income from other sources
Getting the independent earner tax credit if you move from a benefit to a job