The tax year is from 1 April to 31 March. After the end of the tax year we work out if you've paid the right amount of tax, if you have a refund or more tax to pay.
We use the information we have about your income and tax types. We already know about any taxed income you received during the year like from salary or wages.
We do not know about untaxed income like from:
- self employment
- overseas
- rental property including Airbnb and Bookabach
- 'under the table' cash jobs
- an estate, trust or partnership.
Why have I been asked to complete an individual tax return IR3?
Some of the common reasons we ask customers to complete an individual tax return (IR3) are because they:
- received untaxed income in the previous tax year
- received income as a shareholder in a company, or as a beneficiary of a trust in the previous tax year
- received interest or dividends from a partnership, look-through company, trust or estate
- have overdue tax returns
- are registered for GST (unless they're an IR56 taxpayer)
- are registered as an employer (unless they're an IR56 taxpayer, or their only employee is a nanny or private domestic worker, or they got individualised funding for payments to a disabled person or Ministry of Health funded family care)
- use the AIM method to work out their provisional tax
- have a non standard balance date.
If any of these situations apply to you, you'll need to give us more information by filling out an IR3. If you're registered for myIR then we'll send you a copy to complete online. If you're not registered for myIR then we'll send you a paper copy instead.
If none of these apply to you, or you do not think you need to complete an IR3, contact us to discuss your situation.
How can I change my income types?
You need to let us know whenever you start getting a new type of income or stop getting an existing type.
The easiest way to let us know is in myIR.
Or you can call us on:
- 0800 775 247 (individual customers)
- 0800 377 774 (business customers)
I’ve told Inland Revenue about changes to my income types. Do I still need to complete an IR3?
Even if you stop getting an income type during the tax year you still need to complete an IR3 at the end of that tax year.
You might not need to complete an IR3 at the end of the next tax year – it depends on your situation for that tax year.