7000 pensioners overcharged in another Inland Revenue error
Almost 7000 pensioners have been affected by another Inland Revenue error.
Last week, RNZ reported that 4500 people had overpaid tax after their imputation credits had been incorrectly recorded in their prep-populated tax returns.
Others got in touch and said they had also experienced a problem, this time with the way that NZ Super was recorded for ACC purposes.
One man said he had been charged $301.68 in ACC earner levy for $18,854.98 of gross income from NZ Super that should not have attracted a levy at all.
He said he was not able to control this when he completed his return and did not realise the error until the process was complete.
He said he did not think a lot more about it but when he saw RNZ's reporting of the other error, he realised that there had been at least two this year.
"This really starts to suggest a deficiency in change control of IRD systems."
Another couple said they wanted assurance that Inland Revenue had taken steps to stop it happening again.
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Inland Revenue said 6778 people were affected.
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"There was an issue identified earlier this year where we were not populating the 'earnings not liable' figure correctly for some customers. We fixed those returns for the customers in July 2025."
Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand tax leader John Cuthbertson said ACC was not paid on NZ Super because it was not liable income.
"However, if you're working and receiving NZ Super, your earnings from that work do attract levies."
"The advancements in digitalisation and MyIR have been quite incredible, except when it goes wrong like this. You shouldn't need a Chartered Accountant to check prepopulated forms, but the average person might not know that super income does not attract ACC levies. We used to say 'google it' but many taxpayers are now using AI to do a basic check of their tax returns, asking simple questions like 'Should I pay 'x' levy on 'y' income?"
Angus Ogilvie, managing director of Generate Accounting Group, said it was concerning that issues seemed to be leading to erroneous data being prepopulated into Inland Revenue's system.
"The new software employed was a very costly and complex project. However, taxpayers should expect that there is a high level of diligence applied to get their tax obligations right. Let's hope that the department is devoting urgent resource to correct these issues".
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Poll: Are our Kiwi summer holidays helping us recharge, or holding the economy back? ☀️🥝
There’s growing debate about whether New Zealand’s extended Christmas break (and the slowdown that comes with it) affects productivity.
Tracy Watkins has weighed in ... now it’s your turn. What’s your take? 🤔
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72.1% We work hard, we deserve a break!
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16.2% Hmm, maybe?
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11.7% Yes!
Brain Teaser of the Day 🧠✨ Can You Solve It? 🤔💬
How many balls of string does it take to reach the moon?
(Peter from Carterton kindly provided this head-scratcher ... thanks, Peter!)
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm on the day!
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7 tips to help save money this Christmas
1. Regift the things you’ve never used
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We all get given things we’ve never wanted, can’t use, and don’t need.
Instead of putting them in the bin, see if you can find a new home for them.
Right now, I have a jar of home-made pickles I know I won’t eat and a book about rugby I won’t read. But I also know my dad will love them.
Likewise, my daughter got a coffee mug for her birthday. She’s 12 and hates coffee – but it’s the perfect gift for her uncle.
This suggestion gives new life to items that might otherwise end up in landfill – and it saves you money too.
But don’t perpetuate the junk. You’ll need to think carefully about whether that item really suits the person you’re regifting it to.
2. Organise a secret Santa
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An office and school favourite, this is an easy way to make sure everyone gets a gift, but no one blows their budget.
Our family set the limits at $20. We use one of the free online tools to help randomise the selections. (a good one is drawnames.co.nz).
For Consumer NZ’s Christmas party, even stricter rules are in place: the limit is $0, and the item has to be second-hand or home-made.
3. Get crafty and make stuff
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This is time consuming, isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and you’ll still need to buy the raw materials to make it work.
But, a commercial Christmas card with a lame joke on the front can cost around $7.99. That’s when you realise it can be much cheaper and more satisfying to make your own. All you need is a piece of card and some coloured markers.
Other things you might be able to consider making include:
Christmas crackers
candles
soap
chocolates.
Baking, jams or preserves can also be nifty ways to make cheap, personalised gifts.
Plus, they can be far more tasty for the receiver than another pair of socks.
4. Buy second-hand
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Everyone loves a bargain, and buying second-hand has become far more accepted in our age of fast fashion and over consumption.
Facebook Marketplace and Trade Me remain great sources of second-hand goods, especially if you’re after books, records, toys or clothing.
Remember, scammers can operate on those sites, so learn about staying safe online from our article How our scam expert stays safe using online marketplaces.
5. Save on the Christmas dinner
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Perhaps the most stressful part of Christmas is putting together dinner for the entire family.
Planning and shopping in advance can help you take advantage of specials. And you won’t need to rely on getting everything in the final week, when prices could be higher.
Grocery comparison apps like Grosave, Grocer or Price Pulse can help you compare prices across different supermarkets.
Meal-kit services like My Food Bag and Hello Fresh say they will help you take the pain out of Christmas dinner. However, it’s almost certainly cheaper to source your own ingredients and cook the food yourself. Discover what we found when we tracked the supermarket prices of Christmas treats.
And here are our tips on how to prepare a stress-free Christmas dinner.
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6. Start saving for next Christmas
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If your bank balance is a little lean heading into Christmas, think about opening a savings account for next Christmas. Setting up a small weekly automatic payment into the account can help take the pressure off next year.
Or you could consider joining a supermarket Christmas club. It’s basically the same thing but can offer decent rewards and bonuses closer to Christmas.
7. Be cautious about taking on debt
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Given the current cost-of-living pressures, you may feel you have to go into debt to get through.
However, there are steps you can take so Christmas debt doesn’t blight your New Year.
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