Expect to be chased for even small tax debt, IRD says
Inland Revenue says even people with relatively small tax debt can expect to get a phone call about it.
The tax department is cracking down on overdue tax as it tries to pull in an estimated $10 billion in tax debt.
It said it had started calling customers with overdue GST and employer tax, even if they were at relatively small amounts, because it wanted to stop the debt getting larger.
Since 9 October, it has been calling people with debt of at least $1000, that is between six months and five years old.
It said it would tell customers what they owed and point out the penalties and interest that could be charged.
People who owed more than $10,000 would get a warning about the potential legal consequences.
Customer segment leader Tony Morris told RNZ's Checkpoint that IRD was ratcheting up the pressure on people who owed tax, after a period of taking a gentler approach.
People who did not respond to the call could be visited.
If none of those options worked, the department could take money fro bank accounts or start insolvency proceedings.
Since mid-June Inland Revenue has sent out 16,500 notices about planned bank deductions - 25 percent more than for the whole of last year.
Between mid-June and September 30, 8181 deductions were completed with $17 million of debt recovered.
While some accountants told RNZ that the heavier-handed tactics were hard for businesses that were struggling in tough economic times, Morris said there was also support for the increased collection efforts.
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Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
🎉 Riddle me this, legends! 🎉
He/She who makes it, sells it.
He/She who buys it, doesn't use it.
The user doesn't know they are using it.
What is it?
(Shezz from Ngāruawāhia kindly provided this head-scratcher ... thanks, Shezz!)
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!
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Scam Alert: Bank cold calls
ASB is warning customers about reports of cold calls from scammers claiming to be from ASB. These scammers are trying to obtain personal information, including usernames, dates of birth, and verification codes sent to your mobile phone.
🛡️ The "Caller Check" Test
If you get a call from someone claiming to be from ASB and you’re unsure, just ask them for a Caller Check. You will then be able to verify the call through the app.
Remember, banks will:
❌ Never ask for your banking passwords, PINs, or verification codes
❌ Never need to know your full credit card number – especially the CVC
❌ Never ask you to download software or remotely access your device
❌ Never ask you to purchase gift cards or transfer funds.
If you have received a phone call and think your account has been compromised, call ASB on 0800 ASB FRAUD (0800 272 372), or visit your local branch.
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