Rebates

Since December 2006, you can claim a special rebate if you have received a redundancy payout from an employer.

You can claim the following expenses on your PTS:

• Commission on interest or dividend income (but not bank fees).
• Interest on money you borrowed to buy shares or to invest, as long as the investment will produce some income that's taxable.
• Premiums on loss of earnings insurance, provided the benefit from the insurance policy is taxable income.
• A fee charged by someone for completing your tax return.

There are also special rebates if you are a secondary school student in the year of your PTS (Tax Claim), and if your income is under $9880.

People can also claim rebates for:

• Donations made to charitable organisations.
• Public school fees.
• Childcare.
• Housekeeping (if disabled).

In these cases we need receipts and people will get up to 1/3 back. There is also a special rebate for individuals who have been made redundant from Dec 2006 - 6 cents in every dollar paid out.

Do you qualify for a tax credit?

Donations - You have receipts to show that you donated $5 or more to:

• Approved charitable organisations.
• Approved New Zealand religious organisations.
• Medical research schools and universities.
• Approved overseas aid funds.
• Kindergarten associations (excludes private kindergartens or other early childcare fees - these maybe claimed under the childcare tax credit).
• State and state integrated schools, or their board of trustees (the payments can either be "donations" or payment of "school fees" if they go to the school's general fund.

Exceptions:

• Payments for classes where there is a take-home component, such as woodwork.
• Where attendance or participation in the activity is voluntary
• Transport to or from a school activity, such as a camp or food at the camp.
• Tuition fees. You can't claim tuition, exam or tertiary educational institution (for example university or polytechnic) fees.
• Other schools who have been approved as donee organisations (the payments must be "donations"). Parent-teacher associations (the payments must be "donations").

Childcare

• Your child was either under 18 or unable to work because of a disability, and:
• You were a single parent, or
• You and your spouse/partner were employed or self-employed, (this doesn't apply to couples who are separated), or
• You or your partner were disabled or physically unable to care for your child.
• You also need to have receipts to show that you paid for childcare.

Exceptions:

• You can't claim this tax credit if you live in a communal home, such as a resthome or a hospice (unless you or your spouse/partner live in the communal home and are regularly involved in running it).

Housekeeper :

• You have receipts to show that you paid for a housekeeper, because you (or your partner) were disabled or physically unable to do housework.