Last week IRD released a draft Standard Practice Statement ED0208 setting out when they consider tax payments made by taxpayers as having been made in time.
The SPS applies to all tax types, including student loan repayments and child support payments and covers receipt in relation to the following:
- electronic payments (from New Zealand)
- debit/credit cards
- cash and Eftpos payments made at Westpac
- physical delivery to Inland Revenue offices
- payments by cheque (including from overseas)
- tax pooling
- tax transfers
- overseas electronic payments
- weekends and public holidays
While the timing for most above transactions appear to remain the same, the statement changes some of the current practice and;
- From 1 February 2019 post-dated cheques won’t be accepted by IRD. From that date if you write a cheque for tax payments it will be presented to a bank for payment at the time they are received.
- If you drop off payment to IRD you have to do this inside an IRD office during reception opening hours.
The statement provides a good refresher if you are a bit rusty on this.
The deadline to provide any feedback you have finishes on the 28 November 2018.