The Bright Line Test is not a new rule , it was introduced by the John Key led National party and took effect from 1 October 2015. The purpose of the test is to ensure that tax is paid on profits where properties are bought and sold within a short amount of time. Some of these transactions would have been taxable anyway under the various rules that already existed to… Read more
Sometimes it is hard to answer a seemingly simple question. It is important to know the answer though as most New Zealand tax residents need to pay tax in NZ on income they have from any country in the world (their “worldwide income”) but non residents only need to pay tax on income that has a New Zealand source (source itself can be hard to determine in some situations but… Read more
It’s understandable that for some people filing their end of financial year tax returns is right down the bottom of the to-do list. It’s one of those jobs that feels hard and often results in tax to pay so people put if off, sometimes for years. In reality though, putting off filing your returns makes everything harder and often results in even more to pay. Keep on top of provisional… Read more
With the increase in 2021 of the personal tax rate to 39% for anything earned over $180,000, and with rampant inflation now pushing more people’s business incomes over that figure, some people may be looking for ways to change their structure to take advantage of lower tax rates. One of the methods that some people have used in the past is for an individual who owns the shares in a… Read more
UPDATE June 2023: See below for interest limitation rules Are you one of the many thousands of New Zealanders who are generating income through short term rental accommodation platforms like Airbnb, bookabach and holidayhouses.co.nz? Whether you are renting a guest room in your home as a side-hustle, or you rent out your family bach when it’s not in use, or you have a fully-fledged holiday home rental business, you should… Read more
Repairs and maintenance can be a major cash outlay for an owner of a business or a rental property and hence the ability to claim an instant tax deduction can have a significant impact on the year end tax bill. What are the rules? Broadly speaking, expenditure on repairs and maintenance is an allowable tax deduction in the period it’s incurred. Capital expenditure is not deductible, but it is subject… Read more
Aiming to curb soaring house prices, the government has introduced new rules phasing out the ability to deduct loan interest from rental income. For anyone who owns residential rental property, we suggest taking a look at how this change will affect you. Applicable properties The interest limitation rules apply to residential property in New Zealand. Any property with a dwelling on it (such as a house or apartment) is subject… Read more
Fringe benefit tax (FBT) is tax payable on non-cash benefits provided to employees including shareholder employees. It is separate to income tax and charged according to the taxable value of the fringe benefits provided. Employers can make a deduction on the cost of providing the benefits as well as on the FBT tax that they pay. These benefits include: motor vehicles available for private use low-interest loans free or subsidised… Read more
In 2021, the Taxation (Income Tax Rate and Other Amendments) Act was passed by parliament. One of the changes made in the Act was a new top tax rate for individuals of 39%. Because the trust tax rate is 33%, people will be keen to look at ways they can use their trust to stream income and pay less tax. To combat this, the Act also introduces a significant… Read more