Shareholder employees can now be on a PAYE salary and then top up at the end of the year with a lump sum on which they can pay provisional tax.

Previously, in New Zealand shareholder employees were only allowed to be either a PAYE salary earner or a shareholder’s salary earner. They couldn’t be both.

There is a mandatory “shortfall” penalties regime in place in New Zealand which Inland Revenue apply automatically and for a large number of cases.

Inland Revenue can charge penalties in the range from 20% up to a whopping 150%. These penalties cannot be remitted and are good reason in themselves to encourage you to engage a knowledgeable tax advisor.

Most New Zealand businesses will have a year-end of 31st March. It is possible in some situations to have that balance date changed to 30th June and that may suit some Australian businesses who have New Zealand interests. If you believe that a 30th June balance date would suit your needs better, simply contact us and we can prepare an application on your behalf.

The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), is the organisation responsible for both overseeing New Zealand workplace safety and compensating anyone injured in the workplace.

It is funded by levies paid by New Zealand and Australian businesses who are registered as NZ employers. And from 1 April 2017 the good news for business is that these levies will fall.

Unlike the Australian system where you can report on, and pay for, several taxes on one tax return, New Zealand treats every tax as it’s own little beast with little interaction between them. A different tax return due at a different time with a different payment date for each type of tax. And that causes a lot of confusion for Australians doing business over there.

It is a legal requirement that you enter into an employment agreement with your staff. And now there is a free online tool designed to help you comply with the law.

New Zealand hasn’t had a unionised workforce for a number of decades so it has been difficult to produce agreements by sneakily using union agreements as a template.

Until recently it was illegal for all but a few businesses to be open on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

The rules have changed with regard to Easter Sunday.

New Zealand’s Inland Revenue continues to make good progress in updating their antiquated tax systems. However, for some of us that find it hard to let go of the excitement of getting a cheque in the mail, there is some bad news.

This latest announcement impacts on you if you are required to account for New Zealand GST.

The first of many changes that the IRD is making over the next few years to make New Zealand tax simpler, is about to start.

To make it easier and quicker for taxpayers to file and amend their New Zealand GST, Inland Revenue is improving the GST service currently available through their myIR online system.

Closing your New Zealand business down for Christmas? Here are the general conditions that will impact on your relationship with your employees.

Wondering about the New Zealand tax deductibility for buying gifts for clients?

At this time of year we often get questions from Australian business owners with interests in New Zealand about the deductibility of traditional Christmas staples like chocolates and wine.

Until recently, these types of gifts tended to be fully tax deductible.

Move over Singapore. New Zealand has just been ranked as the easiest country in the world to transact business according to the 2017 Doing Business Report just published by the World Bank.

A record 137 economies from around the world have adopted key reforms that make it easier to start and operate smaller businesses, however it is New Zealand that came out on top.