For the average New Zealand worker, tax season is a simple matter of getting a slip from the government informing you whether you have tax owing, or are due for a refund.
Just like in Canada, New Zealand tax authorities already know what workers are earning and what taxes their employer is deducting. They then cross-reference this with a few personal details that are also in their files (marital status, number of children, etc.) and submit an automatic tax return.
“We’ll automatically calculate your income tax assessment at the end of the tax year if we have all your income information,” reads the official website of New Zealand’s Inland Revenue. Similar systems exist in Australia and the U.K., among others.
