This article will guide you on all about IRD Tax Refund. Current processing times
| Your query | Online | Paper |
|---|---|---|
| Donation tax credit refund | 12 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Employer registration | 5 working days | 10 working days |
| Goods and services tax registration | 5 working days | 10 working days |
| GST refund (31st or 1st of each month) | 15 working days | 15 working days |
| Income tax refund | 10 weeks | 10 weeks |
| Tax payment arrangment | 5 working days | – |
| IRD number application | 10 working days | 12 working days |
| Payment not showing in account* | 3 working days | – |
| Paper correspondence | – | 30 working days |
| Web messages | 15 working days | – |
| Working for Families application | 10 working days | 10 working days |
| Working for Families online details updated | up to 15 working days | – |
*Payments will show in myIR within 3 working days. If any of the payment reference fields are wrong or missing, this may require manual intervention and will be cleared within 15 working days. Please check the payment has cleared from your bank account before contacting us.
How to Request IRD Tax Refund
You can use this process to request a refund from the income equalisation or environmental restoration schemes.
We now pay all refunds by direct credit so you need to provide us with your bank account details. We no longer issue cheques.
Go to your income equalisation scheme account in myIR
Go to your income equalisation (EQU) or environmental restoration (ERA) account.
Select ‘make withdrawal’ under ‘I want to’
This is on the right side of the page.
Fill in your details
You’ll need to tell us:
- how much you want to withdraw
- the income year in which the refund will be included as income
- the reason for the refund, if the request is for an early refund.
Submit the request to us
What happens next
Your refund will be reflected in your income summary in myIR.
The refund amount will be pre-populated into the ‘other income’ field in your income tax return.
Other ways to Request a refund
Previously you would use an IR155 paper form to make deposits or request refunds. This has been removed.
If you do not have myIR, you need to write us a letter to request a withdrawal. Include:
- the name and IRD number in which the deposit is held
- the amount to be refunded
- the income year in which the refund will be assessable (counted as taxable income)
- your name and contact phone number
- the reason for the refund if the request is for an early refund.
How long does it take for your tax refund to be processed?
21 days
E-filed tax returns with direct deposit: E-file with direct deposit is the fastest way to get your federal tax refund. The IRS states that they will issue nine out of 10 tax refunds within 21 days after acceptance. Reminder, the IRS does not begin accepting returns until February 12th.