NZ Tax Refund Calculator

Will I get a tax refund?

You may get a tax refund when too much PAYE income tax has been deducted from your pay during the tax year. This usually happens if you didn’t work the full year, were on the wrong tax code, had income from more than one source, or were entitled to a tax credit that wasn’t applied. This tax refund calculator estimates your position by comparing the tax that should apply to your income with the PAYE your employer actually deducted.

How this tax refund calculator works

Enter your total income for the tax year and the total PAYE deducted, and the calculator works out the correct income tax and ACC levy on that income, then shows the difference. If you paid more than the correct tax, the gap is your estimated refund; if you paid less, it’s tax still to pay. It uses the current IRD tax brackets, so the estimate reflects 2026/27 tax rates.

Common reasons for a tax refund in NZ

The most common reason is working only part of the year: PAYE is deducted each payday as if you earn that wage all year, so starting a job late or taking unpaid time off often means too much tax was withheld. Other causes include being on a secondary tax code that was too high, an unclaimed Independent Earner Tax Credit, or donation tax credits. A refund is income tax coming back — your KiwiSaver and most of your ACC levy are not refunded.

How to check and get your refund

After the tax year ends on 31 March, IRD automatically assesses most salary and wage earners and pays any refund into your bank account. You can see your income, the PAYE your employer reported, and any refund or bill in your myIR account. This estimate is a quick guide before that assessment — for the exact figure, IRD’s own calculation in myIR is the source of truth.

Estimate your tax refund based on your income

To estimate your tax refund, the calculator takes your income for the financial year and works out the tax that should apply across each tax bracket, then compares it with the PAYE deducted. It can calculate whether more was deducted than the correct amount — in which case you’re owed a refund — or less, leaving a payment to make. It doubles as a PAYE calculator NZ and tax calculator, based on your income and the current tax rates and thresholds.

You may receive a tax refund if there was a student loan deduction error, an unclaimed IETC, or income from multiple income sources such as a second job or rental income that changed your liability. The calculation also includes the ACC earners’ levy. After the end of the tax year IRD runs a tax assessment and will deduct or refund the difference automatically — use IRD’s calculators and tools or your myIR account to confirm whether you’re entitled to a refund, and check your tax code so the right deduction applies next year.

Frequently asked questions