Inland Revenue’s crackdown on ‘cashies’ continues with their focus on undeclared cash in the construction and hospitality sectors. Last year, the Auckland region saw the most activity. Inland Revenue are now widening their reach. They’ve been trying to change attitudes among tradies and subcontracting businesses and their efforts seem to be getting results.
Inland Revenue acknowledge people trying to cheat on tax are in the minority but stress that they’re a very expensive minority. The so-called ‘hidden economy’ is a cost to all New Zealand taxpayers, who carry more than their fair share because of it. There’s another hidden cost too, as business owners who are meeting their tax obligations find it hard to compete with operators who can undercut on quotes because they don’t pay tax.
What’s this have to do with you, you may ask. Because we’re sure you’re up to date with your tax obligations.
However, if you are in the situation of having under-reported – or unreported – income, now is a great time to straighten it all out. We want to help you make sure your returns are accurate and timely and, as far as possible, help you avoid penalties and use of money interest on any tax owing.
If you think you might have got yourself into a mess with your tax, declaring it early and taking action to correct it goes a long way toward setting you apart from deliberate tax evaders. You may have made a mistake or filed an incorrect tax return, left out some income from your return or incorrectly claimed expenses. We can help you make a voluntary disclosure which may reduce shortfall penalties by up to 100% and protect you from prosecution.
