At Greenlion our days are filled with determining facts and figures and a lot of that work falls around specific dates. To help you plan for your 2026/2027 year, we’ve noted important dates below. Remember to keep these key dates in mind when setting your business goals and budgets and planning your cash flows.
The financial year in New Zealand for filing income tax returns and completing other tax reports runs for 12 months from 1 April to 31 March each year. That means for the forthcoming year the financial year begins 1 April 2026 and ends 31 March 2027.
As long as taxpayers are registered on a Tax Agency, they have until 31 March of the following year to file their tax returns. If they are not on a Tax Agency, their tax returns must be filed by 7 July each year.
Tax returns for clients are due before 31 March the following year, so for March 2026 the return must be filed by 31 March 2027.
Greenlion holds a Tax Agency with the IRD and our clients being registered on it. Under our agency agreement with the IRD, for the upcoming tax year we are required to file:
• 40% of clients' returns filed by the second Friday in September 2026
• 60% of clients' returns filed by the second Friday in November 2026
• 80% of clients' returns filed by the second Friday in February 2027
The early forwarding of your tax records to Greenlion assists us with achieving these filing percentages.
This term denotes a system that assists taxpayers manage and pay their income tax obligations by spreading them throughout the year rather than having to pay tax in one lump sum.
The amount of tax a provisional taxpayer pays is an estimate, bases on expected annual taxable income. There are different methods of calculating provisional tax. Greenlion completes this calculation for its clients and advises how much they should pay per installment.
Provisional Tax Clients With a March Balance Date Who Are Not Registered For GST
The standard provisional tax payment dates for clients who have a March balance date for the 2026 and 2027 years are as follows:
• Second Installment: Due 15 January 2026
• Third Installment: Due 7 May 2026
• First Installment: Due 28 August 2026
• Second Installment: Due 15 January 2027
• Third Installment: Due 7 May 2027
Some clients pay terminal tax. This is the difference between the income tax they have to pay and the amount of tax they have already paid via provisional tax payments.
The terminal tax payment date is 7 February in New Zealand for those clients who have a standard 31 March balance date.
As a Greenlion client however, you will be on our IRD Agency listing. This mean an extension of time to pay terminal tax is offered to you by IRD. Your terminal tax payment due date is therefore 7 April 2026.
If the total gross turnover of your business is $60,000 or more in the last 12 months, or if you expect it to be $60,000 or more in the next 12 months, you are legally obliged to register for Goods and Services Tax. Where your business’s gross turnover falls below $60,000 you can choose to register for GST and in some cases this can be advantageous.
At the time of registering your business for GST, you can elect to file GST returns monthly, two-monthly or six-monthly. Choosing the correct frequency of filing and paying GST is important as it assists in cash flow management.
If you file GST returns monthly, your key date for filing and payment of GST is the 28th of the month following. By way of example, your January 2026 GST return and payment is due February 2026.
If you file GST returns every two months, your key dates are as follows:
• 28 June 2026 for the April/May 2026 period
• 28 August 2026 for the June/July 2026 period
• 28 October 2026 the August/September 2026 period
• 15 January 2026 for the October/November 2026 period
• 28 February 2027 for the December 2026/January 2027 period
• 7 May 2027 for the February/March 2027 period
If you file GST returns every six months, your key dates are as follows:
• 28 October 2026 for the April to September 2026 period
• 7 May 2027 for the October 2026 to March 2027 period
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