Tax Watch: 19 June 2026

Square metre rate for home office calculations 2026

For the 2026 income year (1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026), the prescribed square metre rate for calculating home office expenses is $57.30.

Inland Revenue is introducing new ways to address tax debt

Inland Revenue has implemented two new methods to deal with overdue tax debt. The first is automated calls or voicemail messages to around 2,000 taxpayers who have outstanding debts over $100. The calls will take place between mid to late June from IR’s official number: 0800 951 758. 

And some clients with older tax debts that have been outstanding for more than six months may be contacted by Baycorp, which has been engaged as a third‑party debt collection agency.

Upcoming changes to how taxpayer ruling applications are submitted 

Inland Revenue announced that from September 2026, all taxpayer ruling applications and pre-lodgement meeting requests must be submitted through myIR, aligning the process with other IR services and improving efficiency.

The change only affects how applications are submitted—there are no changes to the information required or the ruling process itself, though most paper forms will be retired while existing email channels remain for general communication.