30 May 2023

Vague Covid support payment rules hurting some - tax expert

From Checkpoint, 5:43 pm on 30 May 2023

A tax expert believes vague rules around government covid support payments have caught some small businesses out as inland revenue demands refunds.

Hugh Grierson owns a boutique Auckland beer company and has been ordered by Inland Revenue to pay back more than than $46,000 in Covid support payments.

That's because he used some of the business support package to pay his own wages, as the company's only worker, and Inland Revenue disputes the dates he used to cacluate his drop in revenue.

Its told 513 people who received Covid payments to pay back $16.4 million. Deloitte NZ tax partner Robyn Walker talks to Lisa Owen.