How do I apply for a tax refund?

One of the most frequently asked questions I receive is "how do I check if I am entitled to a tax refund"? or "how do I check if I am entitled to tax back "?

The short answer is, at the end of the tax year, log into your myAccount profile, select review your tax and request a Statement of Preliminary Tax. Revenue will in turn recalculate your total taxable income for the year from all sources and advise you of the balance.

As part of the process you will be invited to complete and Income Tax return, this will allow you to claim any additional allowances or reliefs for the year.

You may be entitled to a refund if any of the following apply to you

• You need to claim additional tax credits for the year

• You have medical expenses to claim relief on

• You may not have used you full allocation of tax credits for the year

• You ceased employment before the end of the tax year

• If you are jointly assessed and did not utilise your full allocation of tax credits

• You wish to claim remote working relief

• You wish to claim relief on flat rate expense

Alternatively, you may just want Revenue to recalculate your tax liability for the year to confirm the correct amounts were deducted from your pay.

Whatever your reasons the process is the same.

Firstly, you must log into your myAccount profile.

To claim any of the above tax credits for the previous four years

Click on the ‘Review your tax’ link in PAYE Services on the home page.

Select 'Statement of Liability'

Select and 'Complete your Income Tax return' and claim your tax credits or reliefs

The process of “completing your Income Tax return” allows you to claim additional credits or allowances for the past 4 years but it must also be completed if you simply would like to apply for a recalculation of your taxes for the previous 4 years.

An income tax return must be complete for each individual year for which you are claiming tax credits or reliefs.

What happens when I apply for a Statement of liability?

Your total taxable income from all sources for the tax year will be recalculated considering your full annual allocation of tax credits and rate bands. This will ensure that all tax credits and rate bands will be fully utilised against your earnings for the full tax year.

What are the possible outcomes ?

When you apply for a statement of liability , bear in mind that this does not automatically result in a refund of taxes. There are three possible outcomes

1. No change to your tax liability for the year,

2. You are entitled to a tax refund, Revenue will pay the refund into your designated bank account.

3. A tax liability, where you have underpaid taxes, Revenue will recoup the underpaid taxes by reducing your tax credits in the following year.

For more information, on how to use your myAccount profile.

#taxrefund, #taxback

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