Kiwis see tax refund as a bonus

Almost 80 per cent of New Zealanders seek a tax refund every year.

New Zealanders love to use their tax refund to treat themselves, a new survey has found.

Consumer satisfaction company Canstar Blue surveyed 842 Kiwis who had applied for a tax refund in the past 12 months on their refund habits.

Almost half of those surveyed indulged in a treat with their payout.

Many Kiwis saw the refund as an addition to their annual pay, Canstar New Zealand general manager Jose George said.

"It takes a simple mindshift to view the refund as what it really is: A refund of your money that you may have overpaid in the amount owed for your taxes," George said.

Younger people were most likely to head to the shops with their new-found cash.

Older people were more likely to keep their cash in hand, with only 27 per cent of 60 to 69 year olds spending their cash.

Almost two-thirds of Wellingtonians indulged with the new addition to their bank balance, the highest portion of any city-dwellers.

Cantabrians and Otago residents were least likely to treat their refund as a bonus. Meanwhile, 40 per cent of Kiwis saved their refund when it came in.

Men were more likely to save their refund, with 43 per cent putting it into a safe place, compared to 37 per cent of women.

Almost 80 per cent of New Zealanders applied for a tax refund every year; 62 per cent of whom regularly received a tax refund.

However, many people didn't understand the process, with 44 per cent of Kiwis not realising what qualified them for a refund. Yet many Kiwis shopped around before deciding who to apply through for a tax refund.

Value for money was the most important factor. Ease of application and quality of advice were also considered. NZME