Mystery needs to be taken out of the tax return process
Labour’s Finance Spokesperson Ged Nash TD has today called for action to help PAYE workers who have potentially overpaid their taxes. This comes following answers to his parliamentary question to the Minister for Finance show that in 2021 and 2022, 38% and 39% of workers respectively who had yet to file a tax return potentially overpaid tax.
Deputy Nash said:
“These figures are concerning and show that the government is not doing enough to help people who have overpaid their taxes.
“Overpaying tax can be a real financial burden for families, especially at a time when the cost of living is rising. Especially in the midst of a cost of living crisis, every cent for households on low and middle incomes counts.
“I welcome the Minister for Finance’s commitment to running a public awareness campaign to encourage people to claim their tax back. However, much more needs to be done to make the tax return process more simple and more user-friendly.
“Figures mentioned by the Minister for Finance on Budget Day suggests that €180million in refunds could be due for 2022 alone. I would encourage all PAYE workers to submit a tax return to make sure all workers are getting the reliefs and credits to which they are entitled. It is important to remember that, in 2023, workers can make claims going as far back as 2019.
“I urge the government to take urgent action to help PAYE workers who have overpaid their taxes. The government needs to make the tax return process simpler and more user-friendly, and it needs to modernise and keep various tax reliefs under review to help reduce the financial burden on working families.”