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Frequently Asked Questions

May 4, 2020

Your questions answered

We’ve put together some commonly asked questions to give you more information about MyTaxRebate, how our service operates and some of the tax reliefs you may be entitled to.

Included in our FAQ are:

  • General tax questions
  • How MyTaxRebate works questions
  • Medical and dental expenses questions
  • Relationship status questions

 

 

Ask our experts

If you have a question that you can’t find the answer to we’d love to hear from you. Please feel free to talk to our Live Chat team or drop us a message on the Contact Us page.

General FAQ:

1. What can I claim tax back on?

There are more than a dozen different types of tax reliefs available. The seven most common areas where people are managing to claim the most money back from the taxman are in:

2. Who can claim tax back?

If you were in employment at any stage in the last 4 years you may be due tax back. You will be due a tax refund if you:

  • Overpaid tax, or
  • Are entitled to claim additional tax credits

Overpaid tax and USC is often caused by:

  • being on emergency tax,
  • working for part of the year,
  • having a gap between employments, or
  • having multiple employments at the same time.
3. How much of a tax rebate could I get back?

Before applying for an Irish tax refund, it is good to know how much tax you could get back. Customers applying for tax back receive an average tax refund of over €1,076 – so it is definitely worth your while applying.

All you have to do is complete our simple 50-second online form. Our friendly tax specialists will then review your taxes and give you an estimate of the refund you are due.

4. Will it cost me anything if I am not due a tax rebate?

No. MyTaxRebate operates on a No Rebate – No Fee basis.

We also guarantee to only review the years for which you are entitled to a tax refund. That way, you can be sure you will not receive a tax bill.

5. How much are your fees?

Our fee is only 10% + VAT, with a minimum fee of €25.

6. Can you claim tax back if you are unemployed?

Yes. MyTaxRebate has a specially designed process to allow you claim an Unemployment Repayment. This process allows you claim a tax refund if you are currently unemployed and have worked and paid tax or USC at any stage in the current year.

7. Can you claim tax back if you have left Ireland?

Yes. If you have left Ireland and:

  • will not work again this year, or
  • do not intend to return next year.

In both cases you will be entitled to a refund of the tax credits you are due for the remainder of the year. You can claim this tax refund as soon as you have received your final payment from your Irish employer. This refund can be claimed using the same process as the Unemployment Repayment.

Even if you do work abroad this year or return to Ireland either this year or next year, you might still be entitled to a tax refund. Although, this can only be reviewed at the end of the year as the amount of your refund depends on your total worldwide earnings for the year.

8. How far back can you claim a tax refund?

Four Year Rule – There is a limit to how far back you can claim tax refunds under Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Self-assessment.

This limit is set to four years, meaning you can only request reviews or claim refunds from the last four years. For example, claims for 2018 must be made by 31 December 2022. Claims made after this time are “statute barred” and cannot be repaid.

9. Do I need to have copies of my receipts?

Where you are making a claim for additional tax credits, you will need to supply documentation to prove your entitlement to those credits.

For example, if you are claiming a tax refund for medical expenses, you will need to supply copies of your receipts. If you are claiming tax relief on pension contributions, you will need to provide a copy of the statement of contributions. A readable photo of the documentation is also acceptable.

Revenue require this documentation to be kept for a period of 6 years. Where they have been provided to us, we will securely maintain these records on your behalf and forward them to Revenue if requested.

How It Works FAQ:

10. How do you claim tax back?

The quickest and easiest way to reclaim tax is to complete our simple 50-second online form. Upon completion, we will:

  • Register with Revenue as your tax agent,
  • Review your taxes for the last 4 years and issue you with a refund estimation,
  • Send the tax refund directly to you, via bank transfer or cheque.
11. How long does it take to get the tax rebate?

It takes an average of 12 working days from the time you register with us to the time your refund is issued to you.

12. How will my tax refund be paid?

Most tax refunds will be issued via electronic bank transfer from our dedicated client account. You will be provided with a number of secure ways to provide us with your bank details after we have confirmed that you are entitled to tax back.

You may also decide to receive your tax refund by cheque if you wish.

13. Do I need to register each year?

No. You only need to register once every 4 years. MyTaxRebate will carry out automatic reviews each year for four years for all existing clients. These reviews will identify any overpaid tax as a result of:

  • being on emergency tax,
  • being taxed incorrectly by your employer,
  • working for part of the year,
  • having a gap between employments, or
  • having multiple employments at the same time.

For existing clients looking to claim additional tax credits/reliefs, all you have to do is contact us and we will let you know what details we need to process your claim.

14. What tax credits and reliefs can I claim?

There are more than a dozen different types of tax reliefs available. The seven most common areas where people are managing to claim the most money back from the taxman are in:

Medical & Dental Expenses FAQ:

15. What can I claim a tax rebate for?

You can claim tax relief on the full cost of your health expenses. These can be your own health expenses, those of a family member or anyone else, as long as you paid for them.

The list of health expenses for which you can claim tax back on covers the majority of expenses you can think of.

16. How much tax back can I get on my medical expenses?

You generally receive tax back of 20% of your medical or dental expenses. There is no maximum amount you can claim for. However, your tax refund will be restricted to the amount of tax you have paid in the year.

If you are employing a carer or pay nursing home expenses, you will be entitled to a tax refund of up to 40% of the expense.

17. Do I need proof of medical and dental expenses?

Yes. Where you claim tax back for medical or dental expenses, you will need to supply a photo or copy of the receipts to prove your entitlement to the tax relief.

Revenue require this documentation to be kept for a period of 6 years. Where they have been provided to us, we will securely maintain these records on your behalf and forward them to Revenue if requested.

18. What if I do not have receipts?

Unfortunately, without proof of incurring the medical expense, we are not permitted to submit your claim.

However, GP’s, pharmacists, dentists and hospitals often maintain records of these expenses and are generally able to re-issue the receipts to you.

19. Can I claim a tax back on my child’s medical expenses?

Yes. You can claim tax relief on medical or dental expenses you pay for yourself and for any other person.

20. Can I claim a tax refund on medical expenses from this year?

No. Revenue do not allow claims for tax back on medical expenses to be made until after the end of the year.

Relationship Status FAQ:

21. Is there a difference between being married and single for tax purposes?

Yes.

An unmarried person is only allowed the tax credits and standard rate band for a single person. You may also be entitled to certain tax credits that married couples cannot receive, such as the Single Person Child Carer Credit (SPCCC).

A married couple have a number of options as to how they wish to be taxed. One option allows them to be taxed as 2 single individuals, while the other 2 options allow them to transfer any unused tax credits and standard rate band between each other.

22. What are the options for married couples?

Separate Treatment – Under separate treatment, you and your spouse or civil partner, are taxed as if you were not married or in a civil partnership. Separate treatment can be referred to as ‘single assessment’. You and your spouse:

  • are taxed on your own income only
  • get tax credits and the standard rate band due to a single person
  • pay your own tax
  • complete your own tax returns separately
  • claim your own tax credits

You cannot transfer your unused tax credits, reliefs and rate bands to your spouse. This is the main difference between separate treatment and separate assessment.

You cannot claim the Home Carer Tax Credit if you are assessed under separate treatment.

Separate treatment may not be the best choice for you. It may result in you paying more tax as a couple than you would with separate assessment or joint assessment. This will happen if either of you do not earn enough to use all your personal tax credits, reliefs or rate bands.

Separate Assessment – If you are separately assessed, you and your spouse or civil partner are taxed as single people during the year.

The following tax credits, if you are claiming them, are divided equally between you:

  • Married Tax Credit
  • Age Tax Credit
  • Blind Tax Credit
  • Incapacitated Child Tax Credit

Any unused tax credits, reliefs and rate bands can be transferred between each spouse. This is the same as joint assessment. For this reason you cannot transfer:

  • The Employee Tax Credit
  • Employment expenses
  • The increase in the standard rate band

The amount of unused rate band you can claim is limited. It cannot exceed the standard rate band available to a jointly assessed couple.

Joint Assessment – Joint assessment is the option that benefits most couples. Under joint assessment you are chargeable to tax on your combined income as a couple.

Joint assessment allows you to allocate (transfer between you) most of your tax credits, reliefs and rate band with your spouse. The tax rates, bands and reliefs that apply to you depends on if one or both of you have an income.

You cannot transfer:

  • The Employee Tax Credit
  • Employment expenses
  • The increase in the standard rate band
23. What additional tax credits can you claim because of being married?

Any tax credits other than the Employee Tax Credit and employment expenses that are unused by one partner can be claimed by the other partner. These tax credits are:

  • Married Tax Credit
  • Age Tax Credit
  • Blind Tax Credit
  • Incapacitated Child Tax Credit

If you are jointly assessed for tax, you may also be entitled to claim the Home Carer Tax Credit if you or your spouse is either not working, or working part-time, and is caring for one of more dependent persons.

24. Could I be due a tax rebate if I become separated or get a divorce?

Yes. How a couple are taxed in the year in which they separate will depend on how they were taxed as a married couple. They may have been taxed under separate treatment, separate assessment or joint assessment.

Separate Treatment – If a couple are assessed as single persons , there will be no change in their tax assessment if they subsequently separate.

Separate Assessment – If a couple are taxed under separate assessment, their income up to the date of separation is assessed in the usual way and they can transfer between them any unused tax credits and rate bands that apply. For the remainder of the tax year after separation each spouse will be treated as a single person and the single person’s tax credit will apply to their income.

Joint Assessment – Under joint assessment, one spouse is accountable for tax purposes, the assessable spouse.

If you are the assessable spouse, you are entitled to the married person’s tax credit and double rate bands for the full year in which you separate. You are taxed on your own income for the full year as well as your spouse’s income for the year up until the date of separation.

If you are the spouse who was not assessable, then you will be taxed on your own income from the date of separation. You will be entitled to the full single person’s tax credit and taxed under the single rate bands. If there are legally enforceable maintenance payments, then you may choose instead to continue to be taxed as a married couple.

Both individuals will generally be due a tax refund if they have been jointly assessed and subsequently separated or divorced.

25. Is there a tax refund for single parents?

Yes.

If you are a single parent and do another cohabit with anyone as a couple, then you may be entitled to claim the Single Person Child Carer Tax Credit (SPCCC). This tax credit could be worth up to €2,450 back in tax for each of the last 4 years!