It may come as a surprise to learn that a significant number of nurses and nursing assistants in Ireland end up paying more tax than they should. As such, if you are a nurse or nursing assistant, there is a good chance you are eligible to claim back some of the tax you have paid over the past four years.
In this article we run through the various tax reliefs available for nursing staff, so you can determine whether you have been overpaying tax and if you’re due a tax rebate. We then list the relief available under different circumstances, and outline the process for claiming tax back.
Flat-rate employment expenses for nurses
Flat-rate employment expenses cover the costs of the equipment you need to carry out your job. These costs must be incurred while performing your job and be directly related to the nature of your work such as your uniforms.
As the name suggests, the amounts that can be claimed back are fixed (flat-rate), and these rates are negotiated between Revenue and your nursing union officials.
How much tax relief will I get?
Tax relief available will depend on your annual gross income i.e. whether you pay tax at the standard rate (20%) or at the higher rate (40%). It does also depend on what position you hold in the healthcare sector i.e. whether you are a nurse, nursing assistant, chef etc.
Other applicable tax reliefs for nurses:
Aside from flat-rate expenses, there are other tax reliefs available to nursing staff that entitle you to get tax back, including
Tuition fees
If you have been studying, either on a full-time or part-time basis, you may be eligible for tax back on your tuition fees. You may also be able to claim tax back if you have children who have been studying in the past four years. Relief is given at 20% and can be deducted for qualifying tuition fees, up to a maximum of €7k per person, per course.
Medical and dental expenses
You can also claim tax back on any medical or dental expenses you have incurred over the past four years at 20%, provided you haven’t already claimed the money back from an insurance policy, a public or local authority, or another source like compensation.
Marriage tax relief
You are automatically registered for joint assessment as soon as you inform Revenue of your marriage. However, if Revenue hasn’t been informed of your marriage, then you will continue to be assessed as a single person. If could be the case that it is more tax beneficial to have you jointly assessed with your spouse. Again, this will depend on both your and your spouse’s annual gross income.
How to claim your tax back
Apply for your tax back online with Irish Tax Rebates, simply fill out our 60-second application form and we will take care of the hard work for you. We can claim back all flat-rate employment expenses, as well as any other applicable credits or deductions
