Frequently Asked Questions

Your Tax Rebate - FAQs

Here are some of our most frequently asked questions about Irish Tax Rebates. If you have a question that’s not answered here, please use our live chat to speak to our Customer Service team, or email us at info@irishtaxrebates.ie.

Registration

Why do I have to register?

Completing our online authorisation form provides us with your approval to access your Revenue profile, and act in your best interest, as your Tax Agent.

How do I register?

The easiest and quickest way to register is online, providing us with an electronic signature, as authorisation. If you prefer we can send you a manual authorisation form, although this will slow down the rebate process. We can only commence the registration process once we have your signed agreement.

I am jointly assessed with my spouse, do we both need to register?

This is definitely preferable, and we must have the Assessable Spouse, within your tax relationship, to be a client in order to secure a rebate for you.

How does it work if I recently got married?

You and your spouse should both complete our online authorisation form. Please also advise us, when you have registered, so we can be sure to link your profiles in our database. We will assess whether you will be better off changing the basis of your tax assessment and advise you accordingly.

What does the registration process involve?

The process simply involves you completing our online authorisation form which takes just 60 seconds to complete. After that we do all the hard work.

I provided some incorrect information on my authorisation form. What shall I do?

Simply contact our Customer Service Team, and we will update your records accordingly.

How long does the process take?

Once registered we will have your tax review finalised within 12 working days. Throughout the process our Customer Service Team, are available to answer any questions.

Do I need to register each year?

If you are an existing client, there is no need to re-register. We will automatically review your tax records annually. Do keep us up to date with regard to any changes in your circumstances, so we can update our records, and maximise any rebate that may be due to you.

How much will it cost me?

We operate on a NO REBATE NO FEE basis, so you will not be charged just for registering. If there is a rebate due to you, our new customer fee is just 10% plus VAT at 23%, with a minimum charge of €25.

Your Tax Review

What documentation do I need to send in to support my tax rebate claim?

There is no need to send us any documentation. Simply complete our 60 second application form, and we’ll get to work.

I have received a letter from Revenue, with an incorrect Bank Account number. What should I do?

The bank account ending in 5254, is our Client Account, and this letter is notification that we believe that a rebate is due to you and is standard procedure. Any rebate that we secure for you will be sent to us, and then we will forward a payment in settlement. You do not need to do anything further at this time.

What if I think that there is additional information relevant to my review?

You can contact our Customer Service Team at any stage, and we will happily update your records, and provide advice on any other factors you wish us to be aware of.

How will I know if I am due a rebate?

We will always let you know the outcome of your review, and if we secure a rebate for you will advise you by email, as soon as we receive the money from Revenue.

Many thanks for the rebate I received from you, for 2 of the past 4 years. What about the other years?

We will check each year for you, in order to maximise your rebate, but if we feel that there is no rebate for a particular year, we will not submit any work to Revenue. For this reason, P21 Balancing Statements will only be released for years in which we believe you have overpaid your tax.

My wife has received an update on her review, but I haven’t heard anything?

We will generally communicate with the Assessable Spouse, so if you are jointly assessed the same review update will apply to you both.

How do I receive my money back?

We will transfer any money due to your bank account. You will be provided with an email with a link to our secure portal where you can nominate your bank account that you wish the funds to be transferred.
Alternatively, we can send a cheque to your address on file, but please note that this will incur an additional fee of €9.

When will I receive my transfer?

We will process the transfer to your bank account as soon as possible after we receive the rebate from Revenue. Our aim is to do this as quickly as we can, and we will let you know when you can expect this to be done.

We are married, so whose name will the cheque be in?

If you prefer your rebate to be paid by cheque, rather than bank transfer, we will post this to you as soon as possible. Please note that there will be an additional fee for this, which will be advised to you when we confirm the rebate to you.

I don’t have a bank account. What can I do?

You will need to process the rebate we secure for you through a bank account, but if you do not currently use an account, either with a Bank, a Credit Union, or the Post Office, you can nominate a 3rd party account to which the rebate amount will be paid.

Your Rebate

I think I should be a due a rebate, but I am not sure?

The tax system can seem daunting to many, and our Accountants can use their experience, to take the hassle out of reviewing your taxes. Irish Tax Rebates provides you with peace of mind that any rebates you are eligible for, are maximised.

What can I claim back?

Tax rebates can result from an overpayment of USC and Income Tax. You may also be able to claim tax back on some expenses, such as tuition fees, dental or medical expenses. If your personal circumstances have changed, for example you got married or divorced it is also important to let us check if you are due tax back.

My colleagues said I should have a Uniform Allowance, what is this?

There are allowances, known as Flat Rate Allowances, that are available to PAYE workers, depending on their occupation. We will always make sure that you have the correct allowance for your circumstances, and as these are allowable at your highest rate of tax, they can be quite valuable.

Who is eligible for tax back?

Everyone who is in the PAYE system could be eligible for tax back. At Irish Tax Rebates, 3 out of 4 of our clients have been found eligible for a tax rebate.

How much of a tax rebate could I get back?

That depends on many factors, and no two persons circumstances are the same. The average tax rebate for Irish Tax Rebates customers is €1,092, with some individual rebates issued by Irish Tax Rebates exceeding €20,000.

How many years can you claim tax back for?

You can claim a tax rebate for the previous 4 years. Even if you have previously received a balancing statement, from Revenue, indicating that you are not due a rebate it is still worth having it checked by our experts to make sure that you are not missing out on tax credits you are eligible for. Remember NO REBATE NO FEE.

I think my taxes were incorrect more than 4 years ago?

Mistakes do happen and many potential rebates unfortunately do go unclaimed every year. Tax rebates from more than 4 years ago, cannot be claimed, so that is why we provide peace of mind by reviewing your taxes every year.

I am unemployed now, could I still be due a rebate?

Yes. You are eligible to claim tax back for the last 4 tax years. The size of the tax rebate due to you, if any, will depend on the amount of time you were employed, how much tax you paid during that period and the amount of tax credits you have utilised.

Can I make a tax claim if I’ve left Ireland?

Yes. If you have lived and worked in Ireland at any stage in the last 4 years, you may be eligible for a tax rebate and can apply for a tax rebate regardless of where you live now in the world.

I’m working from home. How do I claim additional tax relief?

If you’re working from home, or have worked from home over the past 4 years, it’s likely you’re entitled to an increased tax deduction.

Please apply for your rebate here.

We will then make any assessment of your rebate potential and submit a case to Revenue on your behalf.

If you only started working from home this year, this claim will be part of your tax review that we will be doing for you next year.

General Tax Questions

I am leaving Ireland to go and work abroad?

We would ask you to get in touch as you may be due a tax refund if you are leaving the country. Simply complete the form here. Once you have completed the form, please email us at info@irishtaxrebates.ie, quoting your application number along with the date you left Ireland to finalise your application.

I am constantly travelling outside the country with my job. Could I be due a tax rebate?

If your work involves travel to certain countries excluding Europe and North America you may be eligible for a valuable tax credit.

I am paying for my childs third level education. Is there any relief available for this?

Eligible tuition costs can be worth up to 20% back to you. Let us know your details, and we will be able to advise further.

I have two children in third level education. I know that the first €3,000 per annum for a full-time course is not eligible, but is there anything that I can claim for the second child?

Yes. Please let us know the details, and we will be able to assess this for you.

Who can I claim medical expenses for?

You can claim tax back on the cost of health expenses for yourself or those of a family member or any individual, as long as you paid for them.

I have all my medical receipts for the past 4 years, can I get anything back on these?

Expenses such as GP visits, medication, A&E visits, minor procedures and surgeries, are eligible, and could be worth up to 20% back to you. Simply forward copies of your receipts, or prescription claim forms to medical@irishtaxrebates.ie and we will do the rest for you. If you have already claimed for your medical via your health insurance, please forward copy of the claim forms.

Can I claim for any maternity costs?

Yes, we can help you claim for any private hospital fees relating to your maternity care.

My son had expensive dental treatment last year, is there anything I can claim for this?

Non-routine procedures, such as braces, crowns and veneers, could well be eligible for tax rebates, and be worth up to 20% back to you. Simply ask your dentist to provide you with a MED 2 form, and then email this to us at medical@irishtaxrebates.ie.

My child is undergoing private therapy, can I submit a claim for these costs?

Yes, you can claim tax back at the standard rate of 20% on the costs of private speech and language therapy for any dependent child carried out by a qualified speech and language therapist.

Can I claim tax back for my children’s prescription glasses?

No. You cannot get tax relief for routine ophthalmic care but you can get tax relief for orthoptic or similar treatment when prescribed by a doctor.

I cannot find all my receipts, and I know that there are a lot missing, What can I do?

If you cannot locate receipts for medical expenses, contact your doctor, clinic, hospital or chemist and they well supply you with a statement for each of the last 4 years. Remember these could be worth up to 20% back to you, so could be well worth the effort.

My husband and I just got married, does this change the way in which we are taxed?

Not necessarily, but our experts will make sure that you are being taxed most efficiently. Also there may now be additional tax credits, such as Home Carer Tax Credit, that you can claim, and these will all be considered in your tax review.

I have recently been divorced, how will this impact my taxes?

Those previously assessed as single persons, will experience no change in their tax assessment after separation. For those previously jointly assessed, the “assessable spouse” – is accountable for tax purposes and entitled to the married person’s tax credit and double-rate bands for the full year in which they separate, while the other is taxed on their own income from the date of separation, entitled to the full single person’s tax credit and taxed under the single-rate bands.

I am a single parent. Surely there must be some tax credits that I can avail of?

There is an additional tax credit for separated/divorced and single parents known as the Single Person Child Carer Credit (SPCCC). The credit is granted to the primary carer who has custody of and maintains the well-being of the child, as long as they are not co habiting.

My daughter lives with her mother, but I have custody for 2 nights every week. Are there any tax credits available to me?

There could be. If neither you, nor the mother of your daughter, are co-habiting, and if the mother of your child is not availing of the tax credit, she can assign it over to you. Simply let us know when you register and we will arrange for all the paperwork to be completed, and liaise with Revenue, on your behalf.

What is emergency tax?

Emergency tax is the taxation of all of your earnings at the higher rate of tax for a temporary period. A temporary tax credit is given for the first month of a new employment but tax deductions are increased substantially from the second month on.

Each month I am contributing to my own pension, and believe that I am eligible for an additional tax credit. Is this true?

Yes, and if you simply send us copies of your Annual Pension Statement, detailing your monthly contributions, we will assess the benefit to you, and secure any rebate due.

I pay BIK because my employer pays the Health Insurance for me and my family. Can I claim for this?

Yes, and providing us with details of how much is paid, for each family member, will allow us to make sure that the relief is maximised.

What can’t I claim for?

Unfortunately, many tax credits such as bin charges, union fees and the cost of driving to work cannot be claimed against the taxes you have paid. Vets bills are also not eligible for a tax rebate. Please be assured that our experts at Irish Tax Rebates are up to date, with all the latest potential ways to maximise your rebate, and will make sure that this is done every year.