Bookkeepers gain agent status with IRD

Inland Revenue recently recognised the increased engagement of bookkeepers with businesses by taking steps to have bookkeepers made a recognised entity.

This allows easier access for bookkeepers to work with the department on their client’s affairs.  

In what is regarded a ground breaking achievement for the profession, Royal Assent is complete and legislation has been passed allowing the country’s bookkeepers to become Bookkeeper Agents with Inland Revenue.  

This new agent status allows a bookkeeper to link a client directly to their own agency without affecting an accountant’s tax agent status with the client. With the addition of this access, bookkeepers are now able to file returns, communicate with Inland Revenue and see the status of each tax type, without the need to incur further time and costs to their client by liaising with third parties and accountants.  

Bookkeepers in New Zealand are at the forefront of business, supporting them at a grass roots level, ensuring their systems and processes are robust and current, supplying insights into the accurate data with which clients make sound business decisions, as well as assisting businesses with their compliance obligations.  

“The founding committee of the Institute of Certified NZ Bookkeepers (ICNZB) began the petition over eight years ago to educate Inland Revenue on the valuable role bookkeepers play in the success of New Zealand businesses,” says president Di Crawford-Errington (pictured). “That insight and hard work by the past and present executive has finally paid off and we are excited that it will finally be easier to work with IR for our members.”