Like taxpayer 92 I prefer to file electronically where possible. However only where IRD provides the facility to do so. As the administrator of a small not for profit the expense of accounting software is not warranted - indeed it takes money away from where it is most needed which is in the community not in the hands of government. For us EXCEL worksheets work fine. If the software required were to be provided FREE to non-profits (say charities registered with the Charities Commission) I'd happily use it. Otherwise NO electronic fiing should NOT be compulsory for all taxpayers.

about time that IRD introduces this - compulsory tax returns done electronically.

this will get rid of the dodge Personal Tax Intermediaries who are out there to make an easy buck.  i mean, these intermediaries dont do a thing! they get pple to sign up blindly at shopping malls or on the internet. they call ird 0800 number (taxpayer paid); and get IRD to work out the refund for them. so shame on IRD for allowing these private businesses to rip off hardworking kiwis. if everyone files themselves, or if IRD automatically sends out Personal Tax Summaries online directly to customers; these [word deleted] will be closed down.

secondly, when everyone files online it saves time for taxpayers who cant call IRD and IRD can save resources on the phones and spend more time on people abusing the system.

We have a very small staff and operating under the current manual system is not time consuming or problematic for us.  Because we operate our finances on a separate computer without internet access (this to ensure the safety of our financial information), we have concerns about it being mandatory to do all the GST and PAYE on line .  Operating a separate package which has to have access to internet would not be possible at the moment and we would be reluctant to do this.  We do not even have access to online banking as we are a charitable organisation and this is not possible when you have to have two or more cheque signatories per transaction.  We have used our current system for at least 15yrs and feel sure it would not be compatible with any new software.  Further more we are a non profit organisation and do not have any money to spend on upgrading a system or purchasing software we do not have a need.  We find the current system perfectly satisfactory and do not see the need for change. 

I believe that the main problem with on line input would be ensuring accuracy of the data.  Having read through many of the posted comments in this forum, I detect a large proportion of poor typing (spelling, flow of idea, etc).  I even note that the dates at the head of each group of subjects (presumably embedded there by the organisers of this forum), are all for the year 2012.  If presumed intelligent computer operators cannot get the facts right, what hope is there for the less competent of us?  During my working years, the comment was often made about computer operations, that 'garbage in, garbage out'.  This is still true today, and I wonder how long it will take for a compulsory computer system of taxation to grind to a dead stop, caused by a gridlock of faulty data input from thousands of untrained operators.

For most of us we need to have confidence that the end result will be correct, and will be achieved with a minimum of effort and cost to each of us.  We certainly do not wish to have more confusion as the end product.  I am not certain at this time that IRD have a positive vote of confidence from taxpayers concerning this matter.

While electronic filing is more convienent I would have serious concerns about making it manditory for all taxpayers.  There is still a reasonably large portion of the population who do not have the computer access or skills necessary to make this suitable for them.  There are always going to be taxpayers who find it easier and quicker to use a paper form.

Don't forget, those people commenting on these forums are those with internet access and the know-how to use it.  How is the rest of the population going to be consulted?  The feed back you're getting from this "consultation process" is going to be biased towards computer users.

As this is (I believe) the closing submission date for this discussion and viewing the number of responses online I think the question of whether mandatory online filing would be acceptable to the general population speaks for itself.  There are insufficient people confident with using internet transactions and in particular interfacing with Inland Revenue, which for many, raises many fears, most groundless, but instilled nonetheless.

As a tax agent and despite being an avid advocate of online filing on IRD's website for PAYE and GST I am constantly disappointed with the lack of interest shown by my clients.  Whilst a great deal of people are comfortable and confident using internet based systems we have to remember that the vast majority still struggle with it or prefer not to do so.

IRD's current PAYE and GST filing are currently extremely easy to use and it is a pity more people are not able to take the plunge. 

I too do share some concerns with other comments read tonight that who holds the baby if IRD are missing a return?  Recently I filed online and fortunately clearly had the receipt but it did not stop one of the usual mandatory bad boy letters arriving.  Fortunately the evidence squashed it very quickly, but people do not always print receipts or remember to keep them!!