Kiwis Donating Less - Research

The average amount donated to religions, schools and charities by philanthropic Kiwis has dropped by ten per cent over the past year according to new research.

MyTax which analysed more than 300,000 tax returns found that average total donations claimed by New Zealand taxpayers has fallen to $761, from the previous year’s $841.

CEO of MyTax Lester Binns says the research also found some surprising differences in the amount donated by those on low incomes.

“Although the average amount donated was highest with incomes in excess of $70,000, it was interesting to see there was only $38 difference between those in the $60,000 - $70,000 bracket and those earning less than $20,000 who each donated around $692.

“What we can see from this is that your level of income is not necessarily a good indicator of how much you choose to donate,” he says.

The research found that while the average donation made to schools dropped by around 10% over the past year, it was religions that saw the largest decrease falling 19% to $398.

Binns says Kiwis can claim back on a range of different types of donations in their tax return.

“Charitable donations include those made to registered charities and religious organisations but also state schools and kindergartens and a range of other IRD approved organisations.”

Binns says taxpayers wanting to check if they can claim a tax refund on donations made throughout the year should contact the IRD, a registered accountant or a personal tax agent.