Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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286. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of taxpayer units who may have either underpayments or overpayments for the 2022, 2023 and 2024 tax years respectively; the number who have not yet submitted a tax return; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3059/25]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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At the end of every year, Revenue makes a Preliminary End of Year Statement available to employees. The Preliminary End of Year Statement sets out a provisional tax position, based on information available on Revenue records. It will show whether an employee has paid the correct amount of Income Tax and Universal Social Charge (USC) for the year.

I am advised by Revenue that the final position for PAYE taxpayers can only be quantified when taxpayers submit their tax returns at the end of the year and claim any additional credits or reliefs that may be due or declare any additional income they may have.

To assist taxpayers, balance their tax, Revenue regularly issues letters to taxpayers who according to their Preliminary End of Year Statement, may have either overpaid or underpaid tax in a particular tax year. These letters advise the recipients to submit an Income Tax return to claim any additional tax credits or reliefs that they may be due and/or to declare any additional income they may have received. These letters also remind taxpayers of a four-year time limit in respect of submitting such claims.

Revenue advises that to date 1.2 million PAYE taxpayer units filed an Income Tax return for 2022, 1.1 million have filed for 2023 and 570,000 have already filed for 2024.

I am further advised by Revenue that over 987,000 PAYE taxpayer units, who have paid or are liable to pay tax, have yet to file an Income Tax return for 2022, approximately 1.1 million have yet to file for 2023 and approximately 1.7 million have yet to file for 2024. The analysis of those PAYE taxpayers indicates that 603,000 (61%), 692,000 (63%) and 976,000 (57%) of taxpayer units in 2022, 2023 and 2024 respectively have a balanced tax position.

Of the remainder, 154,000 (16%) taxpayer units in 2022, 156,000 (14%) in 2023 and 238,000 (14%) in 2024 potentially underpaid tax with 230,000(24%) taxpayer units in 2022, 292,000 (23%) in 2023 and 493,000 (29%) in 2024, potentially overpaid tax.

Finally, Revenue advises that these figures relate to PAYE taxpayers only, data is not available in respect of potential overpayments or underpayments for self-assessed taxpayers.