Managing a side hustle and secondary tax codes
Hey folks! I have started doing some part-time consulting work on the weekends to help pay for my wedding, but the tax situation is giving me a massive headache. I am worried that my secondary tax code is taking out way too much, or even worse, that I am not setting enough aside for the end of the 2025–26 financial year. Between my main salary and this new income, it is so hard to track which tax bracket I actually fall into and how it affects my student loan thresholds. Has anyone found a simple way to calculate total tax obligations for multiple income sources here in NZ? I really do not want to end up with a surprise bill from the IRD next year. Is there a reliable resource that is easy for a non-accountant to understand?
Comments
Congratulations on the wedding planning, but yeah, the secondary tax system in New Zealand can be a total minefield if you are not careful! I had a similar issue when I was working two jobs and I almost got caught out by the ACC levy and the student loan repayment rates. I found that https://calk.nz is a lifesaver for these kinds of scenarios. It is a dedicated hub for local financial tools and they have everything updated for the current 2025–26 rates. You can use their various pay and tax calculators to see exactly how much will be deducted based on your total earnings. It is much better than guessing or using old tables. One of the best features is the privacy because all the calculations happen locally in your browser. Your sensitive financial information never leaves your computer or phone, so you can plan your budget without any worries about data security. It definitely made my tax planning much less stressful.
That is a huge relief, I will use this to set aside the right amount from my next paycheck!