Claiming Your Donation Tax Credit When Your Receipt Shows a Preferred Name

Claiming Your Donation Tax Credit When Your Receipt Shows a Preferred Name


If your donation receipt was issued in your preferred name rather than your legal name, you may still be able to claim your donation tax credit if Inland Revenue can clearly identify you as the donor. This article explains what to do.

Why this might affect you

Inland Revenue (IRD) requires donation receipts to show the full name of the person who donated. If the name on your receipt is a preferred, chosen, or shortened name rather than your legal name as registered with IRD, there are steps you can take to help your claim go smoothly.

Step 1: Add your preferred name to your myIR account

IRD allows you to record a preferred name on your myIR account.  Adding your preferred name to myIR helps Inland Revenue match the name on your receipt with your taxpayer record, which may help support your claim. 

Here's how to add a preferred name:

  1. Log in to myIR
  2. Select the 'I want to...' tab
  3. Go down to 'My details' and select 'Manage names and addresses'
  4. Select 'Add name' next to Preferred name

No supporting documents are required to add a preferred name - you can do this yourself online.

Step 2: Submit your receipt through myIR

Once your preferred name is recorded, submit your donation receipt through myIR as normal:

  1. From your myIR home page, go to the Donation tax credit section
  2. Select 'Enter donation tax credit receipts'
  3. Click 'Add a receipt' and fill in the organisation details
  4. Attach your receipt (PDF, photo, or scan are all accepted)
  5. Review and submit

Submitting through myIR means your claim is associated with your IRD account and taxpayer record.

Step 3: If your claim needs more information

IRD may contact you if they need clarification. If Inland Revenue needs further information, you can explain that the preferred name shown on the receipt is a name you are known by and confirm that you made the donation.