Why it helps
Official letters from IRD, ACC, the council or your bank can be heavy going. They're written to be precise, not easy to read, so it's easy to miss the one line that actually matters. AI can explain the letter in plain English, pull out any action and date, and help you write down the questions to ask before you do anything.
Treat it like a smart friend who isn't a tax expert. It's great for a first read and for getting your questions straight. It's not the final word. The letter itself, ird.govt.nz and your accountant are.
The prompt
Copy it, swap the bits in [square brackets], and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Copilot.
I'm in New Zealand and I've received the letter below. Explain it in plain English, like you're talking to someone with no accounting or legal background. Use NZ English. 1. What is this letter about, in 2 or 3 sentences? 2. Is there anything I need to do? List each action and any date exactly as it appears in the letter. 3. What happens if I don't do anything? Only say what the letter itself says. Don't guess at penalties or amounts. 4. Which words or terms in the letter might confuse me? Explain each one briefly. 5. Give me 3 to 5 questions to ask IRD, my accountant or the sender to be sure I've got it right. Rules: - Only use what's in the letter. Don't invent dates, amounts, rules or deadlines. - If something isn't clear, or NZ rules might differ from what you know, say so plainly. - Don't tell me what I'm legally required to do. Point me to who I should check with. Letter: [paste the letter text here, with your IRD number, name, address, account numbers and any reference numbers removed]
Then keep chatting
Explain point 2 again, more simply, as a short checklist.
Draft a short, polite message I could send through myIR asking about this. Leave placeholders for my details.
What documents should I have ready before I call IRD or my accountant about this?
Is there anything in this letter that sounds urgent? Quote the exact words.
Step by step
- Copy the text of the letter. If it's a PDF or a photo, you can type it out or copy the main paragraphs. You don't need the letterhead.
- Remove anything personal: your IRD number, name, address, phone, bank account numbers and any customer or reference numbers. Replace them with [removed].
- Paste the prompt, then the letter, and read the summary.
- Check every date and amount in the summary against the original letter. If they don't match, the letter wins.
- Use the questions it gives you when you call IRD, log in to myIR, or email your accountant. Do the actual action through the official channel.
Worked example
Example details are made up. Your results will vary, so always read and check before you use them.
Watch out for
- Privacy: don't paste your IRD number, bank account numbers, address, date of birth or reference numbers. The AI doesn't need them to explain the letter.
- Accuracy: AI can be wrong about NZ tax rules, mix them up with Australian or US rules, or be out of date. Always check deadlines, amounts and what you need to do at ird.govt.nz, in myIR, or with your accountant.
- Scams: if a "letter" or email asks you to pay by gift card, crypto or a link you weren't expecting, don't. Log in to myIR yourself or call IRD on the number on their website to check it's real.
- Don't use AI to fill in or submit official forms for you. Use it to understand, then do the real thing yourself.
Go further
Keep a simple note of each official letter, what it asked for and what you did about it. You can ask AI to turn your rough notes into a tidy list. If the letter is a contract or terms and conditions rather than from a government agency, the [contract in plain English](/use-cases/contract-in-plain-english) use case works the same way.
