# Unemployed in December-who issues P60?



## ClubMan

_P60s_ are issued by employers for individuals employed at the end of the tax year - see here:


> A P60 is a form issued by an employer to an employee certifying details of the employee's pay, tax and PRSI contributions for the tax year. The Form P60 must be given to each employee who is in employment at 31 December on any given year for the short tax "year" and each subsequent 31 December.


If one is unemployed in December then who issues the _P60_?


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## ajapale

As far as I know an unemployed person cannot get a P60.

On leaving the previous employement the person will have got a P45. 

Very often at the end of the year the person may have handed in the P45. The practice in my company is to provide such people with a 'certificate of earnings' effectively a letter with a statement of earnings and tax paid etc. up to the date that they finished with the company.

This letter (together with payslips) is genearlly acceptable to social welfare, banks and other agencies.


ajapale


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## ClubMan

Thanks for the reply. Just seems odd to me that somebody not employed on December 31st doesn't get a _P60_ allowing them to keep their tax affairs up to date and process reclaims etc.


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## oilean

A P45 will give all the information that a P60 will
It can be used to complete a Form11/12 at the year end for tax compliance purposes

And it also entitles the person to make any reclaim necessary prior to 31 Dec


Stu


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## zag

The basic thing is that P60s are issued to employees (or those who were employed on 31DEC), so if a person was laid off on DEC30 they would no be entitled to one.

They would be entitled to a P45 - mind you the detail on it would be essentially the same as a P60 issued the next day.  They are both statements of earnings and taxes paid.

z


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## ClubMan

But to process tax reclaims _Revenue_ usually ask for (insist on?) a _P60_ for the relevant year. When one resumes employment one hands the full _P45_ over to the new employer. Seems like a bit of a conundrum to me that the individual is left with no authoritative statement of tax/PRSI paid for the year if they are not in employment on 31st December.


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## ajapale

> to process tax reclaims Revenue usually ask for (insist on?) a P60



Hi Clubman,

As far as I know the revenue accept the P45 for tax reclaims. The situation you describe is very common (students and unemployed people).



> The following Dail Exchange from the 1980s illustratest the procedure
> 
> Dáil Éireann - Volume 356 - 26 February, 1985
> 
> Written Answers. - Income Tax
> 
> 491. Mr. E. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Finance the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork has not been paid his tax refund which he claims amounts to approximately £600.
> 
> Minister for Finance (Mr. Dukes) Alan Dukes
> 
> Minister for Finance (Mr. Dukes): I have been advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the taxpayer ceased employment on 16 November 1984 and subsequently submitted a claim to the inspector for repayment of tax on the grounds of unemployment. *As the documentation required to support the claim was not enclosed the inspector returned the claim form to the taxpayer with a request that he should resubmit it together with Parts 2 and 3 of his form P45 (cessation certificate) which the taxpayer should have obtained from his employer on cessation of his employment.* The taxpayer has not yet responded to this request. When he does respond, his claim will be dealt with as quickly as possible.



ajapale


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## ClubMan

*As far as I know the revenue accept the P45 for tax reclaims*

Yes - but when one returns to employment one must hand the _P45_ over to the new employer. I suppose a copy could be made for future reference.


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## MugsGame

*P45 vs. P60*

When you leave employment you receive a P45.

Should you remain unemployed until 31 Dec, then you still have the P45, and can use it to reclaim tax for that year. Were you to be issued a P60 it wouldn't give the Revenue any extra information.

Should you return to work before 31 Dec you give the P45 to your new employer who will then issue you with a P60 at the end of the year. This P60 includes detail of previous employments, so you don't need the P45. 

Either way you have an up-to-date P45 or a P60 at the end of the year. I don't see the problem. Maybe there are other scenarios I'm missing?

Here are two:
Suppose you leave employment at 12pm on the 31 Dec. By law you must get a P60. Are you also entitled to a P45?

Who issues your P60 if you have concurrent part-time employments? Do you get multiple P60s?


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## Ham Slicer

Clubman, as the previous people said the P45 is effectively the same as the P60



> Yes - but when one returns to employment one must hand the P45 over to the new employer. I suppose a copy could be made for future reference.



The answer to your question is that the P45 is in quadruplicate.  
Part 1 is sent by your old employer to the tax office
Parts 2, 3, & 4 are given to you.
Part 2 should be given to your new employer and you retain parts 3 & 4
If you are unemployed and claiming a tax repayment you should send parts 2 & 3 to Rev and keep part 4.

Any confusion, just photocopy the form and work off that.

Hope this helps.


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## ClubMan

OK - thanks for all the comments.


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## Fauve

Apologies, made an error in year therefore no problem. 
Deleted post as it makes no sense now.
Again apologies.
Fauve


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