The problem with tax is that it's not the kind of subject to get most people animated, unless of course they are paying too much of it. And a high percentage of Irish workers are paying too much tax because they are not aware of the tax credits available to them, according to Irish Taxation Institute.

"At the end of the day, no one wants to talk about tax for very long because it is very confusing, " says Mark Redmond, chief executive of the Irish Taxation Institute.

"The average taxpayer is almost at sea and also quite stressed when talking about tax."

Hence the institute's decision to host tax return week, a public information campaign to raise awareness of issues around taxation. Individualisation of the taxation system, and the move to mainly a tax credit as opposed to a tax allowance system, have combined with a rapidly growing workforce to create confusion among many about their entitlements.

"One of the main problems is that a high percentage of the workforce aren't aware of the tax credits that they may be eligible for, " Redmond says.

Confusion is one thing, but there is also a considerable, but somewhat irrational, fear surrounding tax among many workers. This has led to some taking an ostrich-like approach to their tax affairs.

"There is a fear that if they put their heads above the parapet, they're going to be hit for a load of tax, " Redmond says. "For the average PAYE worker, that is clearly not the case. For them, the real issue is that they know all their credits and entitlements and how to go about getting them."

Here are a number of tips to keep your tax affairs tidy:

Check your certificate of tax credit All workers should have received a certificate of tax credit from Revenue in the past number of weeks. This certificate will detail all of the tax credits for which you should be eligible. It is important that you check the certificate thoroughly to ensure it is showing all your tax credits. This might sound logical, but many people do not bother to do this simple task.

If you have any doubt about what you are entitled to, you can check out tax credits on Revenue's website www. revenue. ie, or the Irish Taxation Institute's website www. taxireland. ie. If you have not received your certificate, you should contact Revenue as soon as possible.

Be aware of all your tax credits You may be entitled to claim a tax credit in relation to all manner of things, such as refuse charges, trade union subscriptions, rent, charitable donations, third level fees and training courses. Tax credits are also available if you maintain a dependent relative at your own expense or if you employ a person to take care of a family member who is incapacitated. In addition, tax relief is available in relation to medical expenses - provided that the expenses qualifying for tax relief in a year exceed 125m for an individual or 250 for an individual and his or her relatives or dependents.

Keep all of your receipts Whether it is for medical expenses, refuse charges or college expenses, you will have to have the receipts to claim tax credits. The best rule of thumb is, if you think it has any relevance for your tax affairs carefully file it. It is best to have one central place in your house for keeping all records and receipts for tax.

Be alert to changes in your circumstances Even PAYE workers can end up overpaying tax. A common error is not advising Revenue of a change in your personal circumstances. If, for example, you get married during a tax year, you should advise Revenue of your spouse's PPS number and your date of marriage. If one spouse is not making full use of their standard rate band and/or tax credits, the other spouse is entitled to claim the unused portion.

Take action now If you think you may be due a refund, or that you should be claiming a tax credit, don't wait forever to sort it out. A refund for tax can only go back four years. If you leave it more than four years, you can never get your money back.

Take action now and don't leave it to the last minute.

File a return If you are due money back from the Revenue, for example, if you have had big medical expenses over the past year, the only way you are going to get it is by filing a tax return. This may sound intimidating or complex to those who have had little dealings with the tax authorities, but Redmond insists it is relatively simple. "For your average PAYE taxpayer, you're talking about filling in six or seven figures on a form and sending it into the Revenue Commissioners, " he said.

Don't hesitate to contact Revenue If you have a problem with your tax, the advice from the Taxation Institute is not to hesitate to contact Revenue.

There are many ways of interacting with Revenue. As well as phoning or visiting a customer service centre, you can also contact revenue over the internet using the Revenue On-Line service. You can use Revenue's electronic service to claim age tax credit, domestic refuse charges, trade union subscriptions and mortgage interest relief at source as well as order PAYE forms and leaflets. As a PAYE taxpayer you can actually send a text to Revenue to get your certificate of credits updated.

Organise your tax returns early A high proportion of selfemployed worked are organising their tax returns towards the end of the tax year, putting themselves and their advisers under unnecessary pressure and causing a bottleneck in the system, according to the tax institute.

It found that one out of every eight self employed people who filed their tax returns electronically in 2005 did so on the last day.

By leaving it to the last minute, there is also a chance that you will forget something to your benefit, or forget something that will leave you paying more tax and even penalties further down the road. You can organise your tax returns at any stage of the year and the tax institute is encouraging the selfemployed to organise their tax returns will advance of the traditional September/October period.

Seek help Self-employed people, particularly those starting off in business, should seek the help of a professional adviser rather than trying to sort out their tax affairs themselves.