Anyone else still need to do their tax return?

[GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat]

Not just their return but the whole years accounts.

I’m fucked. I will get it done in time, they’re not especially complex, just long winded and a faff. But why do I do this to myself??

RunSkipJump Ah - I tick both of those boxes.

I've still got my gateway access somewhere, I wouldn't know where to start but I'll give it a go. Thanks!

I did mine two days ago - no salary but have a rental property that needs to be declared. Next year will be interesting bf as I have a capital gain to declare as well!
I used to work in personal tax and loath doing my tax return. I think completing so many for clients has put me off for life

It does make me twitchy though that you submit your return, pay the money into the HMRC bank account with your reference number and hear nothing.

No "thanks for your payment". I'd assume they'd be quick to chase if there's a problem. But still... an online payment facility would be nice.

I hate it. I know I need to do it, and I know it's easy, and I know I'll be relieved when it's done. But I just can't bring myself to do it.

It's that moment when you press the button and the scary number pops up.

Pineapple I get an email acknowledging the payment - perhaps it's something else you need to set up in a complicated way....

Did mine and a family member's at the weekend. DH said "you don't usually do them so early"...

@PineappleDanish & @Peony99 - I did my s/a last night and paid via online banking into HMRC bank accouny using my UTR. No payment acknowledgement here either.

get an email acknowledging the payment - perhaps it's something else you need to set up in a complicated way

it's probably because I make the payment from my "business" account - which isn't really a business account, just a separate savings account in my name which I use to receive money into so that it doesn't get swallowed up in the joint current account. I don't have a cheque book or debit card on that account so the only way of making payments is by bank transfer. There's a good paper trail though if they come knocking, it's not like I sent them an envelope of used tenners.

I’m about third of the way through and it looks like I’ve earnt less than the previous year.

Can anyone answer this question:
I’ve already paid the tax for 18/19 on account. If it come to less than I’ve paid, will they use the overpayment for my advance due payment for 19/20 instead? I know there will still be some due, but just wondered what happens as usually I’ve earned more...

All done!!

Yes so you should pay less on the 31 Jan using your poa first!

DH made quite a significant POA last July - but I've just done his return and he didn't earn enough to pay any income tax for 2018/19.

I was thinking he should get that POA back - but hang on, that would apply to THIS year wouldn't it, 2019/20? So he won't see it again until next April?

Pity it can't go towards NICs eh.

I could help you with your question OP but as I'm an accountant I'd have to charge for my expert advice

Dec and Jan are the worst months ever for accountants. All the work comes in then even though they've had since April to send it all over. We work till early hours most nights and weekends.

I have just finished mine today as everything else is now done as I go on holiday tomorrow. DH will be working 15 hour days at least till deadline.

Accountants don't charge loads, we have expertise in the areas a lot of people running businesses don't. I don't understand why people hate paying accountants but happily pay a fortune for someone to make your coffee several times a week in Costa or something like that.

I'm only joking really, if your accounts and tax return are relatively straight forward then you should definitely do it yourself, what annoys me is when people are too tight to pay but then ask us to show them how to do it themselves

Next year I will do my own tax return in May (I won't as I say that every year)

Thank you for reminding me! I don’t have any tax to pay which often makes it easier to forget to file the return especially as I’m already paying PAYE for a different tax accounting period so there’s an additional element to forgetting to pay.

@PineappleDanish why can't you do it online via HMRC website?

@PineappleDanish just seen your other post. Why not transfer the amount of your tax return money using ref tax return into your personal current account then pay with debit card. That way you are still keeping it separate but you get an email confirmation. You can do it using a direct debit also via the website so don't need a debit card.

what annoys me is when people are too tight to pay but then ask us to show them how to do it themselves

Unbelievable isnt it. Just pay up you tight fucker. It takes me 10 times as long to explain it rather than just cracking on and doing the bloody thing.

Ahhh this thread got the wind up me but I only became self employed in June 2019 so don’t need to do mine yet do I?! HMRC says it’s all for 2018/19 when I wasn’t working self-employee.

@ClaraLane Correct.

I am doing a complicated CGT payment involving 4 of us in the family. First time needing an accountant, All information submitted to the accountant by October. This morning I’ve just hand delivered the final signed return for them to submit. I’ve been chasing every week since October. Ignored me until January then every time I’ve chased it has resulted in one thing done only. Soooo slow!

I understand not submitting until January but surely he could have done the returns ready in advance???? Stressed me out so much as I’ve got 4 returns from 3 different locations and one elderly relative doesn’t have email so everything is posted. Accountant knew all that in October - well, actually November 2018 when first engaged,

He is cheap but never again. Hopefully only time I’ll have such a difficult situation though! Fingers crossed!

Oh touched a nerve there @Changeofname79

It’s fine, I can find out when I submit, I was more curious. I have the money tucked away ready to pay regardless. Was just mentally spending some of it

And I’m the same in my line of work, always being haggled, people begrudge paying me for an essential (for some) service. I’m constantly chasing late payments too...

@MaxPanic

The mileage rebate is on miles you've traveled for work, where the employer pays a rate per mile that is under the tax-free rate HMRC allows (45ppm for the first 10k, plus other allowances). If the employer pays less than that, you have used your own resources for work and you are entitled to a tax rebate on the difference.

So, if they pay 20ppm (this is common if you have a car allowance, for example) then all the miles you did for work (not commuting) you report to the revenue and you get a rebate at your marginal rate.

If the rate they pay is low, your mileage is high and you're a higher rate tax payer, it's worth it. I used to get £2k some years when I was in traveling jobs.

@GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat it's annoying isnt it. I am still owed for some 18/19 payroll work, I am still doing their payroll which is daft on my part I guess but it's a friend of a friend so a little bit awkward. I need to be more forceful!

Done mine. I use FTax which is basically the paper forms, but then filed online (I don't live in the UK, but have UK income - so I can't use the pure online service). I've used them for the past 4 year for 2 of us and I highly recommend it.

That's just personal tax though.

In the UK I used to have an accountant keep my business accounts, and she'd sort through it all at the right time. Now I'm in Ireland, and when I went to find a business accountant, he was firmly of the opinion that that was a mugs game that he didn't want to have to do, and put me onto Xero and SimplePay, which I use for my business, then at the end of the year I'll go to him and he can cast his eye over it and do the accounts for submission and either he or I will submit what should be a straightforward tax return.

I can't say I'd necessarily recommend Xero - it's a pain to get to grips with, but, it's not terrible, and if it makes my yearly return quicker and cheaper.

Just for once I prepped ours and sent it to the accountants in September... she completed it 3 days ago. Well I did try :)

I'm toying with the idea of doing it myself.

I would not tend to try diy in the last week before it is required. Having said that, I do my own and find the actual submission very straightforward.

Knowing what figure goes in each box is the trick. Why not try diy next april/may and see how you go? Prepare the return as usual and then just give it a go.

If you get stuck, you can just send the return to accountant then compare what they have done to what you tried. Repeat each year til you get the hang of it.