TaxCalc

[PastaandCheese]

Seen this mentioned on a few threads and was hoping someone could explain the benefits for me.

I looked on their website but aside from simplifying the form filling what does it do?

I did my first tax return as a result of child benefit changes. As a PAYE person with nothing complicated about me I didn't find the HMRC form too hard.

I've used it for years and often recommend it. I'm PAYE and my tax isn't particularly complicated but, nevertheless, HMRC had managed to mess up my tax code quite badly in the past leaving me with big bills one year and big rebates the next. The TaxCalc application leads me through the relevant sections of the form (rather than all the sections that don't apply), keeps a running total at the top of the page on whether I owe them or they owe me and the online filing process is very easy . I am now far more confident that at least once a year I'm all square. For me that's worth the £25 fee.

Thank you Cogito it does sound useful.

Can the licence be used more than once do you know? If I buy it can I use it from the same PC for DH'a return?

You can use it for up to six returns. I've also had permission off them in the past to download it onto a second laptop (my parents') and submit their returns for them. So I think it's good value.

Do either of you have anything like company cars, private pension contribs, charitable donations?

That does sound good. My tax is so simple. PAYE, no car, company pension, same pay every month.

DH is more complicated as he does have tax deductible items. He also gets paid significantly different amounts each month depending on how long he has spent abroad, his bonus etc.

He is in heavy industry yet his tax code is the same as mine (I'm a solicitor) which I'm sure isn't right?

Sometimes his monthly tax bill is eye watering and yet HMRC say it is all adjusted in the following months but it's not as though you can check is it?

I'm definitely getting this software.

As I mentioned earlier, I've had tax-code problems for years and my opinion is that it is something of a blunt instrument and very old-fashioned. Fine for someone with a fixed amount of pay month in month out and who does not have any variable 'extras' like bonuses or cars etc, but less so for someone like your DH. Changing my company car triggered two whole years of tax code problems. Daft!

So I use the HMRC tax code as provided as start-point but the TaxCalc-assisted self-assessment as an annual balancing exercise. Most years I seem to end up getting a rebate

That seems to be the general trend. 500,000 extra people now in self assessment due to child benefit changes and many of them will find they are due rebates.

Not sure it is going to save much as a policy.......

TBH I'm less bothered about cost-savings at government level than knowing I'm not being stiffed by HMRC out of my hard-earned cash :) There must be a few admin savings if half a million people are submitting their own tax calculations

Pasta all personal allowances start the same - regardless of industry or any other variable. Just so you know.

So long as your dh doesn't have a Month1 indicator (either a 1 or a x following the suffix letter) then HMRC are correct that tax will even out over the year

All these new self assessment returns will hit Hmrc hard Coggy. Shame....

Until this point all those people have had their tax worked out by their employers with little to no input from Hmrc.