Right, I admit it. My brain is not capable of understanding tax credits/tax returns or anything else to do with effing tax. Arrrgghhh!!!!

[iwouldgoouttonight]

I'm sitting here in tears. I need to work out my tax return for last year so I can let the child tax credit people know whether they are paying me the right amount. I apparently have to do this by the end of July. And I just can't do it!!!

I work 28 hours a week as an employee and just do very occasional freelance work, for which I am trying to fill in my tax return for. It just doesn't make any sense. I have tried to read the 'How to fill in your tax return' manual four times and it appears to have been written for someone with seven hundred years experience in tax accountancy. Not for someone like me who just does a bit of web design in her spare time. There is no point in getting an accountant to do it because I've only actually earned £1000 in the last year from freelance work. I was trying to be good - registering as self-employed rather than sneakily doing cash in hand and not telling them but now I wish I hadn't bothered.

Is it really the most complicated thing in the entire world of is it just my addled pregnant brain that can't cope with it???!

Do the tax office have a help line number you could ring. They might be able to talk you through it.

TaxAid helps people on low incomes (up to about £16k) with their tax affairs. Call their helpline on 0845 120 3779 between 10am and 12 midday, Mondays to Thursdays.

Have you thought about registering to do it online? That way it works it all out for you, you just fill it in step-by-step.

Its not so hard honestly. If you havent earnt very much then you only need to fill in about 4 boxes.
Register to do it online and it goes thru it in stages.
You have your receipts?
Your invoices etc?
and your p60 too for the job part of it.

I'm trying to do it online!! The problem with ringing a helpline is that I am stuck on so many questions so I would have to go through the whole thing which would take hours! E.g. 'Were you an employee, director, office holder or agency worker?' Does that mean I should include my employment as well as self-employment? And 'You can claim capital allowances for the purchase and improvements to equipment and machinery such as vehicles, tools, computers, business furniture used in your business' but it doesn't tell me how to work it out! And what the feck does 'I no longer prepare my accounts on the 'cash basis' but have changed to the generally accepted accounting practice (or 'true and fair' basis)' mean??!!

Sorry, I know you can't answer those but I just need to vent. Why is it so bloody complicated?? I can see why people don't bother registering, and why people don't claim tax credits they're entitled to.

Charliecat - really?? There are about a hundred questions though! Its asking me things about interest from saving accounts (I do have some savings), and I want to claim expenses for things like electricity and broadband, which apparently I can, but I can't find anywhere where it tells you how to work that out!

You have to look at your bank statements for the interest from savings..They will have sent you a little letter teling you how much interest you have earnt this year recently...you will know to PUT THEM SAFE next year.(Look online now though, april the 5th ish they will have added the interest on)
The capital allowances have changed...it used to be complicated it much more simple now. Now if you buy a computer you just put it cost 400, before you had to spread the cost
I went on self assessment course and the woman said a couple of quid a week for electric/heating/phonebill each was acceptable if you dont want to be queried about it.

just ring the local IR office

I went in when I first went self employed, I made an appt and they just told me what to do

it only took a couple of minutes; as charliecat says there are only a few boxes to fill in

they are really helpful

Honestly, do ring the SA guys on the helpline - ime, they are pretty helpful (although it can take time to get to talk to the right person)

Re electricity, broadband etc - you just guess work it out. Roughly what percentage of your broadband for eg, is work related? Work that % out. The key thing (according to my accountant) is that you can justify your figures to the IR if they ever came asking - so for eg, I work 2 days a week, so I put 2/7 worth of my electricity down to a work cost (I work from home) If you home work, you can claim council tax, water as costs against your profits