Totally self-pitying, left it to the last minute, tax return thread

[LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett]

Waaaaaah! Every year I leave it till the last minute (and I know this isn't strictly speaking the last minute and some of you cheeky monkeys will be leaving it even later!).

Why do I do it to myself, why?

Massive panic, it seems my registration didn't go through! Have registered now. It seems after expenses etc I'll only have earn't enough to pay class 2 NI for part of this year that I was actually in business so about 123 quid. Do you just pay it on 31st then can I sign up for direct debit for next years so I don't have to worry about that? May go into class 4 next year but not sure I'll earn enough to pay very much actual tax even next year...

As long as you know your UTR and how much you owe you can pay without logging in via www.gov.uk/pay-tax-debit-credit-card

I lock myself out of my account and have to have it reset every single year!

The woman I got was a lot nicer and helped me through all the steps! If you google where to send cheques to hmrc maybe it'll turn up some results. I'm hoping I get my code in time, I should do as it said a week. I've done all my accounts and know my figures I'll just need to type them in.

However next year since I will undoubtedly earn more, i am going to be far more organised than this year!

sootica I know I will probably leave it, panic, have misplaced the details etc.

I'm trying to be much better organised all round but all my great intentions have been put paid to because of flu then dining room ceiling springing leak and now insurance company want to pull whole lot down so am having to camp my office in front room!

But every freelancer I know at the moment seems to have left it to the last minute too!

I need to do it too but can't get signed in. I'll try again tomorrow.

Excellent, thank you. I might try that as I can't afford to pay my tax bill

TiP is definitely a she
and on semi sabbatical from MN for a bit

however, I had two clients drop off their records on Thursday evening, one of whom had "forgotten" to register as self employed ......

think of it this way - its only 14 weeks till you can do your 15/16 return .... start early

Oh God me too!

Just starting today

Apologies for gatecrashing the thread (I read, but rarely post in this bit). I promised DD that I'd taken her on a spending spree after school today, but only if everyone's tax was done. I've now submitted 35 tax returns, a VAT return, 4 sets of company accounts and 6 corporation tax returns this month and got them all in with 2 hours to spare. TiP do you need a hand? I believe I'm just down the road from you.

I need a hand!

I am simply copying the tax return my accountant did for me last year as I have a paper copy and nothing has changed. I am sole director and sole shareholder of a bog standard Ltd company. As it's sole employee this is my only employment and my only income is the usual salary and dividends from that company. No property, pensions etc.

So online there is a checkbox saying "Are you a director of this company" which it seems to me I should check and say yes. However I noticed that on teh papaer copy they submitted last year they left the box unchecked so did not submit me as a company director, as far as I can see. Was this just a mistake on their part do you think, or is there some reason that I am not aware of that they didn't declare me as a CD of the company that is my sole source of income? Should I declare it this year?

Tick it!

ok done!

Thankyou - one tiny step closer .....

I thought I was all smug doing mine back in May, paid Christmas eve - then today had my hairdresser tell me all of the things I should have claimed for, apparently I'm paying WAY too much tax. So um....please dont laugh at me....my accountant chuckled when I asked if I could put clothes and hair through. I work from home but have to go to customer meetings, most days, at home im in jeans/T-Shirt....ok PJs....but obviously have to make an effort for face to face stuff. I cant find anything online about a clothes allowance, is she messing with me? Can I claim for stuff like a word wardrobe? so far only my mobile, broadband, train/car millage and accountancy fees are deducted
sorry if this isnt the place, but as you're all filling yours in I was wondering if there were any genuine loopholes, and I mean genuine, nothing dodgy that may result in my books being investigated x

sootica I did very similar.
The site is so user unfriendly!
Dh was chuckling as I sat on the sofa wailing 'but if it was so important, I would have written it down' whilst utterly failing to find where I'd written it.

Turns out I had written it on the back of a previous Inland Revenue letter that was the top letter in my file (so of course, I'd been entirely through the file, all 20 years worth before I found it).

The user id is ridiculously long. Then I had no idea where to type in the activation code.

Could they not just have some simple step-by-step guide with screen shots? That would be too simple, I think.

ClarkL, no, you can't claim for work clothes unless they have a logo on.

And I'm scowling at you buggers who don't get stuff to your accountants until dec/jan!

In all seriousness, if you use an accountant, get your stuff in earlier - they are more likely to spot decent tax planning opportunities, are able to offer decent advice and warn of any potential nasties long before they arise if they aren't trying to complete your return on the 30th january.

Plus, why wouldn't you want to know what to pay sooner?

DH has used some accountant for years who is never there when you want him, I've never spoken to him, but in the first years we were with him I never knew whether I was self-employed or simply nothing. He send a blank return to be signed every year, and then we never see it again. We get a letter from HMRC telling us we've missed the deadline, ring him up, leave a message, and he sends a message back saying he'll deal with it. That's it.

DH is panicking now as he hasn't even sent figures to the bloke.

My question is that our returns are very simple, but apparently there is an allowance for renting out part of your home, and I have no idea how much it is. Otherwise we could fill in our own and save 100 quid.

I had a terrible experience with my online TR last year. I simply could not log on, despite vising our local SE,Tax Office and being assured everything would be ok. The deadline passed so I jotted the info down (not much to declare) and sent it off. I got the standard late submission fine and paid it. I assumed everything was in order and no further action was required.

Last Christmas I got a bill for 1400£ in accrued fines. There was no explanation as to how the fine had accrued. After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing with HMRC I got a very stiff bailiff's letter threatening all sorts. I was beside myself with worry.

I desperation, I went to my local MP who, thankfully, sorted it out. Phew!!

I finally got an apology and a waiver of the original fine, but I've never trusted the online system since.

Clash I share your pain. I had a couple of days off at NY and I've had two weekend afternoons off to watch Harlequins play rugby. I got my final client signed off & submitted this afternoon and now I just want to do nothing for a few days, but other jobs call.

ClarkL you can claim use of home as office, but to be completely safe on the allowable amount you can only claim £4 per week without having to support it with bills & calculations. Don't forget to add on your printer, ink, stationery, any legit business subscriptions, parking on business trips, postage....

They certainly don't make it easy. I did mine about 10 days ago. FOr some reason my PC remembers my login details and password when I go to HMRC login so I don't have a problem with that but I do make sure I also write down the numbers on the tax file as it's so hard as people say above if you lose them and others might want to do that too just in case emails go astray.

Also many many people don't have good internet connections. We couldn't even watch iplayer (and we are outer London not outer hebrides) until we raised £13k as a group of neighbours to pay open reach to get us faster broadband. If the state wants us to do its work for it with these kinds of things , particularly with 4 tax returns a year being planned for the self employed (lobby against that to your MP now) it needs to make sure everyone has fast broadband,

Another Accountant who is not overly sympathetic of the late arrivals brigade.
In fact I charge people a LOT more if they deliver their stuff after Christmas.
Its trained the vast majority of them.

ClarkL
Work clothes - nope. Its the classic Anne Mallalieu case from our accountancy exams
but do have a look at my old Me page
its a bit out of date but still sound
talkinpeacemepage.wordpress.com/2014/09/10/the-talkinpeace-me-page-as-it-was-before-being-evicted-by-ebay/

sticker
I'm fine tax wise. Its my specialist work that will keep me busy for the next few months. THank you for the offer though

Got my utr and log on so will be doing tomorrow. I will be more organised next year!