Online or paper form tax return - opinions pls!

[Bienchen]

Have gone self employed at start of tax year and although quite computer literate am considering a tax return on paper (just because I am thinking it may be easier to do). Is this true in your opinion?

I keep a spreadsheet of expenses, income, etc and have glued receipts in a book, so am on top of things as best as I can.

I thought I saw something about them having changed the deadline for the paper one to being yesterday, but could be wrong about that.

Deadline for paper returns for 2007-08 was 31 October, so if you haven't done it already you've missed it

Deadline for paper (if you want them to do the calculations) was yesterday.

You can do it on paper up until 31Jan I think - but you have to do the calculations yourself.

If you do it online you have to answer the same questions as on paper (less in fact). You then have until 31Jan.

Have you registered to do it online? When you do the easiest way to do it is to print out the PDF versions of the forms and notes and fill them in by hand so you have all the info ready. Then go online and transfer the nubers online. It is much better online because hte calculation is instant. If you hadn't missed the deadline you would have to wait weeks.

Catweazle, no problem with deadline, I went self employed 6 April 2008, so the tax year is still running. Timing of my question is obviously crap, as everybody must think it is about last year.

I have registered the business but not registered online.

I always do it online - I find it easier. Plus don;t have to fanny about going to buy stamps etc etc etc

Do not attempt, that's very helpful. Thanks. I thought I might be able to take paper forms up to local branch of tax office for checking (have done so before when I was employed and had to do a tex return). Not sure whether they would still check out forms?

I dunno, but it really is very very easy. There are severall helpsheets to help and the helpline is pretty good at explaining if yoiu need help.

I would register and print off this years forms now (they probably won't change much for next year). Have a go at trying to fill them in with the info from year to date and see how you go - see where the difficulties are.

When I did the first one it was a bit of a PITA because the way I had kept my records didn't quite suit the form and I had to faff about a bit seperating some of my expenses. The next year I seperated them as I went.

now I have usually filled in the Tax return by the end of April [preen] as my records practically match the form and I alredy have all the totals I need from my spreadsheets without having to seperate my receipts.

Bear in mind tax office now operates appointments only system. They do still check you've put the numbers in the right boxes, but not the week of the deadline.

Donotattempt, "You can do it on paper up until 31Jan I think - but you have to do the calculations yourself." no 'fraid not. The absolute deadline as of this year is 31 October (used to be 30 Sept for getting the calculation done) for paper returns. Full stop. You can't do them now.

Bienchen, I had a friendly accountant talk me through my tax return the first couple of years (complicated employment/ self-employment situation) and kept all the notes which gave me the confidence to do it myself online after that.

It is pretty easy online but do it by the 29th January LATEST because you need a day or so to post the cheque! and internet transfers of money take longer, allow 4 working days. God knows why, it's madness, but still the case.

The nice thing about doing it online as well is that it saves it as you go, so if you realise you don't have some figure or other, you can exit the system without losing anything that you have already input. ANd of course you get your calculation done instantly, although it isn't always 100% accurate as I have had money back from them a couple of weeks later.

I was planning to check out the car situation with the tax office. I bought a new car with much more boot space (I'm a gardener) and for the start of the tax year I will claim 40p a mile. Now with another car I can use the percentage method or continue to claim 40p/mile.

What I am unsure about is whether I can write down the cost of the car (20%) or would it have to be a van?

Fair enough Catweazle. I knew they had changed the date from Sept to Oct...i didn't know they had taken away the option of doing your own calculation as wwell (not that I could see why you would want to do your own calculation; especially when it is done automatically online)

do it online - much easier. Paper returns to be abolished soonish (except for those who aren't allowed to file online - gov employees - as it isn't secure enough!!!).