Another online Tax Return question

[thehouseofmirth]

Just sat down to do this and didn't realise you have to wait for PIN to come in post. Is it likely to arrive in time, do you think?

Also I am a bit confused (due to general stupidity exacerbated by being 9 months pregnant...)

I registered as self employed in July, my self employed status commenced at the end of April 2008. HMRC wrote to me on 21st August to say I would need to fill in tax return from now on. I've been pretty disorganised and don't actually recall there being any addtional paperwork or a Tax Return form. I am a bit confused by the following info on their website - especially the paragraph I've started to put in bold and wonder whether actually I don't need to do a Tax Return until next year?

Can anyone please advise?

31 January: Online returns

Where a paper tax return or a notice to complete a tax return is issued before 31 July this is the deadline for sending back an online tax return.

Where a paper tax return or a notice to file a tax return is issued after 31 July the deadline for online filing is the later of three months following the date of issue of the return or 31 January following the end of the year of assessment.

You won't get your PIN for the online form in time.

I think if they've not sent you a paper form, you don't need to send a return (on-line or otherwise) that year. I'm not a tax expert by any means, but recently self employed too.
Phone the HMRC tomorrow. I've found that they are always very helpful.

hi, the online tax returns being requested before Jan is for the tax year 2007-2008 so I'm pretty certain you don't need to fill in a self assessment until next year but just give them a quick bell to make certain.

Thanks I'll try & call tomorrow - just don't fancy my chances of actually being able to get through on the phone this week!

You won't need to do one for the filing deadline of 31st Jan. Your first return will be 2008/09, for which the deadline is 31st Jan 2010, unless you'll file a paper one and then it's 31st october 2009.

HMRC will issue either a notice to complete a return(bu only if you've online filed before, which you haven't) or a tax return form(this is what you'll get) when you need to do the form. You should get one in April.

The letter they send you once you've registered is a little confusing. It is not a notice to file. It's a notice of their intention to ask you to file a return in the future.

Re the bit at the end of the op, normally HMRC issue returns and notices to file in April and therefore the deadline is Jan the following year. However, there are ocassions where they will decide you need to do a return in say December(ie a month before the deadline) if this happens they then say the deadline is 3 months after the date the retunr was issued.

The entire tax system is very complicated, hard enough for a non-pg person

anyway HTH

Eddas, thank you so much!

Agree with Eddas!

I went on an HMRC organised 'How to fill in your tax return form for self employed people' which was really useful. Might be worth finding out whether they run any in your area?