What if you can’t complete your Self Assessment Tax Return?

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11.2 million people will be required to complete a Self Assessment Return for 2013/14 and the deadline is the 31st January 2015.

The most common things you will need to know are:

  • Employment Income – P60 and P11D
  • Pension Contributions – statement from provider
  • Donations to Charity
  • Bank and Building Society Interest
  • Dividends
  • Buy to Let Investments, Holiday Lets and Second Homes
  • Other Income
  • Employment Expenses not paid by your employer including mileage to approved rates and clothing
  • Professional Memberships related to your job and on HMRC List 3
  • Home Office Expenses

What can you do if despite your best efforts you can’t find or get hold of the information you need?

Returns which include provisional or estimated figures should be accepted provided they can be regarded as satisfying the filing requirement.

  • A provisional figure is one which the taxpayer / agent has supplied pending the submission of the final / accurate figure
  • An estimated figure is one which the taxpayer / agent wishes to be accepted as the final figure because it is not possible to provide an accurate figure for example where the records have been lost. The taxpayer is not required to tick box 20 of the Finishing your Tax Return section of the return page TR 6 (or equivalent in a return for an earlier year) where estimated figures have been used

If you make a mistake on your tax return, you’ve normally got 12 months from 31 January after the end of the tax year to correct or amend it. For example, if you send your 2013-14 online tax return by 31 January 2015, you have until 31 January 2016 to amendment it.

If you sent your tax return online by 31 January, it’s easy to amend it online too. You just need to log into your Self Assessment online account, go to the ‘at a glance’ page and choose the option to amend your tax return.

steve@bicknells.net