Self assessment do’s and don’ts
3 mins
Our expert team at DSR Tax Refunds know what a minefield it can be, dealing with your self-assessment tax returns, especially if you are relatively new to the process. And even if you are a seasoned old-hand at it, there’s no harm in getting a bit of advice from the experts, so we have created this handy guide to help you get through your self-assessment tax returns with as little fuss and hassle as possible. Of course, our tax preparation specialists do offer a self-assessment service so if you get to the end of our useful hints and you still can’t face the hassle, call our friendly team on 0330 122 9972 and let us take the strain for you.
So, how can you make your self-assessment tax return as easy as possible?
As Benjamin Franklin supposedly said, there’s nothing certain but death and taxes. Unfortunately, dealing with your taxes is a part of life but you don’t need to make it more complicated that it needs to be. Check out our list of do’s and don’ts and hopefully you will breeze through your self-assessment return.
DO:
- Do get yourself registered for self-assessment as soon as possible. HMRC can take a while to get back to you with all of the essential information you will need for your return, such as your UTR (Unique Taxpayer Reference) and you don’t want to find yourself receiving any penalties for late filing if you can help it.
- Do file a tax return even if you think your income is going to be below the personal allowance threshold. If you earn it, HMRC want to know about it.
- If you earn a small amount from a hobby or online selling on eBay or any other similar income stream, do let HMRC know about it. You might not think it is worth mentioning but HMRC are likely to disagree.
- Do still file a return even if you closed your business partway through the tax year. If you were still open for business at any point during the tax year then HMRC will want to know about it.
- Keep HMRC informed if you think you are going to miss a deadline. If there are circumstances that are going to have an effect on you meeting any deadlines, the sooner HMRC know, the more likely they are to be a little more lenient on you. Genuine reasons only though! HMRC don’t like to have the wool pulled over their eyes.
- Do consider using a firm of tax preparation specialists like DSR Tax Refunds. Our experts can make sure that you only pay the correct amount of tax and not a penny more. We ensure that you claim the full amount of tax relief available to you and we deal with HMRC on your behalf so you don’t have to. Call us on 0330 122 9972 and let our experts do the hard work for you.
DON’T
- Don’t ignore any requests for a tax return. If you think you shouldn’t have to fill in a self-assessment form then let HMRC know. If you don’t tell them, they will still expect a tax return from you and could issue you with a penalty for missing the deadline.
- Don’t miss the deadlines. Seriously, just don’t! You can be issued with a £100 penalty for just missing the self-assessment filing deadline by just one day and things don’t get better, the longer you delay so make sure you get your returns filed in good time.
- Don’t miss any of the sections on the form just because you are making a loss on that area. Include everything so HMRC can’t accuse you of trying to pull a fast one.
We hope that this guide helps you to make the self-assessment process as simple and pain-free as possible but don’t forget that our team of tax preparation experts are here to take the weight off your shoulders with your self-assessment service. Call our expert team on 0330 122 9972 and let us do the hard work for you.