2013-14 tax return deadline looms large
With the festivities well and truly over, the attention for many self-employed professionals now turns to the self-assessment tax return deadline at the end of this month.
The deadline for the online filing of a 2013-14 tax return is 31st January 2015, with instant late return penalties of £100 for anyone that leaves it beyond midnight on 31st January.
Those who keep delaying will be hit with additional penalties which can add up to an eye-watering £1,600.
If you were sent a tax return reminder for the tax year 2013-14 it is now too late to file a return by post; the deadline of which was 31st October 2014. Your only option now is to file online with on-screen assistance available as well as automatic calculations as you work your way through.
In order to be eligible to submit an online tax return you must be registered for HMRC online services which involves receiving an “activation code” via post, which can take a number of days to arrive.
In the meantime it’s a good idea to retrieve all relevant financial documentation you will need to complete the return; from bank and investment statements to P60 and P11D forms.
Your HMRC online services account must be activated within 28 days once your activation code arrives. To do this, you will require your national insurance number or postcode and your 10-digit unique taxpayer reference (UTR) number.
For those who have previously registered but have since forgotten their user ID to login, it is possible to request a new ID online providing you have your UTR number and password at hand.
If you still have problems signing up to file your tax return online, simply call the HMRC online services helpdesk on 0300 200 3600.
If you’re also unsure of whether you need to fill in a self-assessment return, you can go online at gov.uk/check-if-you-need-a-tax-return or talk to your local TaxAssist accountant today by filling in our online enquiry form or calling our friendly team on 0800 0523 555.
Last updated: 5th January 2015