Heads up re online self assesment
Discussion
Just in case you weren't aware, if you're planning on submitting your tax return online you have to wait a week for them to send you an activation code by post!! 
Gotta feel sorry for the people who go to do it next week only to be forced to miss the deadline and incur penalties.
Do it now peeps!
Gotta feel sorry for the people who go to do it next week only to be forced to miss the deadline and incur penalties.
Do it now peeps!
That would be me then.
Started to register earlier. Now waiting on my pin.
Didn't realise you had to wait for the pin to come through, assumed they would send you some sort of activation by Email. I'm sure there is somewhere in the small print that says about waiting a week, and if you leave it too late registering it isn't their fault if you go past the deadline.
I'm not even self employed anymore, so once this is filled in and done I'm gunna unregister my self.
Any idea how I go about that?
Started to register earlier. Now waiting on my pin.
Didn't realise you had to wait for the pin to come through, assumed they would send you some sort of activation by Email. I'm sure there is somewhere in the small print that says about waiting a week, and if you leave it too late registering it isn't their fault if you go past the deadline.
I'm not even self employed anymore, so once this is filled in and done I'm gunna unregister my self.
Any idea how I go about that?
Err in fairness the "wait a week for a PIN" has been in place for the last four or more years.
Leaving it till the last week to even register doesn't really leave you much wiggle room, it's not like we haven't all had 9 months to submit the SA.
(and yes I'm sitting here still doing my SA but at least I have a log-in and I've checked that I know the correct password).
Leaving it till the last week to even register doesn't really leave you much wiggle room, it's not like we haven't all had 9 months to submit the SA.
(and yes I'm sitting here still doing my SA but at least I have a log-in and I've checked that I know the correct password).
Piglet said:
Err in fairness the "wait a week for a PIN" has been in place for the last four or more years.
Leaving it till the last week to even register doesn't really leave you much wiggle room, it's not like we haven't all had 9 months to submit the SA.
(and yes I'm sitting here still doing my SA but at least I have a log-in and I've checked that I know the correct password).
+1,mine was submitted in early September, there will always be those who will leave their Returns until the last minute, and then point their fingers at HMR&C when they get a penalty fine.Leaving it till the last week to even register doesn't really leave you much wiggle room, it's not like we haven't all had 9 months to submit the SA.
(and yes I'm sitting here still doing my SA but at least I have a log-in and I've checked that I know the correct password).
Piglet said:
Err in fairness the "wait a week for a PIN" has been in place for the last four or more years.
Leaving it till the last week to even register doesn't really leave you much wiggle room, it's not like we haven't all had 9 months to submit the SA.
(and yes I'm sitting here still doing my SA but at least I have a log-in and I've checked that I know the correct password).
It has, but despite spending millions on those annoying, nagging 'get it done online by January 31st' adverts, none of them mention that if you try to do it online for the first time on Jan. 31st you are screwed because before you do it, you have to wait for a snailmail code. I bet that £100 fine trap more than pays for all the adverts. . . . . .Leaving it till the last week to even register doesn't really leave you much wiggle room, it's not like we haven't all had 9 months to submit the SA.
(and yes I'm sitting here still doing my SA but at least I have a log-in and I've checked that I know the correct password).
I'll be honest, I completely forgot about mine.
It was only when I got a letter through at the beginning of the month telling me I had until the end of the month to submit it that I remembered.
Hopefully the pin will come through in a couple days. If not, I shan't get angry about it, as it's completely my fualt.
They should really advertise that it takes 7 days for a pin, though................
It was only when I got a letter through at the beginning of the month telling me I had until the end of the month to submit it that I remembered.
Hopefully the pin will come through in a couple days. If not, I shan't get angry about it, as it's completely my fualt.
They should really advertise that it takes 7 days for a pin, though................
Also worth being aware that partnership SA returns CANNOT be completed online, even though the notice to complete one they send you, AND the partnership tax return guide document tell you they can.
If you were planning on submitting a partnership return online, the advice I got from the HMRC helpline was to submit a paper one, with a covering letter explaining why it's late, and asking that they not fine you (which apparently they are still entitled to).
Tol
If you were planning on submitting a partnership return online, the advice I got from the HMRC helpline was to submit a paper one, with a covering letter explaining why it's late, and asking that they not fine you (which apparently they are still entitled to).
Tol
Anatol said:
Also worth being aware that partnership SA returns CANNOT be completed online, even though the notice to complete one they send you, AND the partnership tax return guide document tell you they can.
If you were planning on submitting a partnership return online, the advice I got from the HMRC helpline was to submit a paper one, with a covering letter explaining why it's late, and asking that they not fine you (which apparently they are still entitled to).
Tol
Not completely true. I've been merrilly submitting parthenrship returns online since the middle of 2007. Perhaps partnership returns cannot be submitted using the Revenue's own web pages and on-screen menus but they definitely can be submitted using dedicated accounting/tax return software such as the package I use - Iris Software.If you were planning on submitting a partnership return online, the advice I got from the HMRC helpline was to submit a paper one, with a covering letter explaining why it's late, and asking that they not fine you (which apparently they are still entitled to).
Tol
Eric Mc said:
Not completely true. I've been merrilly submitting parthenrship returns online since the middle of 2007. Perhaps partnership returns cannot be submitted using the Revenue's own web pages and on-screen menus but they definitely can be submitted using dedicated accounting/tax return software such as the package I use - Iris Software.
You professionals and your dedicated software I bow to your superior knowledge of such things. However those of use with only the option of using the HMRC pages are out of time, and luck...
You think they'd mention in the notice to complete, or return guide, that this option isn't available...?
Tol
You could pop into a firm of accountants and ask them to do it for you. The problem is that they would charge - and probably more than the £100 penalty.
Even if there is a partnership return to submit, you should still be able to submit the returns of the individual partners on-line.
Just to console you, there is a list that runs for over 12 pages outlining all the aspects of self-assessment tax returns that cannot be returned on-line.
Even if there is a partnership return to submit, you should still be able to submit the returns of the individual partners on-line.
Just to console you, there is a list that runs for over 12 pages outlining all the aspects of self-assessment tax returns that cannot be returned on-line.
Edited by Eric Mc on Thursday 22 January 10:58
I would not be so quick to judge.
British taxation is woefully complicated and it is rather unfair to assume that everybody who is submitting a tax return in January is lazy and incompetent. There are all sorts of issues surrounding the completion of tax returns, especially if the underlying data is complicated or the taxpayer is dependent on a third party to provide some essential information.
Because the tax system is complicated, the onus should be on HMRC to explain CLEARLY and TRUTHFULLY what their systems can cope with and what it cannot cope with.
Just pop over to one of the accounting forums to see how difficult the Revenue can make things on occasions.
British taxation is woefully complicated and it is rather unfair to assume that everybody who is submitting a tax return in January is lazy and incompetent. There are all sorts of issues surrounding the completion of tax returns, especially if the underlying data is complicated or the taxpayer is dependent on a third party to provide some essential information.
Because the tax system is complicated, the onus should be on HMRC to explain CLEARLY and TRUTHFULLY what their systems can cope with and what it cannot cope with.
Just pop over to one of the accounting forums to see how difficult the Revenue can make things on occasions.
Edited by Eric Mc on Thursday 22 January 11:24
Eric Mc said:
You could pop into a firm of accountants and ask them to do it for you. The problem is that they would charge - and probably more than the £100 penalty.
Even if there is a partnership return to submit, you should still be able to submit the returns of the individual partners on-line.
The partners' returns are all done and dusted. The partnership in question has been registered at companies house, (it's a limited partnership [and not a limited liability partnership]) but not commenced trading. As such there's no tax bill to pay, so I'm hoping that we'll benefit from the rule that they can't fine you an amount greater than your bill owed anyway...Even if there is a partnership return to submit, you should still be able to submit the returns of the individual partners on-line.
Edited by Eric Mc on Thursday 22 January 10:58
Tol
Eric Mc said:
it is rather unfair to assume that everybody who is submitting a tax return in January is lazy and incompetent.
I'm a persistent January submitter, entirely because I'm lazy and incompetent 
I would happily pay an accountant to deal but I've never managed to get my act together soon enough to instruct one!
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