Free tax advice available for those on a low income

cosyc

chapperz wrote: »

Hi all,

I work for the HMRC Advice Team and would just mention that we do offer a course which is free of charge which is designed to show the Self-Employed how to do their Tax Return, either on paper or online. Have included a link due to it being a Government website & a free service. We run them at various locations around the country.

For more details go to www.hmrc.gov.uk/bst

Hope this helps someone! :T

Chapperz

Fantastic and free of charge as well. :T

LongTermLurker

LongTermLurker wrote: »

Originally Posted by fengirl
Complicated finances basically means anyone who will have tax to pay at the end of the year, ie it has not all been collected through PAYE. It also includes Company Directors, people with self employed earnings on the side, income from property, higher rate taxpayers who have tax to pay on their investments or have large claims to relief to make, people with Capital Gains to declare.

Thanks. What about if savings income will put you into the higher-rate band but you haven't been sent a form? HMRC should know I'm either in, or very close to, the High Rate band from a PAYE perspective because I've recently had my tax code adjusted. Do I need to get a form, phone them up or just send a letter?

Just received a letter from HMRC which clears this up and defines "complex tax affairs"

Employees & Pensioners with complex tax affairs... need to fill in a tax return if you:

• have an annual income of £100,000 or more
• have annual income from savings or investments of £10,000 or more (before tax)
• claim against tax for expenses or professional subscriptions of £2500 or more
• have untaxed income of £2500 or more
• owe tax at the end of the year that cannot be collected through a change to your PAYE tax code for the following year

The key point re savings income appears to be that less than £10k interest (before tax) doesn't, in itself, trigger a requirement to fill in a tax return.

The letter also states "If there are only minor differences in your taxable income since we last sent you a PAYE notice of coding, do not worry; any tax effect would be small."

So tax return - no; notify of negligable interest earned last tax year - no; notify of more significant interest which will be earned this tax year - yes (next year).

Wiggynut

do I have to fill out a tax form now?

since May of this year I've been paid weekly by cheque and I have to sort out my own tax and NI - I'm not freelance - I did call the tax office and they said I don't fit the freelance criteria - they also said to fill out a tax form at the end of the tax year - so I'm confused as to whether this deadline applies to me or not?

but it's not been a 'whole' tax year since I've been paid this way - should I wait until the end of this tax year before filling a form out?

I'm not a full time mature student (as of this week) but I will be working one day per week for the same company.

years ago while paying tax via PAYE the tax office sent me a form to fill in (I don't know why) they kept losing this and then kept trying to fine me for being late (I sent two in early.. then two more after the deadline - as I was PAYE it mean't only ticking a box!!!) it took 4 years for them to stop trying to fine me - I finally got a court date and 4 days before I was misteriously paid over £600 in overpaid taxes... so I really hate dealing with the tax office!!!

can someone let me know if I should fill out one now?
thanks
:cool:

Pablo_the_brave

I don’t think this has been mentioned anywhere – Apologies if I have missed it.

If you have been issued with a paper return and you now intend to file on-line and you have not previously registered to do this with HMRC

YOU NEED TO REGISRTER BEFORE THE PAPER FILING DEADLINE of 31st October.

Otherwise this will be counted as late return.

cosyc

I am sorry but you are wrong. You can register any time with hmrc.

Paper return by 31 october or online return before 31 January.

For example register to file online 1 december, file the return online 10 december still before the deadline so on time.

cosyc

Wiggynut wrote: »

do I have to fill out a tax form now?

since May of this year I've been paid weekly by cheque and I have to sort out my own tax and NI - I'm not freelance - I did call the tax office and they said I don't fit the freelance criteria - they also said to fill out a tax form at the end of the tax year - so I'm confused as to whether this deadline applies to me or not?

but it's not been a 'whole' tax year since I've been paid this way - should I wait until the end of this tax year before filling a form out?

I'm not a full time mature student (as of this week) but I will be working one day per week for the same company.

years ago while paying tax via PAYE the tax office sent me a form to fill in (I don't know why) they kept losing this and then kept trying to fine me for being late (I sent two in early.. then two more after the deadline - as I was PAYE it mean't only ticking a box!!!) it took 4 years for them to stop trying to fine me - I finally got a court date and 4 days before I was misteriously paid over £600 in overpaid taxes... so I really hate dealing with the tax office!!!

can someone let me know if I should fill out one now?
thanks
:cool:

If you are paid weekly by cheque for doing work as an employee then you are not responsible for paying your own tax, who you work for is. If the tax office is saying you are not freelance (self employed) then that again sounds like you should be an employee. Are the tax office going to get in touch with the company and tell them this?

I think normally people are either are an employee or self employed. Employee the company takes care of your tax, self employed you do your own and get a tax return, but you need to be registered as self employed first.

MrsChips

So this only really hits those who are self-employed, or have been sent a form (yes literally the fact you are sent a form is what counts.

Hi, I've been Self Employed since AUGUST 2007 so this will be my first ever Tax return, I've not received a Form in the post yet so does the above comment mean that I dont have to fill one in ??

Pablo_the_brave

cosyc wrote: »

I am sorry but you are wrong. You can register any time with hmrc.

Paper return by 31 october or online return before 31 January.

For example register to file online 1 december, file the return online 10 december still before the deadline so on time.

Cosyc,

Sorry Just trying to be helpful. I'm not wrong and I stick by my original comment. You are quite correct in saying that you can register on-line 1 december and file 10 december. However, if you have been issued with a paper return you must register before that deadline (31st October). Otherwise you will be fined £100 for a late paper return. This is not made clear anywhere in HMRC guidance.

Pablo_the_brave

MrsChips wrote: »

Hi, I've been Self Employed since AUGUST 2007 so this will be my first ever Tax return, I've not received a Form in the post yet so does the above comment mean that I dont have to fill one in ??

Mrs Chips,

Have you registered as self-employed. Check with your Tax office ASAP. You will need to complete a return.

MrsChips

Mrs Chips,

Have you registered as self-employed. Check with your Tax office ASAP. You will need to complete a return.

Pablo.... After reading this thread today I thought i'd better call the Tax Office to ask why i've not received my tax return yet... It's a good thing I did. According to them I'm not even registered as Self Employed?? They have my NI details which shows that I contacted them on the 12th AUG 2007 to inform them that I was Self Employed but for some reason they did not pass my information onto the Tax Office. After about 6 phone calls to different departments I finally got registered for Tax purposes only and they are sending my details over asap so I can get this years return completed asap. After speaking to them today I dont have much confidence that they will send my form anytime soon - nobody seemed to have a clue what they were on about!!

Anyway, thanks! without the Forum I probably wouldnt have found out until it was too late