Self Assessment Online missing out Payments on Account

d199man

I've just filed my Self Assessment online with HMRC. The tax calculation shows money due for the year 2007-2008 which is fine. However, the Balancing Amount does not take into account any "Payments on Account" which I've already paid towards the tax year. Has anyone else come across this problem?

So I now have a statement online saying I owe all this money, but I've already paid most of it via "Payments on Account".

Does this mean that I only need to pay the value of the Balancing Amount less what I've paid in Payments on Account, or do I now need to pay it all and claim a refund? I don't want to incur any unnecessary interest.

Stuart_Bellamy

Only pay the balancing payment. The Revenue's computer system will correct itself in the end.

If you pay the extra amount it will take a lot of effort and phone calls to get it back later.

tyllwyd

I noticed something similar when I did my self-assessment last week. When I looked again a few days later it had updated itself and the balancing payment had reduced to take account of my payments on account.

I was still a bit confused because under 'payments due' it is showing the total of the balancing payment and both payments on account (ie the January and the July ones) for the next tax year. I've just paid the balancing payment & the January payment on account, so hopefully that should be OK.

Mikeyorks

The 'online' service is 'offline' to the SA database ...... if that makes sense? In order that the heavy peaks that can be experienced in online don't disrupt the main system. So the online view is refreshed with data (payment - in this case) from the main system frequently ... and vice versa as completed assessments are added to the main system.

d199man wrote:

Does this mean that I only need to pay the value of the Balancing Amount less what I've paid in Payments on Account

Yes. Plus, of course, any payment on account for 08-09 also falling due by 31st Jan.

tyllwyd wrote:

I've just paid the balancing payment & the January payment on account, so hopefully that should be OK

Yes. Somewhere on the Statement it should clarify the distinction between the payment becoming due 31st Jan (balancing payment + 1st payment on account) ..... and that not due until 31st July (2nd payment on account).

JohnRP

I was wondering the same thing. Are you saying that if I enter my information now and then login in a day or so the system should have found my payment on account and will display this and all will be well?

Or should I just make a manual adjustment?

Cheers guys.

rbarry_2

I posted the same question here a few days ago:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1439653

I am merely posting this as re-assurance that the replies you have, had pretty much confirm the replies I had.
From the informative contributors, it appears that the revenue will amend their records after a day or two.

Rick.

Mikeyorks

JohnRP wrote: »

I was wondering the same thing. Are you saying that if I enter my information now and then login in a day or so the system should have found my payment on account and will display this and all will be well?

It hasn't lost it ... the POAs reside on the accounting system not the online system (as post #4). It's always been like that - and it does tell you POAs aren't included in the gross liability calculation. So you can either wait 24hrs or manually deduct - should amount to the same thing. But (25/1) don't leave the payment too long ... and don't forget you probably need to add the 50% POA due 31/1 on account of 08-09.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=18035305&postcount=6

rbarry_2

Mikeyorks wrote: »

But (25/1) don't leave the payment too long ... and don't forget you probably need to add the 50% POA due 31/1 on account of 08-09.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=18035305&postcount=6

Additional monies on account owing for the next tax year are calculated and shown, it's just the monies on account that have been paid toward the current tax year that are not.

rbarry_2

For the current tax year, 2008/09, payments on account for 2009/10 tax year (due 31 jan 2010) will depend on the amount of tax that you owed in 07/08.
I understand that if you owed less than £500.00 you won't be liable for any payments on account for 08/09. This figure has increased for the tax year 08/09 to £1000.00.
Effectively, you have to satisfy both conditions when calculating your liability for your 08/09 return.
If you fall in either category, then double check exactly what current legislation demands.
Perhaps someone more knowledgeable than I could clarify the situation.

nikki2804

Mikeyorks - OSH by any chance? Lol.

Basically the form will show the tax liability for the full year while your statements will show the POA. You deduct your POA from the amount owed to get to the actual figure but it will update on your account details once the information is fed through to the tax offices systems.

Mikeyorks

nikki2804 wrote: »

Mikeyorks - OSH by any chance? Lol.

Sorry? You will need to elucidate.