Maximising income - Mystery Shopping? Surveys?

Becks_in_Debt

Mrs_E_Shopper wrote: »

I have never used a chat forum before so I may do something wrong here but just a quick query - did everybody else get Shell assignments posted in their Neighbourhood Watch, not mentioned on their available assignments then retracted on their noticeboard - or was it just me?

If you go on to the web site there was a few probs with e-mails that they sent out this morning, all is explained on the webpage. Hope this helps

Becles

KatieKins wrote: »

This is prob a dumb question but do we have to fill out any tax forms for April 1st!? Any help appreciated as I think Im getting into a bit of a muddle with this tax/NI stuff!!

It depends on if you are PAYE or self employed or a mixture of both.

If you are PAYE only, you don't need to do anything. All your tax will have been sorted out for you as you earned your income.

If you are self employed or a mixture, you will need to submit your accounts for 06/07, after the tax year ends on April 5th. You will either get a paper self assessment tax return in the post or you can fill it in online (much easier IMO).

Note to anyone considering online submission for the first time: I would register on the HMRC self assessment website now, as you have to wait for them to send out log in details in the post. If you regsiter now, you'll hopefully get your login in time to submit your return when the forms go online.

System

So I will need to do mine this April if I started as se in november last year? Is that right? Dh thought it was next year and would be a year behind. Sooo confusing.

Becks_in_Debt

It is next year that you do your first self assessment (I hope any way, i started as self employed in Oct last year and i havnt done anything for this reason), please let me know if i am wrong

Becles

rachelja wrote: »

So I will need to do mine this April if I started as se in november last year? Is that right? Dh thought it was next year and would be a year behind. Sooo confusing.

It depends on how you want to run your accounting year. You can pick any date to end your year, and your first year can be longer or shorter than a calander year if you want to do your final years accounts on a specific day.

For simplicity me and other people in this work run our accounting year to coincide with the tax year.

If you want to do this, you'll have to file a return this April for money earned between Nov and April 5th. Then next April, you'll file a return for money earned between 06/04/07 and 05/04/08, and so on.

hathor

When it comes to dates, and deciding what's in the current (about to end) tax year, and what's to be held over for 2007/08, is it the date you earned the money, ie when you did the "shop", or the date you received the payment, ie when it appears in your bank statement/Paypal or whatever, that counts?

At least at MS rates, few of us will be concerned with VAT registration, at any event!

pondie1

anyone on benefits how do you tell them about mystery shopping,do you have to fill in forms weekly saying what you earn etc,same for housing benefits,thats what stops me doing the ms,i have registered for first tracking+retail eyes

Becles

hathor wrote: »

When it comes to dates, and deciding what's in the current (about to end) tax year, and what's to be held over for 2007/08, is it the date you earned the money, ie when you did the "shop", or the date you received the payment, ie when it appears in your bank statement/Paypal or whatever, that counts?

I always count the money that has hit my account by 5th April on this years tax return. Anything that arrives after April 6th goes on next years tax return regardless of when I did the job.

wantmorejobs

Hi,
JUst on the topic of Tax, I Started MS in November, but have no other form of employment as i'm a student. I am with TNS and Gfk and so pay tax for me but also with retail eyes, gapbuster etc so am registered self-employed. I have just read about doing the tax return for this year which i would prefer cos i know i won't have to pay any tax (or at least i hope not). On the HMRC website it says you need a unique reference number to register which should be on any self-employment letters i have had, but i don't think i';ve had any, most of the problems have come about national insurance. anybody got any ideas of when i should get this (or will this be sent to me) or do i need to do out?
thanks

Becles

Give your local tax office a ring, and they should be able to tell you.

The number is also on any tax coding notices you might have recieved and will be on the P60's from the PAYE companies.