self assessment advice

MX84

Hi all

After some advice if possible.

i need to fill a self assessment form in for the latest tax year as i was out of the country the whole tax year and rented my property out, so no issues with that part. ive done the research i need.

what i also gather i need to do is fill one for the previous year also as i left the country in oct 2016, but i didn't get round to informing HMRC about me leaving as unfortunately i lost my dad a few weeks before i went away and i just didn't get around to it and now i obviously missed the cut off date for the tax year 16/17 due to being out of the country and it slipping my mind. I no I would have to pay a fee because i missed it, but would i get flagged for them 5 months if i was to just do a return for last year.

i'm not saying i will do this, so please dont have a go and rant at me, but just thought i would ask the question on the legality of it as i'm currently not working and would rather get this sorted before i start to work again.

thanks

Dazed_and_confused

Late filing penalties can only be charged if the return is filed late.

If you haven't been asked to file a return for 2016:17 then you cannot possibly be late in filing it.

If a return is now issued for 2016:17 you will get 3 months to file it before a late filing penalty could be imposed.

Late payment interest can still be charged based on the dates the tax should have been paid (assuming there is tax due) but HMRC only charge a fairly low interest rate. 3% I think.

Darksparkle

As above regarding late filing penalties but there may be failure to notify penalties. Unlikely though if you do it within a year of it being due and before they find out themselves.