Filing a tax SELF-ASSESMENT for the first time?

Mediamonarch

Hi, so I'm trying to file a self-assessment tax return for the first time and I genuinely don't have a clue and there is no-one around me who can help or knows anything about this so I'm resorting to online forums in the hope that somebody would be kind enough to point me in the right direction as I am not too bright when it comes to these types of things (be kind). I just want to make sure that I'm doing it all 100% right so that nothing can ever come back on me in the future. 

I currently earn money by offering music / social media promotion services on Fiverr.com

After the tremendous effort I went through of replacing a lost passport and finding my national insurance number, I finally managed to take the first step into at least registering myself on the GOV website and I have managed to get my own Government Gateway user ID which I can now use to sign into the GOV website and access the "personal tax account" hub and this is where I am up to. 

From here I don't really understand how I file a self-assessment tax return. I go to YouTube to watch videos and in the videos, they show a different online form like I should be looking at a different part of the GOV website or there is something I've missed but I keep going around in circles and ending up back at the "personal tax account" hub so if somebody could give me a push in the right direction that would be great. Many thanks - J 

Dazed_and_C0nfused

Have you actually registered as self employed and been issued with your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) yet?

Mediamonarch

Dazed_and_C0nfused said:

Have you actually registered as self employed and been issued with your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) yet?

Ok I think I'm on the right path again. I think I spent so long trying to get my passport that I actually thought that I had already done that segment of the website. I am terrified of all of this but I think if I keep at it I'll learn 

Jeremy535897

See https://www.litrg.org.uk/tax-guides/self-employment/how-do-i-register-tax-and-national-insurance

Make sure you complete form CWF1.

MickB68

I have done my self-assessment online for past few years and still get lost trying to find the forms and end up in a loop going through the same questions several times. Hope you manage your self-assessment ok and don't leave it to the last minute, best have a look today.

Mediamonarch

MickB68 said:

I have done my self-assessment online for past few years and still get lost trying to find the forms and end up in a loop going through the same questions several times. Hope you manage your self-assessment ok and don't leave it to the last minute, best have a look today.

You would think the website would be as clear as possible as to where to start and what to do next etc but it really isn't haha

martindow

I find that the problem is I forget what to do from one year to the next and I find myself having to log in more than once as I have inadvertantly navigated back after logging in. 

Once you find the right section entering the data is very straightforward.

donemedosh

If you are really worried about doing a tax return I would advise using a local accountant. My yearly fee is around £300 but the accountant always finds something i missed. So I think its money well spent. But totally agree the HMRC website is a real nightmare make one mistake & try to go back & it times you out. Hence why I use accountants.