How do I learn to fill out my own tax return please? A college course? An online platform?

SiliconChip

Brie said:

SiliconChip said:

I'd be surprised if your pension payslip doesn't include the PAYE reference, all of mine do, but if it doesn't then a quick call to your pension provider would surely have found it.

Dazed_and_C0nfused said:

This ^^^

I think it is also shown on your Personal Tax Account nowadays.

BoGoF said:

The perils of leaving things to 2 weeks before the deadline when you have had 9 months to do it.

@SiliconChip & @Dazed_and_C0nfused

Of course the PAYE reference should be on the payslip or on my personal tax account or something.  But I've never received a payslip because none are provided, I can't log into a personal tax account because I've not had one previously and, the biggie, because the pension isn't being paid in the UK!  There's no reason to expect a different country to use a UK system - well the one chap I talked to from HMRC seemed to think they should but he relented after a while.

Fair enough, but in that case I suspect the issue was that you were entering it on the wrong part of the return, it should surely have been under foreign income (although I see on the HMRC website that pensions may be treated differently to most foreign income, but without really explaining how), and I wouldn't expect that to ask for a PAYE reference. Perhaps that's what the helpful HMRC person told you was wrong with your return.

nigelbb

I submitted my Self Assessment tax return using TaxCalc this year & found it very straightforward. There is an enormous amount of help in the system & it works out all the numbers for you. It only costs £35.

https://www.taxcalc.com/individual

Hibiscus79

BoGoF said:

The perils of leaving things to 2 weeks before the deadline when you have had 9 months to do it.

I've already done mine through my accountant BoGoF!  I'm trying to prepare for next year.  

Hibiscus79

Dazed_and_C0nfused said:

No, there will a claim for the Trading Allowance or expenses, you can't have your cake and eat it.

If you are struggling with this you might be better with a local accountant 😳

Not struggling, just trying to learn!

Hibiscus79

nigelbb said:

I submitted my Self Assessment tax return using TaxCalc this year & found it very straightforward. There is an enormous amount of help in the system & it works out all the numbers for you. It only costs £35.

https://www.taxcalc.com/individual

Wow, thank you Nigelbb!  It's recommended by Telegraph & Techradar so that's a good sign & says it's recognised by HMRC.  I much prefer going on a recommendation otherwise it's overwhelming.