Self Assessment income optional?

Options
tarloweh
tarloweh Posts: 27 Forumite
edited 8 November 2018 at 12:19AM in Cutting tax
Might be a daft question but currently filling in my Self Assessment online, i am self employed and for the income part all the boxes are labelled "(Optional)" such as turnover, expenses etc. Does this mean i do not need to enter any income details for the return? otherwise why is it labeled optional? - https://imgur.com/a/Id21ddk

Comments

  • AnotherJoe
    AnotherJoe Posts: 19,622 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post Photogenic
    Options
    What happens if you put zero as opposed to blank? Does it put up an error message?
    I'm interested as next year will be my first year having to do the same, no income from employment.
  • tarloweh
    tarloweh Posts: 27 Forumite
    edited 8 November 2018 at 12:57AM
    Options
    I actually do have income, just realised i don't have to calculate it. It seems as though two boxes require to be either blank or above 0 - https://imgur.com/a/otmlJSO https://imgur.com/a/rTvTYq2
  • Pennywise
    Pennywise Posts: 13,468 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    Options
    There are two parts of the self employment section. You can choose to enter the full figures, ie analyse all expenses etc or choose to submit what used to be called "3 line accounts" in a different section, being just turnover, expenses, profits. You need to fill in one section or the other, not both.
  • tarloweh
    tarloweh Posts: 27 Forumite
    Options
    Just when through the whole form again, i did not enter my income anywhere, i think the reason for this may be because i have already entered my income in the Working Tax Credits renewal form. Submitted my return anyhow.
  • Dazed_and_confused
    Dazed_and_confused Posts: 6,458 Forumite
    Uniform Washer
    Options
    You are going to create a lot of issues for yourself if you leave things like this.

    You have now told Tax Credits you had some self employment income and told Self Assessment you had no self employed income.

    Expect to be investigated by HMRC over the course of the next few months.
  • tarloweh
    tarloweh Posts: 27 Forumite
    Options
    Dazed_and_confused wrote: »
    You are going to create a lot of issues for yourself if you leave things like this.

    You have now told Tax Credits you had some self employment income and told Self Assessment you had no self employed income.

    Expect to be investigated by HMRC over the course of the next few months.

    No, i did not tell Self Assessment i had no self employed income, i just left the box blank because it was marked optional.
  • Dazed_and_confused
    Dazed_and_confused Posts: 6,458 Forumite
    Uniform Washer
    Options
    Which means you have filed a return with no self employed income.

    Pennywise has explained why those boxes are optional. One section or the other should be completed.

    Easy pickings for HMRC.

    I wouldn't be convinced your explanation would mitigate any penalties they might choose to apply for careless behaviour (assuming there is actually a tax loss).
This discussion has been closed.
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 343.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 235.3K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 608.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 173.1K Life & Family
  • 247.9K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards