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this HMRC Tax Return The deadline is approaching soon.
Those who are required to self-assess must complete their self-assessment and pay any tax owed by January 31.
Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at Hargreaves Lansdown, has some advice for people filing their tax returns in the coming days.
She said: “Britain is a country that is always procrastinating at the last minute in the hope of sneaking in last minute tax return Under the wire.
“By the start of 2026, almost half of people who need to submit a self-assessment tax return by the end of the month will not have gotten around to doing it.
“While there’s nothing wrong with being motivated by a deadline, it can increase the risk of things going wrong.
“If you need one done but haven’t gotten around to it yet, here are 10 last-minute checks to make sure you’ve avoided key tax filing pitfalls.”
1. First check if you can access the system
Coles said: “Make sure you have a unique taxpayer reference number and immediate access to the government gateway.
“If you haven’t signed up for Self-Assessment, sign up now as it can take up to 10 days for your UTR to reach you by mail. If you haven’t signed up for Gateway, it can take up to 10 days for your activation codes to reach you. If you forget or lose any of these, you can retrieve them.
2. Beware of Capital Gains Tax Mistakes
The expert explains: “If you sell an asset such as shares after October 30, 2024, the system will not automatically calculate the correct amount of capital gains tax you must pay.
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“Annoyingly, you need to use the adjustment calculator on the Gov.UK website to change the calculation.”
3. Consider the impact of freezing the tax threshold
“If the pay rise causes you to go over the income tax threshold and pay a higher rate or an additional tax rate, then the additional tax on your income may have been deducted through the PAYE system, but it may also mean you have to complete a tax return,” Coles said.
“You may need to refund tax on pension contributions or charitable donations, or you may need to pay tax on your savings because your personal savings allowance has dropped.
4. Consider children’s welfare
“High-income child benefit fees start at £60,000,” the expert confirmed.
“If your (or your partner’s) income has since exceeded the threshold and you receive child benefit, you will need to pay back at least part of it through self-assessment.
“If you tick this box it will calculate the amount you owe. If you are only using it to pay high-interest child benefit payments, you can opt out and pay via your tax code using the new PAYE digital service.”
5. Don’t forget cryptocurrencies
Coles warned: “HMRC have been reminding people that capital gains tax needs to be claimed on cryptocurrency gains and if your total capital gains exceed your annual allowance you will need to pay tax.”
“If you have a loss, you still need to fill out a tax return if you want to offset it against gains in future years.”
6. Remember the benefits of trading on sites like eBay and Vinted
Coles said: “This only includes items you made or bought and sold for profit, not items from a full cleanup.
“If you sell for a profit you still have an allowance of £1,000, but then you need to claim this by filling in your tax return.
“These sites will only have to automatically disclose these gains to HMRC until 2024, but you are responsible for paying this tax.”
7. Don’t rush to collect your pension
Experts explain: “This is an area where mistakes can easily occur.
“If this is not done automatically, higher rate taxpayers will need to ensure they claim higher rate tax relief. For example, for a personal pension or SIPP, you will need to enter the total value of the contributions.
“It’s not just the total of all the money you contribute: it also includes the all-important tax relief. For example, if you contribute £800, the total after adding tax relief is £1,000.”
8. Check whether you have actually paid
“You’d be surprised how many people are so focused on management that they forget about it,” Coles said.
“If you owe tax, you need to pay it by January 31 or you will pay interest and penalties.”
9. What if I can’t pay?
“If you can’t pay your bills, see if you can spread your tax bill over the next few months with a time-payment arrangement,” Coles said.
“If you owe £30,000 or less, are within 60 days of payment due, and have not yet set up a payment plan with HMRC, you should be able to do this online.
“It can only be set up if HMRC thinks you can afford it, so it’s not a solution that suits everyone and interest will be charged on the cash outstanding, but it’s a better solution than simply missing a payment and paying a penalty on top of the interest.
10. Check if you have to use Making Tax Digital to pay income tax from April 6 this year
“Sole traders and landlords with a turnover over £50,000 will need to use it, so you’ll need to sign up as soon as possible,” she said. “Getting started will give you time to master the software you have to use, and learn about new services. If changes start to make the process too time-consuming, you’ll also have the opportunity to find an accountant to help.
“While you’re there, consider what your tax return reveals about your financial health: If you’ve spent a long time digging through the details of interest payments, dividends, or stock sale profits, consider consolidating to simplify things.
“Use your tax return like a checklist: If you end up paying tax on your savings or investments, look for ways to avoid the tax, such as ISAs and pensions.
“Not only does it save you tax, it also means you never have to hassle them with a tax return.”