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As we approach the self-assessment deadline, it's essential to understand the various ways you can pay your self-assessment bill. Whether you prefer online methods or more traditional manual options, there are several ways to ensure your payment reaches HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) on time. Additionally, using your Government Gateway account can streamline the process and provide you with valuable tools for managing your tax affairs.

I wanted to remind you of an important issue that might affect your tax return if you claim Child Benefit Tax Credit. Child Benefit is a payment made to parents or guardians to help with the cost of raising children. If you or your partner receive Child Benefit, it's important to report this on your Self-Assessment tax return, especially if your income is over £60,000. This is because you may be subject to the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC).

As we approach the self-assessment tax return deadline, we want to remind you of an important detail that can often be overlooked: your student loans. If you have a student loan, it is crucial to include this information in your tax return to ensure accurate calculations and avoid any potential issues with HMRC. When you file your self-assessment tax return, HMRC needs to know if you have a student loan so they can calculate the correct amount of repayment.

Recently, HMRC issued a new policy paper detailing the evidence required to claim PAYE (P87) employment expenses. This change is crucial for anyone looking to claim tax relief on employment expenses (like home office expenses, insurance or memberships etc), and I am here to help you navigate these new requirements. From 14 October 2024, HMRC will require all taxpayers who wish to claim PAYE employment expenses to use a P87 form and provide supporting evidence to prove their eligibility before the claim can be processed.

With the growing popularity of cryptocurrencies, it's crucial to understand how these assets are treated by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and why you need to disclose them in your yearly self-assessment. HMRC requires that any income or gains from crypto assets, including digital wallets and crypto accounts, be disclosed in your self-assessment tax return. This includes exchange tokens (such as Bitcoin), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and utility tokens.

If you are leaving the UK to live in another country, you need to notify HMRC about your change in residency status. You must fill out Form P85 ("Leaving the UK – getting your tax right") to inform HMRC about your departure. This helps them determine your tax residency status and handle your tax affairs correctly. The form asks for details like your departure date, whether you're leaving the UK permanently or temporarily, and information about your income.

If your business turnover falls below the VAT deregistration threshold, it may be time to consider deregistering for VAT. Deregistration can simplify your accounting processes and reduce administrative burdens. A business that no longer makes taxable supplies must notify HMRC within 30 days. In this case, the business ceases to be a taxable entity and must submit a request to deregister. If you don’t let HMRC know you are no longer making taxable supplies, you can get a penalty.

As we head into the 2024/2025 tax year, it’s crucial to understand how dividend income is taxed in your Self-Assessment return if you're receiving dividends - particularly in Scotland. Whether you're a sole trader, shareholder, or director of a limited company, knowing how dividends are taxed can help you plan effectively and maximise your income. In Scotland, dividend income is taxed separately from other income such as salary, wages, or savings interest.

Prepayments to HMRC in the UK, also known as "payments on account," are advance payments towards your tax bill for the next tax year. If you're registered for self-assessment and your tax bill was more than £1,000 in the previous year, you usually need to make these payments. HMRC does not require payments on account if your last self-assessment bill was less than £1,000, or if 80% or more of your tax was collected at source.

Rent a Room Relief is a tax relief that could significantly reduce your tax liability if you rent out a furnished room in your home. Rent a Room Relief is a scheme offered by HMRC, allowing you to earn up to £7,500 per year tax-free by renting out a furnished room in your primary residence. This relief is designed to encourage people to make the most of their unused space, providing a little extra income without the burden of additional tax.

As a sole trader, your business is your livelihood. Whether you're a consultant, a freelancer, or a small business owner, the income you earn is directly tied to your ability to work. But have you considered what would happen if, due to an unforeseen illness, injury, or accident, you were suddenly unable to work? Without a backup plan, your income could disappear, leaving you and your family in a critical financial situation.

I have had a few requests lately for advice on purchasing an electric car as a limited company and I thought I’d do a blog about it to help our clients understand. Historically, buying a car through your limited company was a NO NO, because of the additional benefit in kind tax that you will have to pay on the personal use element.

Do you have a government gateway account for your own personal tax affairs and/or your business?

If not, I would encourage all our clients to get an account and request access to all their tax profiles. This will give you much better oversight of your tax affairs, and you can plan to ensure that your taxes are paid on time. It can also save you from having to phone HMRC and spend a lot of time on the phone, when you could have resolved it quickly and easily through your online account.

Anlo Assist is for anyone who has struggled to understand HMRC on tax residency (let’s be honest - who hasn’t?!) Are you worried that you might be due tax in two (or more) jurisdictions and unsure where you are tax resident? Does your uncertainty leave you worried that you are not acting on your tax obligation in the United Kingdom?

Renting out a property can be extremely rewarding, but it can also cost a lot of money, especially initially. Luckily, a lot of expenses can be claimed as allowable expenses which Buy-to-Let (BTL) landlords can deduct from their profits and so decrease their taxable income, minimising their tax bill. Many BTL property investors invest in property as an additional income or business, and yet fail to keep a proper record of their expenses. This can leave them overpaying on income tax either in their self-assessment or in their company accounts.

It’s July, notable for day-long sunshine, high temperatures and tax payments! Sadly only one of those seems to apply to the UK this year, and it’s not the beautiful summery weather…

The 31st July marks the final date for your tax prepayment if you are self employed and submit a self-assessment return. There are two exceptions to this rule; if your last self-assessment tax bill was £1,000 or less, or, you have already paid more than 80% of your outstanding tax bill.

The rules allowing you to claim tax relief on expenses connected with your employment are extremely restrictive. You are denied tax relief on almost all types of expenses that are not ultimately paid by your employer.

This is because, as an employee, you must show that any expenditure is incurred wholly, exclusively, and necessarily in performing the duties of your employment.

In the rapidly evolving world of business, staying ahead of the curve means embracing tools and technologies that streamline operations and drive growth.

As your accountants, we're always on the lookout for ways to help you achieve greater efficiency and success while reducing your admin overheads and stress!

Long service awards are a great way for employers to recognize and reward the dedication and commitment of their employees. It seems like such a long time to work for a business, but as a director of a company I realised yesterday that I have been working for Anlo for 15 years already 😊.

Time really does fly when you are having fun 😊

It’s been some years since we last looked at the basics of Value Added Tax (or VAT for short) so we thought that a recap would be useful for businesses who may not have had to deal with it previously.

VAT is a system that taxes what people spend and is administered by HMRC. The consumer pays VAT on the item that they buy, but businesses act as agents for collecting the VAT paid by the consumer.