Self Assessment – Do I Need To File?
Self Assessment (SA Return)- What Is It?
In simple terms, self assessment is the filing of your individual taxes as a self declaration of the true reflection of your income and expenditure. Although SA return filing is more used for personal taxes, other types of taxes, for example corporation tax etc are also reported by way of taxpayer’s self assessment declaration.
For the clarity of understanding the term SA return used here is exclusively used to denote the personal tax return filing for individuals.
Who Should File Self Assessment Return
As a general understanding or rather a misunderstanding, SA Return is often confused with self employment and even the people with years in business seem to be confused on who should file the return. Although, there is specific list of individuals who should file SA return, generally speaking, is to be filed by any one whose income tax is not deducted at source or even if the tax is deducted at source, it is not sufficient or appropriately taxed.
This HMRC guidance will be helpful in determining your need to file SA return. HMRC-Check If You Need to File
As a general rule of thumb, the following person or situation will need filing of SA return for individuals. The situations are listed below. If you are in one of the below situations, you should be filing your SA return.
- Sole traders carrying on their business as proprietorship, self employed persons
- Company shareholders and directors with taxable dividend not taxed at source
- Rental property owners having land and property income
- Individuals with taxable foreign income
- Individuals with income from trust
- Individuals earning more than £100,000.00 annual income
- Individuals with any untaxed income
- Individuals with High Income Child Benefit Charge
Most Common Situations That Need Self Assessment Return Filing
As an accountant, we come across almost every situation that needs SA return filing. But below list should be helpful to check yourself that you might be needing a filing but not sure.
- Sole trader business
- Landlords with rental income
- Company directors/shareholders with dividend income
How Should I Get My UTR for SA Return Filing Without An Accountant
If you are a running a company, you must have an accountant who is already doing your SA return annually. And if you meet any of the above conditioned mentioned for SA return filing requirements, you need to get registered for your self assessment.
Registering for Self Assessment is easy and you should be able to do it on your own when you need to. Please check below HMRC link for easy to use forms that you can register yourself. Nevertheless you can check this link if you want any assistance if you SA return registration or filing.
- Self Employed Sole Trader Registration- Click Here
- All Other Individuals- Click Here
How Can I File My Self Assessment From HMRC Website
Filing your self assessment from HMRC website needs the service to be activated in your HMRC gateway account. HMRC gateway account can be created by simply using your email and once the account is created, you have to add your UTR number for activating the SA filing service. Please click on this link and register for HMRC gateway account.
In a couple of weeks you will receive an activation code which you have to use inside your gateway account to activate the service.
BOOM! Now you are ready for filing your tax return.
Please login to HMRC and follow the simple steps by putting in the required income details in the relevant sections. Do check YES/ NO as relevant and you return will be ready as you see the progress. Once you are happy with the tax calculation window summary, you can hit submit and you are done.