Self assessment tax return checklist

Below are some of our tips and some of the Taxman’s tips for getting your tax return right prior to submission. By following these you should draw less attention to yourself and hence reduce the chances of an investigation.

Our tips
1. Use the internet to file your return - this has in built checks to ensure only valid information is submitted
2. Compare the income / expenses to last year’s returns - if there are any major differences explain why in the additional information boxes.
3. Avoid entering round sum amounts, e.g. £1,000. This suggests to the Taxman that you have guessed at the figures rather than calculating them accurately.

Taxman’s tips
1. A “yes” tick has been entered in one of the questions 1 to 9 on page 2 of the tax return but the supplementary page has not been forwarded with the tax return.
2. Failure to complete the self-employed pages, particularly on page SE3 from box 3.74 onwards.
3. Detailing information on separate schedules instead of including the information on the return
4. Entering manuscript notes on the return i.e. “per accounts” and/or “information to follow” instead of entering actual figures on the form.
5. Failure to complete a separate supplementary page for each individual employment.
6. Entering the net figure of employee personal pension premiums instead of the gross figure at box 14.11 of the core return, i.e. claiming insufficient relief where higher rates of tax are payable.
7. Entering the figure of capital expenditure in Box 3.14 of the Self Employment pages instead of the figure of Capital Allowances, i.e. claiming excessive relief.
8. Failure to complete question 19 of the core return where a repayment is due. We will assume you wish to leave the overpaid amount on your record, to be set against future liabilities - you have the right to choose.
9. Entering your pay in box 1.8 but not entering any tax deducted in box 1.11 on the Employment pages.
10. If you fail to sign the return, it will be rejected immediately.