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Making Tax Digital for Income Tax & Self-Assessment (MTD f ITSA): Your Friendly Guide

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: Your Friendly Guide

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Making Tax Digital for Income Tax & Self-Assessment (MTD f ITSA): Your Friendly Guide

Tax. The very word can sometimes send shivers down your spine! But what if we told you there’s a way to make things a little less… taxing? Enter Making Tax Digital for Income Tax & Self-Assessment (MTD f ITSA)!

Now, before you click away, hear us out. This isn’t about making tax more complicated. It’s actually about bringing your tax admin into the digital age, which in the long run, can save you time and reduce errors. What’s more, if you work through Taxfile, it could also save you money! Think of it as upgrading from paper maps to Google Maps for your finances!

If you work through Taxfile, it could save you money!

So, what exactly is MTD for Income Tax?

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax & Self-Assessment is a government initiative that affects self-employed individuals and landlords/ladies with a total business and property income above a certain threshold. It requires them to keep digital records of income and expenses and send quarterly updates to HMRC using MTD-compatible software*.

Who needs to get on board?

  • For the 2026/27 tax year, the rules apply to those with a total gross income (turnover) from self-employment and/or property exceeding £50,000 per year.
  • For the 2027/28 tax year, it will apply to those with a turnover greater than £30,000 and …
  • For 2028/29 it will affect those with a turnover of £20,000 or more.

If any of these apply to you, then MTD for Income Tax is something you’ll need to familiarise yourself with — but Taxfile can help!

Instead of one big tax return at the end of the year, MTD requires you to send updates every quarter. Think of it as breaking down the task into smaller, more manageable chunks. These updates will provide HMRC with a summary of your income and expenses for that three-month period.

Why the switch to digital?

HMRC believes that going digital will:

  • Reduce errors — let’s face it, manual data entry can be prone to mistakes. Digital records can help minimise these.
  • Make tax management easier — regularly updating your records can give you a clearer picture of your business’s financial health throughout the year, not just at the tax deadline.
  • Potentially reduce stress — knowing you’re keeping on top of things digitally can be a weight off your mind!

*Do You Need to Buy MTD-Compatible Software?

The key to MTD for Income Tax is using compatible software. The software allows users to keep digital records of income and expenses, submit quarterly updates to HMRC, and view tax information in one place. There are various software packages available. While some are free for those with simple needs, others offer more advanced features.  HMRC estimates the additional cost to the taxpayer at £338 as a one-off administrative burden and then an additional £100 each year following. However, Taxfile has a way for you to potentially avoid such additional software costs, explained below.

“Taxfile has a way for you to avoid such software costs”

Taxfile’s Solution — What to Do

At Taxfile, with our in-house software skills for various MTD packages, we believe that the taxpayer needs only to provide us with their business transactions (income & expenditure) in a simple spreadsheet each quarter — we’ll then take on the additional responsibility.  Working through Taxfile, MTD can be that simple!

“Simply supply us your quarterly income & expenditure transactions in a spreadsheet — we’ll do the rest!”

If you would like to speak to us about MTD, have any concerns, or would like some advice, we offer free consultations. We are happy to help whenever we can, so just drop into our office, book an appointment, or give us a call on 020 8761 8000.

020 8761 8000 Book Appointment Contact Us

Taxfile are accountants and tax advisors based in Tulse Hill, London SE21.

A Brit's Guide to Value Added Tax (VAT) Returns

A Brit’s Guide to Value Added Tax Returns

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A Brit's Guide to Value Added Tax (VAT) Returns

VAT — the three little letters that strike fear into the hearts of many a Brit. But fear not, fellow taxpayer! Today, we’re taking a break from the spreadsheets and diving into the delightfully quirky world of UK VAT returns.

VAT, the Shapeshifter

Ever feel like VAT is playing a game of tax-code whack-a-mole? One minute, it’s 20% on your fancy new bicycle helmet. The next, it’s vanished like a magician’s rabbit on a packet of crisps (because, let’s face it, crisps are a VAT mystery all on their own).

The Great Cake Debate

Who knew a simple sponge cake could cause such a stir? Apparently, a sprinkle of chocolate transforms it into a full-VAT situation. Don’t worry, Victoria sponges are safe (for now).

VATman vs. the Smoothie Smugglers

Remember the smoothie wars of ’07? Innocent Drinks tried to claim their creations were “liquefied fruit salad” to avoid VAT. HMRC, ever the defender of fiscal justice, said, “Not so fast, those are clearly beverages!”  A tale that proves even the fruitiest tax battles can be entertaining.

Filing Follies

We’ve all been there. You’ve spent hours on your return, feeling smug and self-assured. Then, with a click of the submit button, dread washes over you. Did you forget something? Did you use the wrong form for your pet rock collection (because, yes, VAT rules apply there too)? Deep breaths, everyone. VAT return blunders are a thing.

The Refund Rumble

There’s nothing quite like the thrill of a VAT refund. It’s like finding a forgotten banknote in your winter coat – a financial windfall delivered straight from HMRC! Just remember, with great refunds comes great responsibility (to spend it wisely, of course).

 

VAT returns might not be a walk in the park, but with a little humour and a helpful accountant, they can be a gentle breeze on a summer’s morning.

At Taxfile we take the ‘tax’-ing aspect out of VAT returns leaving you with the ‘value added’, focusing on what is important for you and your business.

We can run your VAT from start to finish; all you need to do is keep a digital footprint of your financial data.

How do I pay myself as a Director?

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This is a question we often face from new company directors, how to pay yourself from the company.

As part of our £375+VAT package for a new limited company we offer the following;

  • company formation (including the option to have the company phrased as a special purpose vehicle for a property rental company)
  • we will register a single director with HMRC for self-assessment
  • we set up the payroll scheme
  • we arrange your chart of accounts on online software and set up the bank feed so transactions are automatically recorded

So the two ways to get paid are in the form of a monthly salary run from a payroll set up by the limited company and the second way is through dividend allocations based on the company’s annual post-tax profit.

A salary is treated as an expense to the business, therefore decreasing profits, reducing corporation tax, and in turn, minimising the amount of dividends available to then be attributed to each shareholder.

We suggest (correct as of the 23/24 tax year) a salary of £9,096 per annum (£758 p/m) as this is the minimum amount to qualify for a state pension (also known as the secondary threshold).  If there are 2 or more directors (on the secondary threshold or above) or any additional staff on the payroll above the secondary threshold for the company, the Employment Allowance offered by the government becomes available, giving the company £5,000 ‘pot’ towards the employer’s NI contributions.

If the company posts a profit, the value of the post-tax profit can be allocated as dividends to the shareholder(s) of the company.  If there is more than one shareholder, then the dividends are allocated dependent on the percentage of shares held by each shareholder.

Unfortunately, the tax efficiency of dividends is being reduced.  For the 22/23 tax year there is a £2,000 tax-free allowance, for 2023/24 there will only be a £1,000 tax-free allowance and for 2024/25 it has been stated that it will be halved again to £500.

The amount of tax you pay on dividends will be dependent on your income tax band which includes your tax-free allowance, and any earnings from the limited company and any other earnings outside.

This will need to be declared on a self-assessment tax return to HMRC, which covers the period of the UK tax year from 6th April to 5th April every year.

As part of our £375+VAT package we can enrol one shareholder/director onto the self-assessment scheme with HMRC to obtain a Unique Tax Reference (UTR) to allow them to comply with their personal tax obligations in the future.  Contact us on 020 8761 8000 for more information.

Taxfile's Autumn Newsletter 2021

Taxfile’s Autumn Newsletter 2021

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Taxfile's Autumn Newsletter 2021

Our tax and accountancy-related newsletter is available as a PDF download tooWelcome to Taxfile’s Autumn Newsletter for 2021. One of our biggest yet, it includes useful tax- and accountancy-related news that you need to be aware of, ways to save time or money – and much more. Take a look!

QR Codes

QR codes are quick links you can scan on your mobile phoneYou’ll find QR codes throughout the newsletter. These are a quick and easy way to access further information about the topic. Assuming you are viewing the newsletter on a desktop device or a printed* version, simply point your mobile camera phone at a QR code and then open the link that pops up. Your mobile’s browser will then take you straight to the information page. Alternatively, we supply simple link URLs to simply tap in.

Acrobat PDF version availableDownload As an Acrobat PDF & Print Out

* If you’re viewing on a small screen, it may be easier to read if you download the newsletter as an Acrobat PDF so you can print it out at full size (A4). Read more

How To Help Your Accountant Save You Money

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How to help your accountant save you money

There are many benefits of helping your accountant by providing complete and organised records from the outset.

Here are some of them:

  • If you get your records to your accountant on time, you will give them enough time to work on your case without unnecessary pressure and file everything on time (don’t forget you are not their only client).
  • By providing organised and detailed records, you’ll understand your business performance better and it will save them time from processing and reorganising untidy paperwork.
  • By providing complete records of your business expenses, they can claim what is allowable and potentially reduce your tax bill.

When preparing your financial records you need to remember:

  • Separate your business from your personal finances.
  • Stay on top of your records and ensure they are orderly with no gaps in the dates.
  • Keep receipts and purchase invoices; you will need to provide proof of all expenditure and year-end creditors.
  • Bring bank statements for the complete period and downloads of your bank feed in .csv format if possible.
  • Sequential invoices for each sale, dated, to prove year-end debtors and accrued income.
  • Depending on your business, you may also need to keep records for things such as payroll, cash books, stock takes, travel and credit card statements.

Taxfile offer the full spectrum of accountancy services.

In an ideal world:

  • It is much better to keep on top of these things monthly than leaving it until the end of the year, where you may have lost or forgotten data around expenses, sales, or other financial details.
  • You would have a software package to help you track your bank, expenses, and sales.

At Taxfile we provide the full spectrum of accountancy-related services; integrating your business with accounting software like Xero, oversee your bookkeeping, run VAT returns and payroll, to filing your year-end accounts, corporation tax return & director(s) tax return(s).

Call  us on 0208 761 8000 if you would like to streamline your businesses finances and alleviate some pressures from your financial duties as a director. Alternatively, book an appointment with us here or drop us a message here — we’d be delighted to hear from you.

Sage One Cashbook accounting package

Get Sage One Cashbook (online accounts package) FREE!

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Sage[UPDATE: Please note that this offer has now expired]. Get Sage One Cashbook FREE, only with Taxfile. If you are a Taxfile customer you can currently get this excellent online accounting and cashflow package totally free of charge. This is better than any special offer you’ll find online for the same product and an additional benefit is that it allows us, your accountants and tax advisors, to collaborate with you within the package (with your permission of course), making managing your income, expenditure, tax accounting and bookkeeping absolute child’s play. You can stop at any time; it’ll cost you nothing either way.

Features & Benefits of Sage One Cashbook online include:

  • It allows you to record income & expenditure for your business quickly and easily;
  • Access your records from anywhere with an internet connection, any time;
  • No accountancy experience is necessary – it’s simple;
  • Perfect for small businesses, sole traders, etc;
  • It allows you to Read more