The Lemon Fool

One of the form I need to complete is not 'open to me' in my online access SA100

according to HMRC I must either do a paper return and download the appropriate form
or
buy the appropriate software from one of the sources listed on HMRC site

IF IF IF...I do this then i can do the online return
but how easy is it?
I mean I am seriously NOT a techie person, and i dont want to buy this software then find i cannot find it...or use it...or work out how to add it to my online submission

has anyone any 1st hand experience of doing this?...can an eejit like me do it??

Before rushing out to purchase a software package, have you thought about completing the online tax return, but NOT submitting it, instead using it as a prompt for the paper tax form, where all you need to do is fill in the extra section, then copy the relevant data from the online version (checking that the extra form hasn't impacted any details)?

This early in before the tax deadline you have time to check if this is feasible...

VRD

i googled 'tax calc' and all i got was info on calculating tax????


was i in wrong place??

thats not what i need/want
I need to know if buying software from hmrc rec'd sellers is easy to use

using a paper return requires signature which is difficult as daughter in australia so time is not unlimited
doing online with bought software overrides signature need (as covered with HMRC)

so question remains...

is it easy to use/undertsand

mutantpoodle wrote:so question remains...

is it easy to use/undertsand

It's taxcalc, all one word. Parent company is Acora as far as I recall.

I've been using it for many years, going back before HMRC developed their own version. It works both in "fill in the form" mode and "question and answer" mode. Having seen the HMRC version in use, I'd say the user experience is similar. It's designed so that you prepare the tax return at your leisure and only submit it to HMRC when you consider it complete.

ok thanks for that

i will have a proper look tomorrow/weekend amd see!!

mutantpoodle wrote:One of the form I need to complete is not 'open to me' in my online access SA100
according to HMRC I must either do a paper return and download the appropriate form
or
buy the appropriate software from one of the sources listed on HMRC site

Which form?
There are ways round for some of them.

form required is SA109 ( residents remittance basis...)

if you can show me a way to avoid struggling with buying software before even knowing I can understand it...that woud be great!!

thanks Fred
their offices dont open at weekends
I looked on the site but couldnt find...and in 'support' it showed ''nothing found''

so I was having to wait until monday to call them and ask

I still will as wish to know if me buying the 'deal' which covers multiple uses would include 2 discretionary trust returns i have to do each year

no, you are right the personal £30 deal is for up to 6 personal returns...though they can handle 'receipts' of trust monies if made as to a beneficiary for example...which the online HMRC returns pages cannot!

I havent yet submitted my return but i must say that TAXCALC staff have so far been most helpful
though i suspect they already regretting accepting my meager £30

in the end it will all depend on if HMRC accept what I send.................if not...back to square one!

If you have multiple returns in the family, Taxcalc is certainly a bit of a bargain.

I have - and it is.
And the support people are helpful too.
I have used TaxCalc for ages, even it its pre-Acorah incarnation (whose name escapes me), although the user interface has changed (improved) a lot over the years.

I've used TaxCalc for ages too. Use it for mine and my wife's tax returns. Never had a problem and online submission is easy - once you've worked out what Government gateway logins you need. However, once you've done that, TaxCalc stores it so every following submission is a doddle.

Clariman

Agreed^
I've used Taxcalc for about 7-8 years and it's as simple as completing a UK tax return might be. Plus (for me) it's modest cost is also tax deductible.
It has one view that's like looking at the IR tax forms, and another called 'Simple Steps' that puts it in plain English... like if the IR themselves wanted to help make it simple for people. You just toggle between the two as you wish.
I rate them very highly, and if there is ever a problem/question of any kind they're very responsive. I usually buy just the Core-SA return, but once paid something like an additional £5 for the additional CGT module.
Two thumbs up, inexpensive, and saved me hooooooours of faffing about direct vs HMRC.

HMRC are bringing in an interesting range of APIs to look at tax data and also do tax returns. They have had an XML based VAT return for possibly around a decade, but they are in the process of bringing in a new one using REST and oauth. It will be interesting to see how this develops. I am doing a bit of development in this area myself and I can see the potential (from a taxpayers point of view).