You do not want to receive a penalty for not filing your return in time. As you’d expect, most taxpayers provide their Self Assessment tax returns on time with honest information and pay their tax bill on time too. But alongside all these good citizens and business folk with their straightforward tax returns HMRC also receives a raft of laughable excuses as well as some dubious tax-reducing expense claims. Surely no one in our local area of Hertfordshire, Essex and north London would have put these whoppers for late tax returns forward?
Unbelievable excuses for tax returns that miss the deadline
Here are just some of the strange excuses for late tax returns which HMRC felt able to share. Apparently, some taxpayers think it’s OK to blame the weather, their employees or even their in-laws:
“My boiler had broken, and my fingers were too cold to type.”
“Our junior member of staff registered our client in Self Assessment by mistake because they were not wearing their glasses.”
“I’m too short to reach the post box.”
“I was just too busy – my first maid left, my second maid stole from me, and my third maid was very slow to learn.”
“My mother-in-law is a witch and put a curse on me.”
The next deadline is 31 January 2020 for online Self Assessment tax returns for the tax year 2018/19.
Naturally, crazy excuses like these aren’t accepted by HMRC as reasons for being late. But remember that help is available for those with a genuine reason for being late, such as if you had an unexpected stay in hospital that prevented you from filing your tax return.
Implausible expenses on a tax return
HMRC also checks the expenses recorded to offset income on Self Assessment tax returns and has collected this array of questionable claims:
- A carpenter’s claim for a ‘vital’ 55-inch TV and sound bar costing £900 to help him price his jobs
- £756 for pet dog insurance
- A music subscription, to be able to listen to music while working
- A family holiday to Nigeria
- £40 on extra warm woolly underwear, for 5 years
HMRC has pointed out that all these expenses were not allowable.
Don’t miss out on tax relief on eligible expenses
Aside from these spurious expense claims, there are many genuine expenses which may be allowable, such tax relief on:
- The full cost of necessary capital equipment such as computers that qualify for the Annual Investment Allowance
- The use of your own vehicle for work at the approved mileage rate
- Cleaning, repairing or replacing specialist clothing, for example, a uniform or safety boots
- Membership fees for approved professional organisations
- A proportion of bills if you are required to work from home (rather than choose to work from home) and so incur extra costs for things like gas and electricity
If you need it, ask for help with your tax return
There’s no need to make excuses about your Self Assessment tax return. Talk to your local Accountant for speak to Amy in our Tax Department for help and advice to manage your tax and comply with all the rules. HB Accountants support business people in Hoddesdon, Broxbourne, Hertford, Ware and across Hertfordshire, Essex and north London. Just get in touch with the HB Team at directors@hbaccountants.co.uk or call us on 01992 444466.
