Another tax return question

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

My accountant informed me I only needed to add my permanent employment which started in May 2014, as I received no salary from my company in 2014-2015, the company closing down.

I'm fairly certain you only need to fill out an employee sheet for a paid directorship. If you took no salary or claimed no expenses I don't think you do. Either way if you do it online the HMRC software should figure this all out for you and tell you what sheets you need after you've answered its initial questions.

[VectraMan]

I'm fairly certain you only need to fill out an employee sheet for a paid directorship. If you took no salary or claimed no expenses I don't think you do. Either way if you do it online the HMRC software should figure this all out for you and tell you what sheets you need after you've answered its initial questions.

I've been through this a couple of times with the online SA because I kept my company going whilst a permie, but deregistered from PAYE (and VAT). The form says something misleading like "how many employments or directorships in this period", so I say 2, but then it asks for a PAYE reference for the directorship, which I don't have. The only way to fill out the form is to say 1 and not include the directorship in that section. If you earned any dividends you enter it in a later section as if you were a shareholder only.

I hope that's right.

[northernladuk]

I've been through this a couple of times with the online SA because I kept my company going whilst a permie, but deregistered from PAYE (and VAT). The form says something misleading like "how many employments or directorships in this period", so I say 2, but then it asks for a PAYE reference for the directorship, which I don't have. The only way to fill out the form is to say 1 and not include the directorship in that section. If you earned any dividends you enter it in a later section as if you were a shareholder only.

I hope that's right.

If it's not you could bunk in with Mr Upton and enjoy spending 23 hours a day chatting about the finer points of accounting with him.

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

I've been through this a couple of times with the online SA because I kept my company going whilst a permie, but deregistered from PAYE (and VAT). The form says something misleading like "how many employments or directorships in this period", so I say 2, but then it asks for a PAYE reference for the directorship, which I don't have. The only way to fill out the form is to say 1 and not include the directorship in that section. If you earned any dividends you enter it in a later section as if you were a shareholder only.

I hope that's right.

If you check, I think it says something about not needing to fill out an employment sheet for a directorship if you received no wage or expenses/benefits.

[GoodBytes]

Thanks all, very helpful. I will read through the comments more carefully, and look at the suggested HMRC notes, at the weekend when I have more time.

[GoodBytes]

I have gone through it again, and as I was a director, I must select 2 in the employments and directorships drop down. This then forces 2 employment pages to appear even though the dirctorship was unpaid. So it looks as if I must fill in two employments, all a bit confusing. Hi ho.

I also cannot figure out how to set no for Trusts, Capital Gains Summary etc. Bizarre.

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

Check the page where it asks you to select how many directorships you had again. It will probably tell you not to count any unpaid directorships.

[GoodBytes]

Thought I'd mention that I spoke to HMRC today, and surprisingly they were very helpful. I must record an unpaid directorship in an employment page, despite no income. Odd but them's the rules.

[expat]

Thought I'd mention that I spoke to HMRC today, and surprisingly they were very helpful. I must record an unpaid directorship in an employment page, despite no income. Odd but them's the rules.

It's not at all surprising. HMRC can be very helpful. They can be very helpful even when that results in your paying less tax. They are not in business to maximise tax take, but they do care a lot about people obeying the rules. They will usually go a long way to helping you understand the rules.

The only exception is IR35 where they are caught in the same bind as the cage fighters in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome: "I know you won't break the rules: there are no rules".

[VectraMan]

Thought I'd mention that I spoke to HMRC today, and surprisingly they were very helpful. I must record an unpaid directorship in an employment page, despite no income. Odd but them's the rules.

Except it isn't possible if you're not PAYE registered.