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Watch out for incorrect tax bills

February 2011

We are warning people to check their tax codes and the amount they are paying to ensure that any amendments made to self-assessment returns have been correctly noted by the taxman.

We are issuing this warning after several examples were found of HM Revenue & Customs’ (HMRC) computer system ignoring amendments, providing people with an incorrect tax code and therefore demanding an incorrect amount.

Monday 31st January was the deadline by which self-assessment tax returns should have been filed online for the year ending 5th April 2010, however amendments can still be made right up until 31st January next year (2012).

Ian Fawcett, Tax Partner comments, “Whilst the deadline for submitting a return for 2009/10 has now passed, it is still possible to amend it up to and including 31st January 2012. Unfortunately there have been several instances where amendments have been received and then overlooked, providing people with an incorrect tax code and payment amount. Anyone who believes their code is incorrect should therefore contact their tax office straight away so they can correct it.”

Amendments to a 2009/10 self-assessment return can be done in either of two ways:

• If you submitted the form online you can correct the figures online, but you are also allowed to send in a letter giving details of the revised figures.
• If you submitted the form on paper you can only amend on paper. Again all that is needed is to send a letter to the taxman specifying which figures on the tax return need to be changed.

Once amendments are submitted and processed by HMRC, you should then be sent a corrected SA calculation.