It's never too early to start planning for the next tax year. In fact, we highly recommend that you start planning now. You need to ensure you fully understand what you may or may not need to do when it comes to your tax matters.

As a starting point, this can include tasks as straightforward as checking your payslips to make sure everything is in order. More complex matters include considering aspects such as additional income you might receive from a second job or a property that you rent out. 

We’ve compiled a useful checklist for you to make sure you’re on the right financial track.

Do Your Tax Return

It goes without saying that you should be completing your tax return every year if you are required to do so. When your deadline is depends on a number of things, including how you intend to submit your tax return.

For the 23/24 tax year, you’ll need to submit your paper returns by midnight on 31 October 2024. If you’re submitting your return online, the deadline is midnight 31 January 2025. In both cases, the deadline to pay any taxes you owe is 31 January 2025.

Any payments on account for the 24/25 tax year will then need to be paid on 31 July 2025. More information on deadlines and who is required to submit a return can be found on the self-assessment section of the Government website.

We recommend getting it done and out of the way as early as possible after the start of the new tax year in early April. Make sure to take into account any recent changes to your personal situation.

The financial landscape has also changed in the last few years, with factors such as working from home and electric company vehicles requiring your consideration.

Become Tax Efficient

Being tax efficient means considering and planning many different taxes; income, corporation, capital gains and inheritance tax to name a few.

Inheritance Tax is a long-term issue which needs to be adequately planned for. There are steps you should take now, as well as in the future, to best address your tax liabilities if you are thinking about leaving anything to family or are likely to inherit.

The future financial health of you and your family depends on making the right decisions in the present moment.

Make The Most Of Your Allowances

One of the most tax efficient ways to save is through an ISA. This is because you don’t need to pay Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax (CGT) when you take money from your account. We normally recommend investing in an ISA sooner rather than later, although this is of course dependent on your current financial situation. It’s worth remembering that the sooner you contribute, the sooner it can start working for you.

The maximum ISA allowance for over 18s in the UK is £20,000 per tax year. You need to make sure you are getting the most of this allowance.

Pensions can offer significant tax relief on contributions which are of benefit to all, especially for taxpayers who can benefit from higher levels of tax relief. Depending on earnings, most people can pay up to £60,000 each tax year into pensions between them and their employer and get significant tax benefits. Of course, there are factors to consider when contributing to your ISA or pension including the rate of return and when you can access your investments, both a key part of the tax planning and general financial planning jigsaw!

In summary, because there are many different methods to become more tax efficient, it’s crucial that you start planning ahead and thinking about both short and long-term goals. Please do get in touch for a no obligation chat if you are unsure of the best way forward, or to discuss your own personal financial situation.

 

McCrea Financial Services is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

The Value of investments, Pensions and the income derived from them may go down as well as up.

The tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of the investor and may be subject to change in the future.

The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate on Estate Planning and Tax Planning.