By Dan Matthews on Small Business – Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs
Making Tax Digital explained
Making Tax Digital (MTD) is a government plan to shift paper-based tax reporting online, spelling the end of form-filling for millions of UK businesses. Changes affecting value added tax (VAT), income tax and corporation tax are being introduced over time, meaning a growing number of small firms are falling under MTD’s scope.
Businesses with turnovers higher than £85,000 are already required file quarterly VAT submissions digitally under MTD rules, records for which must be kept online and submitted via software. Those with a turnover lower than the £85,000 threshold will have to comply by April 2022.
Next in line for digitisation is income tax: individuals with a self employed or property income over £10,000 per year must adopt digital filing from 6 April 2023, while corporation tax will shift online sometime after 2026 following a pilot period, according to the latest plans.
What businesses must do under MTD rules:
Keep digital records
Submit summary information to HMRC once a quarter
File an end of period statement to make any adjustments and a final declaration by 31st January each year.
Why is tax going digital?
There are many reasons for the