In the distant past tax was simple, it was collected by collectors and stored somewhere safe like in the Treasury at the Great Mosque of Damascus. Incidentally the Mosque was formerly a Christian basilica and is alleged to contains the head of John the Baptist, it is definitely worth a visit for those brave enough to visit Syria.
Over the years chancellors have found ever more creative ways to claim tax revenue and we have become collectors filling out increasingly complicated forms and remitting tax due to the treasury. It is however possible that digital filing may reverse the trend by making it simpler for us as tax collectors to complete and file returns, but woe betide those of us who make a mistake.
Research carried out by Ipsos Mori for the Government and released in December has found that 70% of small businesses and landlords are unaware of what will be required of them under the new Making Tax Digital (MTD) initiative.
Do you know what the updated MTD rules are and to whom they apply?
The Government published updates last month outlining some changes to the original MTD plans.
The new rules will apply from April 2019 with pilots before then and they will only apply to businesses with a turnover of £85,000 per year, which is the VAT threshold, and then only for meeting their VAT obligations.
Originally the intention was to phase in full MTD for Income Tax Self-Assessment (ITSA), Value Added Tax (VAT) and Corporation Tax (CT) between tax years 2018/19 and 2020/21. However, widening the scope beyond those above the VAT threshold has been deferred and the Government has pledged that it will introduce expand MDT until the new system is working, and not before April 2020 at the earliest.
Is anyone exempt from Making Tax Digital?
The Government has also published an impact assessment covering people with disabilities and those in rural locations where there is poor broadband.
It has concluded that both groups will find it difficult to comply with MTD.
The report says: “Ultimately, if a business cannot go digital, it will not be required to do so. The exemptions under Making Tax Digital mirror the existing VAT online filing exemption.”
If your business must comply with the MTD then you should allow enough time before the 1st April 2019 deadline to source accounting software that will be compatible with the Government’s system, factor the cost into your cash flow, and familiarise yourself with the process.
Alternatively, if you have an accountant who already files your tax returns online, you might check they are prepared for the new rules and will comply.
It is also worth investigating whether it would be more cost effective and efficient to outsource it to them rather than getting to grips with the software in house. New software is linking bookkeeping with bank accounts to automate the necessary filings so now might be the time to investigate alternatives to your bookkeeping systems and how you produce and file reports.
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