Parents on higher incomes reminded to register for Self Assessment

Parents on higher incomes reminded to register for Self Assessment

Parents on higher incomes who continued to receive Child Benefit after January 2013 have been reminded that they must register for Self Assessment by 5 October 2013 to avoid any penalties in relation to the High Income Child Benefit Charge.

This month, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will be writing to around two million higher rate taxpayers, including those affected by recent changes to Child Benefit. The letter reminds them that if their income is over £50,000 and they or their partner received Child Benefit in 2012/13, they will need to complete a Self Assessment tax return for the 2012/13 tax year. They must register now with HMRC for Self Assessment if they have not already done so.

Over 390,000 people with higher incomes have already opted out of receiving Child Benefit, including around 32,350 from the North West region.

HMRC’s Chief Executive, Lin Homer, said: “HMRC is committed to helping people pay the right amount of tax. If you have had certain changes to your income in the last year, including those affected by the changes to Child Benefit, you have until 5 October to register for Self Assessment.”

The High Income Child Benefit Charge came into effect on 7 January 2013. You are liable to pay the tax charge if all of the following statements apply, or applied to you in the 2012/13 tax year:

• You have an individual income of over £50,000 a year
• Either you or your partner received any Child Benefit payments after 7 January 2013 
• Your income for the tax year is higher than your partner’s. The partner with the higher income is liable to pay the charge if both partners have income over £50,000. 

People who stopped Child Benefit payments before 7 January 2013 do not need to take any further action. To check whether the tax charge applies and to register, go to hmrc.gov.uk/childbenefitcharge.

If the charge does apply, then you must register for Self Assessment for the 2012/13 tax year by 5 October 2013, so that you can declare the Child Benefit you received, pay the tax charge on time and avoid any penalties.

You might be able to come out of Self Assessment in future years if you (or your partner if they are the Child Benefit recipient) choose to opt out of receiving Child Benefit and avoid incurring the tax charge. Go to hmrc.gov.uk/childbenefitcharge if you want to opt out.

More information on whether you need to register for Self Assessment can be found at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/sa/need-tax-return.htm