Online Tax return... HELP!!

[size4riggerboots]

So after forking out nearly ?200 to have someone fill a form out for me last year I figured as I had that one to follow doing my own tax return would be a doddle. Of course the online form would follow the format of the paper form.... wouldn't it?

I've got all my figures organised on a nice spreadsheet, and have found all the places to put those figures into the form, but for the life of me, I cannot find the damn box I need to tick that says I am claiming seafarers Foreign Earning Deductions.... I've filled out the "Employment" section, and the "Foreign Earnings" section, with exactly the same information, only to be told that on the basis of what I put on the form I don't need to fill out the Foreign section.. and at the calculation bit at the end it tells me I have to pay ?8k! I'm so very very fed up with this HMRC website and may have to resort to doing it on paper, but I really want to get this figured out so I can do it easily every year.

I have googled but there appears to be no youtube tutorial on this yet

[size4riggerboots]

And yes it's half past ten on a saturday night and I am trying to do my tax return. My boyfriend is already asleep in bed. If this is what other peoples children do to me then I am NEVER having any of my own!

[chris]

I've not tried doing the return yet, but you could try the seafarers helpline 0300 200 3300

[endure]

And yes it's half past ten on a saturday night and I am trying to do my tax return.

I'm sorry but the box you need to tick isn't available over the weekend as it's against the law to do tax returns on a Saturday night. In fact it's illegal to do anything serious at all between 0001 on Saturday until 2359 on Sunday (unless you're on watch when you have a special dispensation as long as you're wearing your shoulder boards).

[size4riggerboots]

You're quite right. I have wine now and will cease.

[Midge]

Box 1.37 on the employment section apparently, though I had a quick look at the demonstrator form and couldn't see it, but then you don't have access to the drop down boxes.
Never had these things when I lived in the Uk!
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cnr/seafaq2.htm

[size4riggerboots]

Thats the paper form I think... I may have to resort to the paper form. But I don't want to

[Midge]

Thats the paper form I think... I may have to resort to the paper form. But I don't want to

Seems form sa101 has the right box http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/forms/sa101.pdf
notes are here http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/worksheets/sa101-notes.pdf
Unless there is somewhere that you can put that info on the online section, it looks like a paper form to me, not sure if you could use the upload section at the end?
Though calling the helpline is the best bet, HMRC like their rules !
Not paying uk tax myself I can't play around to have a look.
I do like a challenge on a Sunday morning!

[Midge]

S4 this got me thinking about how seafarers are taxed here, its something I had been meaning to do, had a look through the laws in both islands no mention of seafarers at all!

So I guess our well regulated offshore finance industry is not a tax haven for mariners, looks like the UK is much more of one, if you can find the right box to tick, perhaps its their secret weapon.

So I looked at how they treat non resident, after which I gave up, something for the plain English brigade!
106 Non-Residents(2) No allowance or relief under the preceding provisions of this Part shall be given in the case of an individual not resident in Jersey so as to reduce the amount of the income tax payable by that individual below an amount which bears the same proportion to the amount which would be payable by the individual by way of tax if the tax were chargeable on the individual’s total income from all sources, including income which is not subject to income tax charged in Jersey, as the amount of income subject to income tax so charged bears to the amount of the individual’s total income from all sources.

[Steve]

Tailor your return:
"Do you want to claim other tax reliefs and deductions, for example, community investment tax relief, venture capital, maintenance / alimony payments?" = Yes

Fill in your return:
Other tax reliefs and deductions:
Enter other tax reliefs and deductions:
"Seafarers' Earnings Deduction. Enter the total amount: Please read the notes."
"Name of ship(s):"

[size4riggerboots]

Brilliant, thank you Steve! (I assume I should also fill in the Employment section but don't need to fill out the foreign section?)

[Steve]

Correct.

[size4riggerboots]

Tax return submitted Can't believe I paid someone ?200 to do that for me last year... well at least it gave me a template to base this years on.

[chris]

Yes, that ?200 has almost bought you a bridge camera.

[Silvertop]

I may be late in asking this, but did you also claim back all the tax you have paid in the last year on bank accounts savings etc?

I quite like that I don't pay tax on my salary, and I still get a nice cheque back each year from the taxman!!