With the online self assessment tax return deadline looming, HMRC has revealed a list of common excuses given for not filing a tax return on time.
The deadline for Paper Self Assessment returns is the end of October, while Online Self Assessment tax returns must be submitted by January 31st. This years deadline is only a matter of days away!
The following creative excuses were submitted along with late returns in a bid to avoid the £100 late filing fee, HMRC confirmed;
1. “My tax return was on my yacht…which caught fire”
2. “A wasp in my car caused me to have an accident and my tax return, which was inside, was destroyed”
3. “My wife helps me with my tax return, but she had a headache for ten days”
4. “My dog ate my tax return…and all of the reminders”
5. “I couldn’t complete my tax return, because my husband left me and took our accountant with him. I am currently trying to find a new accountant”
6. “My child scribbled all over the tax return, so I wasn’t able to send it back”
7. “I work for myself, but a colleague borrowed my tax return to photocopy it and lost it”
8. “My husband told me the deadline was the 31 March”
9. “My internet connection failed”
10. “The postman doesn’t deliver to my house”
The above excuses were sadly all unsuccessful appeals against HMRC‘s late return penalty.
