Written by people who actually file UK VAT returns, run UK payroll, and prepare CIS300s. No accountant jargon, no US-blog generalities. Each guide ends with what your real options are.
The income that decides if you're mandated for MTD for Income Tax — gross turnover, self-employment + property only, measured on your last tax return.
Does your salary push you into MTD? No — and here's why a high PAYE wage plus a small side income usually keeps you out of scope.
What you need, how to sign up with HMRC, and why you can volunteer early — a plain-English walkthrough for sole traders.
The four quarterly update dates, why they're cumulative, the final declaration deadline, and how penalties (and the 2026/27 soft landing) work.
The £50k, £30k and £20k thresholds, the strict 'over' test, turnover-not-profit, and worked examples — find out whether MTD for Income Tax applies to you.
It's gross turnover, before expenses — so you can be in scope even with modest profit. Why this catches high-cost businesses out, with examples.
The points system, when the £200 penalty hits, the separate late-payment penalties and interest, and the 2026/27 soft landing.
Income tax bands, Class 4 and Class 2 NIC for 2026, with worked examples at £30k and £60k profit.
The difference, the 2024 change that made Class 2 free above the Small Profits Threshold, and the Class 4 rates.
An honest, balanced look at DIY-with-software vs an accountant for Making Tax Digital — and the middle path.
An honest, no-hype comparison of MTD ITSA software — the criteria that matter, the main options, prices and who each suits.
A step-by-step migration: pick a clean cut-over date, bring over opening balances, preserve history — plus the bridging-software alternative.
From digital records to sending cumulative totals via software — the quarterly-update process end to end, with the deadlines.
The digital records you must keep, the income/expense categories, and bridging software for spreadsheet users.
A balanced 2026 guide — tax, admin, liability, the MTD angle, and when incorporating actually makes sense.
The landlord pillar guide to Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: gross-rent thresholds and dates, one UK property business, quarterly updates, the jointly-owned easement and Section 24.
How MTD for Income Tax works for jointly owned rental property — income split by share, the spouse 50/50 default and Form 17, and HMRC's easement letting joint owners keep less-detailed records and bring in expenses annually.
The full 2025/26 list of allowable expenses for UK landlords — repairs vs improvements, agent fees, insurance, the £1,000 property allowance and what you can't claim.
Why residential landlords can no longer deduct mortgage interest, how the 20% tax reducer works, its higher-rate impact, a before/after worked example, and the SA105 boxes.
How landlords are taxed: rental profit added to other income at 20/40/45%, no National Insurance, the £1,000 property allowance, section 24, with worked examples at £12k and £30k gross rent.
Who is caught in the MTD for Income Tax £30,000 cohort mandated from 6 April 2027, how HMRC identifies them from the 2025/26 return, what to do in 2026, and why there is no penalty soft landing.
An honest price map of MTD for Income Tax software — from free tiers and bank-bundled packages through ~£30/yr bridging tools to ~£5–£36/mo paid plans — and what drives the cost.
Who is exempt from MTD for Income Tax — automatic exemptions, the digitally excluded, income out of scope, and how to apply to HMRC.
The plain-English complete explainer of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax — what it is, who it applies to and when, digital records, quarterly updates, the final declaration and penalties, and how it differs from Self Assessment.
The 9 boxes, what goes in each, common mistakes, and when it's due.
Which scheme suits a small business, when to switch, and the cashflow trap people miss.
The £90,000 threshold, voluntary registration, and why most founders register too late or too early.
When you've taken money out of your own company, what the tax rules say, and the £10,000 / 9-month traps.
The paperwork (dividend voucher + board minute), the tax (8.75% / 33.75% / 39.35%), and the timing.
The merged scheme, what counts as R&D, what HMRC has cracked down on, and why most tech startups still qualify.
Why UK angels insist on these, the limits, the 3-year compliance trail, and the SAFE conversion trap.
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