On 09/04/2017 09:16, Handsome Jack wrote:
Murmansk posted
I'm planning to become self-employed as a handyman and looking for
some basic/cheap/free software I can use to keep records and submit my
tax return.

Any recommendations?


From April 2018, HMRC will force all self-employed people to use
record-keeping software of its own choosing. Simple versions of this
software will be provided free of charge (so it says), though nothing
has been made available yet.

https://www.gov.uk/government/public...al-for-busines
s

If I were you I'd just record my income and outgoings on a couple of
spreadsheets for this current year, and then wait and see what the great
minds of HMRC wheel out for 2018/19. In fact, that's exactly what I *am*
doing myself.


I'd have thought a handyman would need a vehicle so, assuming it's not
going to be *solely* for business, a bit more than that might be
advisable - eg business mileage at a minimum (so can use the flat rate
allowances).

If the OP is wholly new to this then HMRC give an overview of expenses at

https://www.gov.uk/simpler-income-ta...ified-expenses

https://www.gov.uk/simpler-income-ta...enses/overview

and to working out profits at

https://www.gov.uk/government/public...e-profits-2016

But I'd not like to set up spreadsheets from scratch on the basis of
that or of textbooks if I'd never met the subject before. IMHO you
can't beat sitting with Nellie when getting started.

And if the OP's going to buy a van for the work I'd recommend getting
advice on how to deal with that for tax purposes as there are more
options than ever with the cash basis and AIA on top of simplified
expenses. All too difficult for me these days.

--
Robin
reply-to address is (intended to be) valid