The Inland Revenue provides plenty of advice on how to make filling in your self-assessment form as painless as possible, but chances are if you are reading this then you have already ignored most of it.

Over the past four years, ten per cent of self assessment forms have been handed in late, and the Inland Revenue can impose fines of up to £60 a day along with an instant £100 penalty.

But fear not, if you are fast approaching the deadline there is still hope. With a bit of hard work and a few of our handy tips you might just make get it done on time..
  • Get on with it –Obvious really, but if you’re form is not handed in by the January 31 deadline you could face a fine of up to £100 and have to pay interest on the tax you owe.
  • Go online – if you return is straightforward then use the internet because the tax will be calculated automatically, and is a simple and, most importantly, secure process. However in order to do this you must have already registered, so forget about leaving it until 11pm and then quickly jump online.
  • Check the pages – make sure you have all the pages you need, if you require any extra call the order line on 0845 9000 404, if you’re too late download them from the Inland Revenue’s website.
  • Get all the information – If you have not done this by now you really do have your work cut out. Hopefully you will have had the foresight to have kept everything safe for the occasion but if not get it together before you start. If you’ve changed careers during the tax year, make sure you have copies of your P60 and P45.
  • Get help – you do not have to do it all by yourself, use the Inland Revenue’s website or give their tax advisers a ring. Alternatively, if you are really up against it you might need to hire an accountant but be prepared to fork out at least a few hundred pounds for their services.
  • Check the form – make sure you’ve answered all the questions correctly. Remember it’s better to send it in late than incomplete. Sign the form, take a photocopy and then hot foot it down to the post office.

Good Luck!