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  • vat and duty tax on books bought from japan

    I’ve bought some books (books that introduce castles ) and stationeries from different sellers in Japan for personal use. Since the Japanese sellers do not ship internationally, I used a local Japanese courier to collect, repackage, and ship the items to the UK. The courier has informed me that they won't pay the duty tax and VAT on my behalf, so I will need to pay these myself when the items arrive in the UK. I understand that books bought from outside the UK are exempt from VAT and duty tax. If I am charged VAT and duty on all the items, including the exempt books, how can I get a refund? 1)There are two forms available for tax refunds: form C285 for CDS and form C285 for CHIEF. Which form do I need to fill out for the refund, and does it depend on the form used by the local Japanese courier to ship to the UK? 2)I am confused about the information needed to complete the C285 form. It asks for "Representative or Declarant details," which is the company that invoiced me. Does this refer to the local Japanese courier that I paid for shipping from Japan to the UK, or the UK courier that may later ask me to pay the VAT and duty charges before delivering the goods to me? 3)For the information I need to fill in on the C285 form, like the EPU number or EORI number, should I ask the courier for this information, or are there any links provided by HMRC that can help me find it? Thank you for your time
  • Self-Assessment Filing Confusion: Do I Need to Submit My Tax Return Again?

    This is my first time registering for self-assessment. After receiving my UTA number, I filed online and received an email confirming that HMRC successfully received my self-assessment tax return on 25 June 2024 at 16:34. The email said HMRC would process the tax return, which could take up to 72 hours to appear in my online account. However, today (28 June 2024), I received a letter dated 27 June, asking me to complete a self-assessment tax return. My online account is still blank and does not show that HMRC has received my tax return. Do I need to file again?
  • Buying from Foreign Sellers

    Hi As an individual, if I purchase items online from a foreign seller who has confirmed they will not cover the customs tax for me, how can I arrange payment for the import tax? I am aware that the courier will send me a letter requesting payment for the import tax. However, couriers such as Royal Mail and Parcel Force include a handling fee of £8 for customs clearance. As an individual buyer, is it possible for me to pay the import tax before its arrival to facilitate customs clearance?
  • RE: Foreign interest and dividends

    Hi HMRC admin, if I have received bank interest in 100 US dollars from Revolut's US dollar saving account . Revolut is authorised under the UK Electronic Money Regulations , can I report the bank interest by filling in box 2 (untaxed UK interest ) ? Thank you for reading
  • self assessment 2023/2024

    I am writing to seek guidance on the following matters regarding the upcoming tax period 2023/2024: I have earned over £1000 from a side hustle during the 2023/2024 tax period, and I am aware that I need to register for and complete a self-assessment. During this period, I fall under the category of a basic rate taxpayer (20%), and my bank interest is expected to be less than £1,000. Could you please assist me in addressing these questions: Self-Assessment Registration: 1)Should I register for self-assessment between 6th October 2023 and 5th October 2024 if I qualify for the 2023/2024 tax year? Reporting Bank Interest: 2)Even though my bank interest is expected to be below the bank interest allowance, do I still need to include this information when filling out my tax return? I am aware that individuals paid through PAYE typically do not need to complete a self-assessment if their bank interest is below the allowance. However, in the case of taxpayers like myself who are already required to complete a self-assessment, is it necessary to report bank interest below the allowance? Am I allowed to leave it blank when it asks about bank interest? I greatly appreciate your assistance and guidance in clarifying these matters Thank you for your time .
  • RE: Gift tax for cash gift from overseas

    Hi, I am a tax paying UK resident, non citizen, My uncle who live in Hong Kong would like to gift me £5,000 . He doesn't want to pay the overseas transfer charge . So he is going to give it to his friend (a UK passport holder, born in UK but currently work and live in Hong Kong) who will come to UK to visit his family member, and ask him to pass the money to me in UK through uk local bank transfer . In this case, can the money still regarded as gifts of cash from overseas andare not liable to income tax? Do I need to declare to HRMC (even if I don not need to pay tax)? Thanks