And I still think........ (tax)

[oopsorganist]

It's that time of year again, when I fill out my tax return form on line and it has a box there for claiming unreimbursed expenses in your employ... what a pity we cannot make some way forward into being technically employed and thus being able to claim for x y z in musical expenses.
(Mind you, there's a fair bit gone into the education system too, one way and another, kept my receipts I did this year, until they mysteriously fell into the bin last month, (perhaps aided and abetted by a toddler,bent on answering the phone, positioned neatly above the bin.... we will never know)

Never mind, it's only a hobby, isn't it?

[dmu3tem]

If managed properly, you ought to be able to claim this. Note that the taxman expects you to declare any income you earn from playing the organ etc (e.g. weddings, funerals or the direct remuneration that Anglican churches often give). What is more, the inland revenue are tightening up on such sources of income. Anything that is paid to you by cheque or electronically (i.e. not in actual cash) can potentially be picked up by them, as well as from the accounts kept by funeral service firms and church dcelarations of their accounts. You are therefore perfectly entitled to set your expenses against such sources of income.The key thing, as you suggest, is to have paper receipts, which means you really need to use snailmail rather than complete your form online. If you do decide to claim such expenses remember to keep your records for at least 7 years in case the Inland Revenue decide to investigate you.

Thomas (Muir)

[mcb]

The key thing, as you suggest, is to have paper receipts, which means you really need to use snailmail rather than complete your form online.

No, as far as I know it's enough to have the paper receipts in your possession in case the tax man ever wants to see them. It doesn't mean you have to file your tax return on paper.

Disclaimer: what would I know?

[keitha]

mcb is correct - you simply keep the receipts for 6 years after the end of the current tax year.

Of course, if you could show that the items that you have purchased have been donated to the Church, you could use an existing gift aid declaration (or sign a new one) in favour of the church, give copies of the receipts to your parish priest/gift aid co-ordinator, and the church could claim the basic rate tax back plus the extra donation currently available from the tax office. If you pay higher rate tax, you could either reclaim the additional tax or donate that to the church via your tax return.

You may not gain anything from this, but at least the church does!

[contrabordun]

Yes, these days you can only get away with avoiding tax if you earn millions.