Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. HMRC treats crypto as a capital asset, not a currency.

This means the following can all trigger Capital Gains Tax:

• Selling crypto for cash
• Swapping one cryptocurrency for another
• Using crypto to buy goods or services
• Gifting crypto (except to a spouse)

If your total gains in the year exceed the £3,000 annual exempt amount, you'll owe CGT at 18% or 24% depending on your income.

Some crypto activity — like staking rewards, mining income, and certain DeFi transactions — may be treated as income rather than capital gains and taxed differently.

HMRC requires you to keep records of every transaction. This falls under our £199 Advanced Tax Return.

If your side hustle income is over £1,000 in a tax year, yes — you'll need to declare it on a Self Assessment return.

The £1,000 Trading Allowance means you don't pay tax on the first £1,000 of self-employment or casual income, but once you exceed that you need to register and file.

It doesn't matter whether you're being paid in cash, through PayPal, via platforms like Etsy, Vinted, or Deliveroo, or in any other way — if it's income for a service or goods you're selling, it counts.

HMRC has been increasingly active in tracking income through digital platforms, so it's worth getting it right.

Yes, dividends are taxable above the annual Dividend Allowance, which is £500 for 2025/26.

Dividends within an ISA are always tax-free.

If your dividends exceed the allowance, the rate you pay depends on your income band:

• 8.75% for basic-rate taxpayers
• 33.75% for higher-rate taxpayers
• 39.35% for additional-rate taxpayers

Dividend income needs to be declared on your Self Assessment return. Your investment platform or company should provide a dividend certificate or statement showing what you received.

It depends on how much interest you received and what type of taxpayer you are.

For 2025/26, the Personal Savings Allowance is:

• £1,000 for basic-rate taxpayers
• £500 for higher-rate taxpayers
• Nothing for additional-rate taxpayers (income over £125,140)

Interest from ISAs is always tax-free and never needs to be declared.

If your savings interest exceeds your allowance, you'll need to declare the excess on your Self Assessment return. Banks report interest to HMRC automatically, so it's worth declaring it correctly even if you think the amount is small.

Here's what we typically need to calculate and file your CGT return:

• Your completion statement from your solicitor (this shows the sale price and any deductions at completion)
• Your original purchase completion statement showing what you paid and any associated costs at the time
• Receipts or records of any capital improvements made to the property during your ownership (extensions, loft conversions, new kitchens — general maintenance doesn't count)
• Details of how the property was used over your ownership period (main home, rented out, vacant, shared use)
• If it was let at any point, approximate dates and rental income figures

You don't need to have everything perfectly organised before getting in touch. Fill in our CGT form with what you have and we'll tell you exactly what else we need.

They're separate obligations, and both may be required.

The 60-day CGT return is a standalone filing that must be done within 60 days of completion — it's not part of your annual Self Assessment return.

If you already file Self Assessment, you'll also need to declare the gain on your annual return for the tax year the sale took place in, even though you've already reported it via the 60-day return. The tax itself is paid via the 60-day return; the Self Assessment entry reconciles it for the full year.

It sounds like double admin, but we handle both as part of our service. If you need a CGT return plus a Self Assessment return for the same year, message us on live chat and we'll work out the best way to handle everything together.

Yes, you can still file — and you should do so as soon as possible.

HMRC will charge a late filing penalty automatically once the 60-day window has passed, and interest accrues on any unpaid tax. But the longer you wait, the more these charges build up.

Filing late is always better than not filing at all. HMRC may also consider the circumstances of the delay when deciding whether to pursue further action.

Message us on live chat right away and we'll file as quickly as possible to stop anything else building up.

The 60-day clock starts from the completion date, not the exchange of contracts.

Completion is the day the sale legally finalises — when the money changes hands and the keys are handed over. Exchange can happen weeks before this, but it doesn't start the clock.

It's 60 calendar days from completion, including weekends and bank holidays. For example, if your property completed on 1 July, your deadline would be 29 August.

Don't leave it close to the deadline — we need time to gather the information and file on your behalf. Message us on live chat as soon as completion happens.