Do I need an accountant to do my tax return?
When you realise you have to submit a tax return, you’ll have a lot of questions. ‘When is it due?’ and ‘What do I include?’ will probably be on your list. The one at the very…
5 Minute Read
Last Updated: 28th June 2022
When you realise you have to submit a tax return, you’ll have a lot of questions. ‘When is it due?’ and ‘What do I include?’ will probably be on your list. The one at the very top of it will likely be, ‘Do I need an accountant for a watertight tax return?’.
Some people undertake the DIY method, but doing your taxes for the first time can be scary. Here, we take a look at the benefits and drawbacks of outsourcing this task to an accountant. With the advent of mobile tax software, you may want to avoid them altogether…
WHAT IS A TAX RETURN ACCOUNTANT?
An accountant does many tasks for the taxpayer, and the tax return is one of the biggest – they will file it for you on an annual basis. Other duties include:
- Keeping on top of your books
- Claiming expenses
- Calculating the tax owed
- Finding savings to reduce your tax liability
HOW MUCH DOES A TAX RETURN ACCOUNTANT COST?
As with any service, a low cost is unlikely to get you great value for money. How much you should pay for a tax return accountant will depend on the amount of work they do for you, but you can easily pay up to £500 for the service described above.
You might find that some quotes are fixed and offer you more services than you require. Additionally, the cost may differ according to the type of tax return you need, and there are specific requirements related to your circumstances too – a general self-employed tax return will be different to that of a sole trader who also has a job or rental income, for example.
DO I NEED AN ACCOUNTANT?
No – GoSimpleTax allows you to easily stay on top of your taxes without the use of an accountant. Our no-jargon tax return software helps you understand and learn how to do your own Self Assessment tax return in minutes, just like an expert.
GoSimpleTax keeps things super simple and enables you to discover tax savings you didn’t even know existed. Just ask Liam, one of our users – he was able to reduce his tax liability by claiming for homeworking costs.
Whether you have a good grasp on your tax savings or you’re clueless when it comes to tax, GoSimpleTax will make sense of everything for you. It means you’ll potentially save hundreds of pounds in accounting fees, whilst still fulfilling your tax obligations and maximising your take-home pay.
SUBMIT YOUR SELF-EMPLOYED TAX RETURN WITH GOSIMPLETAX
Tax return software is about three things: accuracy, convenience, and zero confusion.
Our Self Assessment software gives you full visibility over your finances. You can see everything in real time and from any device, including your tax liability. It also provides you with tax-saving suggestions by revealing deductible items that will automatically save you money.
‘Do I need an accountant to do my tax return?’ Not with Self Assessment software. GoSimpleTax allows anyone to be a tax expert. Find out for yourself by signing up for our free trial. You can use it to start calculating your tax bill straight away – no credit card required
Our Last-minute tax return? You don’t need an accountant article may be of interest
.
Blog content is for information purposes and over time may become outdated, although we do strive to keep it current. It's written to help you understand your Tax's and is not to be relied upon as professional accounting, tax and legal advice due to differences in everyone's circumstances. For additional help please contact our support team or HMRC.
HMRC crackdown to target eBay, Amazon, Airbnb, Fiverr, Uber, Deliveroo and Etsy side hustle income earners
05 Dec 2023
How to spot a Self Assessment tax scam
30 Nov 2023
Can sole traders claim tax expenses for Christmas nights out and customer gifts?
09 Nov 2023
How GoSimpleTax Works
Register
Simply register for free with your full name and email address.
Select Your Income
Select the income you receive and follow the hints and tips for potential tax savings.
Validate Your Information
Validate your personal information and submit directly to HMRC to get confirmation in just seconds.

Work Anywhere, With Any Device
Gone are the days of fretting over a calculator surrounded by scraps of paper at the eleventh hour.
GoSimpleTax’s tax return software uses the information you upload in real time to calculate your income and expenditure, working out the tax you owe and sending you helpful notifications when there’s the possibility of a mistake.
"The software is intuitive and proved very easy to navigate. I found the whole process refreshingly simple. I saved a lot of money too!"
Steve J.
Ordained Presbyter
"Easy to use and value for money. Everything you need to do your tax."
Gordon J.
Self Employed
"It fills in all the forms and sends them to the Inland Revenue. Not expensive either. Takes the stress out of doing your tax return online."
Ross G.
Team Rector