Freelancing Support
A man looking at a bill

Understand Payment on Account

While you might undertstand your estimated tax bill, you might not have heard about payment on account - which can lead to a 150% tax bill in your first year!

mandatory
Complexity: medium
Duration: 1-2 hours

What

Understand what Payment on Account is, so you’re putting money aside to cover the cost.

Why

Payment on Account can be a nasty surprise if you’re not aware of it.

It can effectively mean you’re paying 50% more tax than you expected to pay in your first year - and if you’re not putting money aside, you might not be able to afford it.

How

1/ Read our guide on Payment on Account, and understand what it means.

2/ Consider estimating what your tax bill might be this year, including your payment on account figure.

3/ Consider working with an accountant to help you understand what will be due, and how to reduce your tax bill.

4/ If you’re worried and unclear about what it means, browse the resources, and ask in the community for help.

Featured Resource

Payment on account - Paying in advance for income tax.
Payment on account surprises many freelancers, and it can be a painful cost you weren't expecting.

Support from the ecosystem

Payments on Account
Official guidance from HMRC
gov.uk
What is payment on account? (Podcast)
A podcast episode from Loud and Clear Accounting, explaining the concept.
Loud and Clear
What is payment on account?
A comprehensive guide from TaxScouts
TaxScouts
Paying yourself as a sole trader - how much tax to put aside?
A useful guide from Crunch with some handy illustrations and suggestions of how much to put aside.
Crunch
Last Updated:

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