Can you pay corporation tax in instalments? Whether you own a large or a small business, the profits you’re earning through your business come under corporation tax paid to HMRC in the UK. One of the primary responsibilities of the company director is to ensure that the records are accurately maintained and accounts are filed. This will allow reporting of accurate profits of a business to HMRC, leading to determining the right amount of tax. Sometimes, this procedure becomes more stressful once a director realises that the tax deadline cannot be met. If you find yourself in such a situation, don’t worry; we have got you covered. This guide will help you through the process of understanding what to do if you cannot pay your corporation tax bill on time and if can you pay corporation tax in instalments. Carry on reading to find more.

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Understanding Corporation Tax and Large Companies

In simple words, the corporation tax is referred to as a corporate tax that all limited companies that are carrying out business activities in the UK pay to HMRC on their profitable earnings. The companies are required to get themselves registered with HMRC to give access to their earnings and profits so that the accurate tax bill can be determined. The director of a company knows that they got three months after the trading of business activities begin to get registered for the corporation tax.

In case they do not get registered within this time limit, there can be legal consequences that a beginner in business will never want to face, along with other challenges. Mostly, the small businesses make the director obliged to ensure that all the corporation taxes are paid on time. However, in the case of large companies, there is normally an in-house team available to work on the finances and accounts. They ensure the tax payments along with seeing other financial and accountancy matters.

Any of this does not matter if the businesses ensure that taxes are paid on the deadline. Moreover, only the limited companies that are generating profits are obliged to pay corporation tax on profitable amounts. However, if you are running the company on losses, you can inform HMRC, and the corporation tax will be exempted. In the case of sole traders, they are obliged to pay income tax on the earned profits from the business but not corporation tax.

What If You Cannot Pay Corporation Tax?

Sometimes, a business situation comes up that makes you unable to pay corporation tax anywhere near the deadline. The first and foremost thing to do in such a situation is to get in touch with HMRC to notify. HMRC is always available to listen to the concerns of the businesses that are struggling in the UK and making possible compromises, but you will have to be upfront with HMRC forts.

If you ignore the reminders and tax bills from HMRC, your business can be in hot water and face consequences. There can be a time-to-pay deal by HMRC that will allow you to pay what you owe within a set period. This period is predetermined by HMRC in the UK. There will be a winding-up petition for your business if you fail to pay the corporation tax again. In case you are not being able to understand or handle the tough situation, you can get help from experts as well. Seek professional help to come out of this business situation.

Can You Pay Corporation Tax in Instalments?

In certain business situations where you need more time to gather your funds to clear your corporation taxes, you can ask HMRC, ‘Can you pay corporation tax in instalments?’ If the conditions are met, HMRC can offer you an instalment plan. This plan is normally known as the Time To Pay Arrangement or TTP. This will lead your business to settle the payments in instalments over an agreed period between HMRC and you.

HMRC will look back into the history of your tax payments and paying debts to ensure that you’re worthy of getting this favour. If they are convinced that your business is in a position to make the repayments, there will be a TTP arrangement for your business.  However, there are certain conditions to qualify for this. You need to act swiftly before HMRC opts for the winding-up petition. Ensure that the TTP arrangement is submitted in written form.

This should accompanied by supporting documents that can prove that you are incapable of paying corporation tax in one-time payments and that you can also manage the instalments. You need to be very mindful when deciding on your corporation tax instalments because the consequences will be even worse if you fail to pay the instalments of your corporation tax.

What are the Penalties on Instalments?

If you’ve been granted the instalment favour by HMRC and fail to pay your corporation tax instalments, you’ll face penalties and interest on the overdue amount. When you miss an instalment payment, you’ll receive an initial penalty of a certain percentage of the overdue amount. If you still haven’t paid the overdue amount, you’ll start receiving daily penalties. HMRC charges interest on overdue amounts. Interest accrues daily on the overdue amount, starting from the original due date.

If you’ve made a serious default, such as deliberately withholding payment or providing false information, you may face an additional penalty. In case you’re struggling to make payments, contact HMRC as soon as possible to discuss your options. Ensure you make your instalment payments on time to avoid penalties and interest. Consult with a tax advisor or accountant to ensure you’re meeting your corporation tax obligations and taking advantage of available tax reliefs.

Verify the details on the penalty notice, including the amount and due date. Pay the penalty amount by the due date to avoid further interest and penalties. If you disagree with the penalty, you can appeal to HMRC within 30 days of receiving the penalty notice.

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, getting stuck in a business situation where you cannot manage to pay your corporation tax on time is normal. However, you need to act quickly to find a solution, and the first important thing to do is to notify HMRC rather than ignore the reminders and deadlines. This will save you from getting your business into further financial trouble. HMRC tends to make reasonable options for tax payments if the business is struggling financially. This will make you wonder if you can pay corporation tax in instalments, well yes, if you prove your situation right and be upfront with HMRC. In case you need professional support in this, knowing ‘can you pay corporation tax in instalments’, you can talk to our experts anytime. We will be at your service swiftly.

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Disclaimer: The general information provided in this blog about can you pay corporation tax in instalments includes text and graphics. It does not intend to disregard any of the professional advice in the future as well.