How Can I Make My Tax Returns Less Stressful?

Anyone who says they like doing their tax return is a stone-cold liar. It’s dull, time-consuming, and – worst of all – feels like homework.

Most people understandably put it off until the last possible moment, but this only exacerbates the problems (and takes 2-3 years off your life).

It makes much more sense to just nip it in the bud. But how are you supposed to go about making your tax return less stressful if you’re what one might call a serial procrastinator? Especially now Making Tax Digital means financial records need reporting more frequently.

Here are some useful tips for making tax season a little less stressful.

Don’t make the same mistake twice

They say failure is the best teacher, and in this sense, the most obvious way to improve your process is to identify where you may be going wrong.

Perhaps you’re not very good at keeping records, or maybe you just leave everything until the last minute.

Whatever your main issue is, it’s important that you acknowledge it. Only then can you work to rectify it and put new techniques in place.

Blaming the cat for messing up your tax return doesn’t really wash with HMRC. Your cat knows this so don’t let them win next time.

Adopt long-term thinking

Time management is a vital skill when strict deadlines are involved. In short, the more time you give yourself to sort out your taxes, the better, as you’ll have a longer runway to work with.

You can submit a tax return as soon as the time period it refers to has ended. For instance, the 2025/26 tax year ends 5th April 2026. A Self Assessment tax return for the 2025/26 tax year can be submitted from 6th April 2026 onwards.

Submitting it earlier doesn’t mean you’ll need to pay sooner. You’ll still have until 31st January 2027 to pay the bill.

If you start the process though, do try to commit. Our approach to Christmas shopping (buy one present in September, feel accomplished, do the rest on Christmas Eve in a blind panic) is not a good model for tax returns. Or Christmas shopping.

Be organised all year round

Establishing some kind of schedule or plan of action will ensure you stay on track and don’t get lost on the way. Receipt-less expenses and non-invoiced income can easily slip under the radar if you’re not careful.

You’re more likely to:

Keep everything safe

Unless you’re required to keep digital records for Making Tax Digital, writing your accounts out by hand might work for you. Fortunately, there are also much better options available than organising your bookkeeping like some sort of Victorian merchant.

Online accounting software (yes, like Pandle, but there are other providers available) makes the process faster, easier, and with everything stored safely on the cloud.

Not a rain cloud, but a digital network with multiple servers in multiple locations. It’s basically Fort Knox. For accounting.

Pay close attention

Here’s another pearl for you: it’s often the smallest things that have the biggest impact. For example, when collecting receipts, filing invoices, and documenting expenses, take the time to highlight the date on each record so they are easier to organise and sort through at a later date.

Also take the time to double (and triple) check all spelling, grammar, names, numbers, and figures to ensure you aren’t making any unnecessary mistakes. Typos can lead to some weird emails. They can be a total menace in the middle of your tax return.

Hire an accountant

Last but not least, one of the best things you can do to make filing your tax return less stressful is enlist the services of an accountant.

A qualified accountant can help make sure your accounts are accurate and tax-efficient throughout the year, and they’ll also check that everything is compliant with up-to-date policies and regulations. It’s like having your own personal tax wizard!

Learn more about using Pandle to make business accounting easier. Create an account today and decide what to do with all the extra time you get back.