Ok, how do you know when your taxes are decided?

I started to file my taxes on the HMRC online website, but changed to filing a paper return. I never submitted the online version.  I look at my HMRC online account tonight and it says they received the paper copy on 27 April. When I go to my online account it says I owe nothing for 2017/18 (which is actually the hoped-for outcome).  However the message there says

"Tax year ending 05 Apr 2018.  This is a copy of the information held on your official online Self Assessment tax account with HM Revenue and Customs."

So, is that only picking up the aborted online tax form that I never actually submitted, have they issued a decision on the account (would I not get something by mail?), or it it simply that they haven't gotten around to looking at my return yet? How do I know which is the case? 

Do they actually even update the online information if you don't use the online system to submit a return?

I started to file my taxes on the HMRC online website, but changed to filing a paper return. I never submitted the online version.  I look at my HMRC online account tonight and it says they received the paper copy on 27 April. When I go to my online account it says I owe nothing for 2017/18 (which is actually the hoped-for outcome).  However the message there says

"Tax year ending 05 Apr 2018.  This is a copy of the information held on your official online Self Assessment tax account with HM Revenue and Customs."

So, is that only picking up the aborted online tax form that I never actually submitted, have they issued a decision on the account (would I not get something by mail?), or it it simply that they haven't gotten around to looking at my return yet? How do I know which is the case? 

Do they actually even update the online information if you don't use the online system to submit a return?

That just means that they haven't processed your return yet.

I file on paper every year but use the online system to check on the progress of the return. The system will update when they have done the calculations. 

Thanks.

Do they send you something to let you know, or do you just have to periodically check online?

Thanks.

Do they send you something to let you know, or do you just have to periodically check online?

You will receive a letter containing your tax calculation but you will find that your online account will update before the letter arrives to you. 

Thanks.

Do they send you something to let you know, or do you just have to periodically check online?

I don’t recall receiving anything (but probably did) as I checked online each week and within 2 or 3 weeks I could see that it had been processed and my schedule of payments due by end of January and July. The details of the return were not available on line.

The UK system is a self-assessment system. You will have self-assessed your income, gains and tax and included any white space disclosure you feel appropriate to limit HMRCs powers of making a later discovery assessment. Processing is no more than that. It has no indication that anyone at HMRC has read or agreed any data provided.

It has no indication that anyone at HMRC has read or agreed any data provided.

Maybe if you apply online but when applying on paper I am fairly sure that the figures are at least read by a person.  For example, in the tax calculation letters that I have received, there are sometimes comments acknowledging something that I have noted in my return.

It does say in the paper form that they will calculate the tax due. (form SA100 Page TR6). I also had the option of calculating the tax due myself. I chose to let them calculate it for me, based on the information I provided to them.  I am actually not expecting a tax bill this year, as the only income I reported that should be taxable in the UK is about 8K worth of 403B distributions (but those have already been taxed in the USA, which I did note).  Next year I will potentially be paying UK taxes on my Social Security income that goes over the personal allowance.

So, eventually I will see the updated info online and get a paper response from them.  It took a week for them to officially receive and log my paperwork, so that means it's only really been about three and a half weeks since I sent it in. I will start checking online in a few more weeks, then.

Thanks.