If you’re planning on filing your 2008/09 tax return on paper this year, you must get it to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) by 31st October. Leave it too late, and you could end up with a £100 late-filing penalty.

If you are concerned you may miss the paper deadline, you can choose to switch to online filing.

The online service has a number of benefits:

• online returns don’t have to be filed until 31st January, so you get three months longer to file;
• your tax is calculated automatically;
• you get an immediate online acknowledgement once you’ve filed;
• it’s processed faster, so any money you’re owed is repaid more quickly.

Registering is simple – just visit the HMRC website at www.hmrc.gov.uk/sa and click “Register for Self Assessment Online”.