The most common delay in a tax return is not a complicated question but a missing document. Collecting early saves weeks later. This article is general information and does not replace individual tax advice.
Basic and master data
First come the details that rarely change but are needed every year. Keep them in one fixed place and you never have to hunt for them again.
- Tax identification number and, if you have one, your tax number
- Bank details for refunds
- Information on marital status and children
- Last year's assessment notice as a reference
Income
Every source of income is documented. For employees this is usually straightforward; for self-employed people, outgoing invoices and payments received are added.
- Annual wage tax statement if employed
- List of outgoing invoices for self-employed work
- Records of investment income
- Records of rental or other income
- Notices of wage replacement benefits
Expenses and receipts
Expenses are where most records get lost. Small paper receipts fade, emailed invoices vanish in the inbox. A photo taken straight after purchase plus a fixed filing place solves this permanently.
- Receipts for work-related expenses
- Records of insurance and pension contributions
- Invoices for household services and tradespeople
- Donation receipts
- Records of childcare costs
Collect across the year
Instead of gathering everything once a year, set a recurring appointment: 20 minutes a month for receipts. Filed digitally, named consistently, one folder per year and category.
This is exactly the part I support: collecting, digitising, sorting and completeness-checking. The tax assessment itself belongs with a licensed tax adviser.
This article provides general information and does not replace individual tax or legal advice.
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