BookSmart: MTD for Income Tax, Sole Traders and Landlords

This course contains the use of artificial intelligence.

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is the biggest change to Self Assessment in decades. From 6 April 2026, sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000 must keep digital records and send HMRC an update every quarter. The threshold drops to £30,000 in April 2027 and £20,000 in April 2028.

This course walks you through it in plain English, in about 30 minutes. No jargon, no software sales pitch, just what you need to do and when.

You’ll find out whether you’re in, and from which date, how to pick software that suits you, and how to keep records that make each quarterly update a ten minute job. You’ll also see how the year-end tax return works under MTD, how the new penalty points replace the old fines, and what changes if you rent out property, own it jointly, or have both a business and rental income.

What’s covered

• Module 1: What MTD is. Who’s in, the qualifying income test, the start dates and the special cases.
• Module 2: Getting set up. Choosing software, signing up, digital records and your first four weeks.
• Module 3: Quarterly updates. The deadlines, a simple routine, and how to fix mistakes.
• Module 4: Your tax return and penalties. The year-end return, paying your tax, the new points system and working with an accountant.
• Module 5: Landlords. Property income, joint ownership and mixed income.
• Module 6: Your action plan. A step by step checklist to get you ready.

Downloads included

• MTD calendar (Excel): enter your year and it works out every quarterly deadline
• MTD readiness checklist (PDF)

Rules and figures are checked against official HMRC guidance for the 2026/27 tax year. This course is general guidance, not personal tax advice.

Your instructor, Nargas Forster, is a finance director and Xero and QuickBooks ProAdvisor who helps UK small businesses keep on top of their tax.

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