dolega1

Up until I moved across to the US I never had to file a tax return with HMRC as my income/taxes were settled through PAYE. It was all basic income. I moved out to the USA back in 2009 but overlooked the fact that I needed to file a P85 with HMRC. Notwithstanding getting a possible refund the last tax year before crossing the pond, is the lack of filing a P85 a big deal and should I have started filing UK tax returns since emigrating, despite having worked in the US since early 2010 with tax deducted in the US?

RICH

Essentially it is not a big deal, if you have no UK income since leaving. You are not required to "file a return" annually in the way a US citizen would if abroad. If you send in the p85 now, you might still get a refund (or a bill) for the year you left - I don't know for sure. Unless you had income which has not been taxed, not likely to be an issue.

What happened to the P45 from your final job? The employer would have sent in their copy, and it should match up with your copy, either via a new employer or with your P85 attached.

dolega1

Thanks for your reply. The only UK income will have been from my tiny 300GBP HSBC account (but even then, the interest will have been taxed at source). My P45 is with my parents in the UK. Assuming I go ahead and file the P85, should I attach the P45 as well? In truth, I am inclined to let sleeping dogs lie, if it means no unintended consequences.

GeoffM

You can get tax refunds (or bills) for up to four years from the end of the tax year. I found out my company had been paying too much tax on my pension for years and could only claim so many years back

RICH

If you can get the figures off the P45, you can work out what the refund is roughly. If it was me I'd do it. Fill the P85, send to parents, have them attach one copy and send it in. Cost of 2 stamps. Gain maybe 500 quid if salary around 20k, more for higher salary.