Let’s be honest. Filing a tax return is nobody’s idea of a great summer activity.

That’s probably why so many people shove it to the bottom of the to-do list, promise themselves they’ll “sort it next month” and then find January looming with an uncomfortable sense of déjà vu.

But what if this was the year you got ahead of the game?

At FW, we’re already preparing and filing 2025/26 Self-Assessment tax returns, and there are some surprisingly good reasons to get yours sorted sooner rather than later.

For a start, you’ll know exactly where you stand. Filing early means there’s plenty of time to see what you owe and plan for it, rather than discovering an unwelcome tax bill just as Christmas decorations start appearing in the shops.

There’s another potential bonus too. If HMRC owes you money, filing early could mean a tax refund landing in your bank account much sooner. And if you file before 31 July and your tax liability is lower than last year’s, you could even reduce your payment on account. That’s money that could be working for you, rather than sitting in HMRC’s coffers.

Then there’s the small matter of January. Every year, millions of people leave their tax return until the last minute, creating unnecessary stress and a frantic scramble for paperwork. Getting it done over the summer means one less deadline hanging over your head and one less thing to think about as the year races by.

Perhaps the biggest benefit, though, is the conversation that comes afterwards. Once your tax return is complete, we can look beyond the numbers. Are there planning opportunities? Could you be more tax-efficient? Is there anything you should be doing before the next tax year gathers pace? Those are much easier conversations to have when the clock isn’t ticking.

So, while everyone else is putting it off until “later”, why not get it out of the way now?

Get in touch with the FW team and let’s get your 2025/26 tax return wrapped up before autumn arrives. Future you will be very glad you did.