I registered a limited company. As I forgot file an annual return I am being fined £375. I company won't be trading for a few more months, and I have been advised to complete a form AA02. However, I want to know do I still need to complete an annual return form, and if so what is the correct form?
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There must be a misunderstanding. There are no penalties for late filing of annual returns. If you have received a late filing penalty notice it must relate to accounts. £375 would be the penalty for accounts more than one month but less than three months late. So if you want to keep the company you need to prepare and file the accounts, then pay the penalty. If you do not wish to keep the company you can ask for it to be struck off. That will cost £10 and extinguish the obligation to file the first accounts and pay the late filing penalty.
You will almost certainly find that you can buy a new company for less than £375 less the £10 striking off fee, in which case your best course is just to let the old company go and start again.
But next time learn the lessons of what has gone wrong this time, and ask an accountant to help you to deal with the administration of the company and the preparation of its accounts.
Interesting
There are ways of not paying a penalty but keeping the company.
Please enlighten us Peter, because while some penalties are justified the way the regime is set-up at the moment seems to be just a legislative money-making scam on behalf of HMRC and HM Treasury.
Submit a later years accounts to Companies House
Companies House will not chase for earlier years.