My Tax Advisor

15/10/2026

If Making Tax Digital applies to you from April 2027, you do not need to overhaul everything in one afternoon.

Start with the first question: was your combined gross qualifying income from self-employment and property more than £30,000 in 2025/26?

From there, review how you currently keep records, compare suitable software and agree responsibilities with your accountant or tax adviser.

The aim is to reach April 2027 with a system you understand and can maintain; not to begin researching everything once the tax year has already started.

Save this checklist and work through it one step at a time.

You can also explore our website (https://vist.ly/5ngrj) to check out our MTD Resource Hub.

General information only. Check current HMRC guidance and seek advice where necessary.

01/10/2026

The first mandatory Making Tax Digital cohort has now passed its first quarterly-update deadline.

It is still early days (the second deadline is not until November 7th) but we have already seen some useful lessons for the musicians and other sole traders joining next.

The biggest one? The submission itself is only part of the process.

Choosing appropriate software, establishing a record-keeping routine and agreeing exactly what your accountant will do can take longer than expected. Starting before April gives you room to resolve those questions properly.

If your gross qualifying income from self-employment and property was more than £30,000 in 2025/26, you will generally need to use MTD for Income Tax from April 6th 2027, unless an exemption applies.

We’ll continue to share more practical guidance over the coming months.

Save this post, or send it to a fellow musician who may be joining MTD next year.

General information only. Check the current HMRC guidance or seek professional advice about your circumstances.

24/09/2026

Today I have the pleasure of delivering the 'Tax Essentials for Songwriters and Composers' webinar with The Ivors Academy.

I’ve been really looking forward to this session and love having the opportunity to discuss how different types of music income are taxed, what to consider before incorporating and the added complexities around copyright and royalties.

Thank you to everyone who is planning to join us and to The Ivors Academy for inviting me!

23/09/2026

Setting up a limited company and think your royalties automatically become company income?

Not quite.

Your company is legally separate from you. Your copyright, contracts and royalty income don’t simply move across because the company now exists.

Even asking PRS to pay your company may only move the cash, not ownership of the rights.

A proper transfer could require a written assignment and may create a personal tax bill based on market value, even if the company pays you nothing.

And your writer share, publisher share, master income and new commissions may all need different treatment.

Before moving anything:
• Check what you actually own
• Read the contracts
• Get a valuation
• Work out the tax cost

Swipe through for the three separate decisions to consider before putting your music income through a company.

(General information only, not individual tax or legal advice.)

21/09/2026

Looking forward to this event!

Join your Regional Members' Day and AGM (Annual General Meeting) for a day of discussion, workshops and networking.

07/09/2026

Bedtime reading for your devoted tax advisor!

07/09/2026

Not all of your income comes neatly packaged with a payslip.

As a musician, money might come from lots of different places:

🎵 Gig and performance fees
🎻 Session work
🎓 Teaching
🎧 Royalties
🎼 Arranging or composing
💿 Merch or music sales
🎤 Dep work and other freelance engagements

Depending on your circumstances, income from these sources may need to be included when you're working out your taxable income; even if the work was occasional, you were paid directly into your bank account, or there was no payslip involved.

The important thing is to keep a record of what you've earned, where it came from and any relevant expenses.

A little organisation throughout the year can make life considerably easier when it's time to deal with your tax return.

Save this as your reminder: no payslip doesn't automatically mean no tax admin.

01/09/2026

September is shaping up to be a busy month for Musicians’ Tax Advisor; and we’re looking forward to it!

We’ll be taking part in a session with the ISM, talking tax with musicians and those working across the profession.

We’re also delighted to be involved in a Tax Planning event for Media, Entertainment & Sports Stars, bringing our specialist tax experience to a slightly wider stage.

Two very different events, but both centred around something we care a great deal about: making tax a little more understandable for people whose careers and income don’t always fit neatly into the usual boxes.

Looking forward to a busy September!

26/08/2026

You fly abroad, play the gig, get paid and come home.

Simple enough.

But where does the tax fit in?

If you're a UK-based musician performing overseas, the country you're performing in may have the right to tax some or all of the income you earn there.

In some countries, tax may even be deducted from your fee before you're paid. This is often referred to as withholding tax.

That doesn't necessarily mean you'll end up paying tax twice.

The UK has double taxation agreements with many countries, and depending on the circumstances, you may be able to claim relief in the UK for foreign tax you've already paid.

The important bit? 👇

🌍 Keep details of where and when you performed
💷 Record the full fee and what you actually received
🧾 Keep any paperwork showing foreign tax deducted
🎵 Don't assume an overseas gig doesn't belong in your UK tax records

International performance income can get complicated quickly, particularly if you're touring across several countries.

So if you're unsure how a foreign gig should be treated, it's worth getting advice based on your individual circumstances.

Going abroad for the gig doesn't necessarily mean leaving your UK tax obligations at home.

22/08/2026

Your first Making Tax Digital quarterly update is done. 🎉

So… what happens now?

First: you don't need to wait until the next deadline to think about it again.

If Q1 involved a last-minute hunt for receipts, scrolling through bank transactions or trying to remember what that payment from three months ago was for, now is the perfect time to make Q2 a little easier.

Between now and your next quarterly update:

🎵 Keep recording your income as you go
🧾 Save and categorise your expenses
🎻 Keep track of gig, teaching, session and other freelance income
🚗 Record relevant business journeys while they're still fresh in your mind
💻 Keep your digital records up to date

The goal for Q2?

Less searching. Less remembering. Less last-minute admin.

Your future self will thank you.