For many self-assessment clients, the 31 January deadline for tax returns and payments is enough to keep them up at night in a state of absolute terror.

This is despite the fact that the deadline is the same every year and that there is always the option of submitting tax returns anytime after the end of the tax year.

If you are tired of clients waiting until the last minute to get their tax sorted out, it might be time to consider a fresh approach.

Why do so many people leave it so late to handle their tax returns?

It is an age-old question that has baffled many accountants as the annual frustration with clients mounts.

There is an argument that there is too much of a gap between the end of the tax year and the final submission deadline that creates a sense of complacency for people managing their self-assessment returns.

When the tax year wraps up in April, January feels so far away that many assume they’ll get around to submitting their filings long before then.

Instead, it gets forgotten about or put off until the deadline creeps ever closer and it no longer becomes possible to ignore it.

This results in the interesting phenomenon where people use the Christmas period to catch up on their tax returns.

In fact, HMRC data revealed that in 2024, more than 40,000 people submitted their Self-Assessment returns over the three-day Christmas period and 4,409 filed on Christmas Day.

While it is possible that many of those people do not celebrate Christmas, it is likely that some may have been submitting their tax returns while waiting for the turkey to cook.

Regardless of whether people celebrate Christmas or not, submitting tax returns on Christmas Day is cutting it fine and anything beyond that is incredibly risky.

How can you help clients submit their tax returns earlier in 2026?

Submitting tax returns can feel like a daunting process.

It is human nature to put off unpleasant things and I can only imagine how bad some people’s Christmas dinners must be if handling tax returns is the preferable option.

As such, the key to getting your clients to keep up with their tax returns is to take some of the pain away from it.

Glasscubes is designed to help with this, as it offers a simple, streamlined solution for gathering all of the relevant information needed to make accurate tax filings.

Rather than having to nag your clients throughout the year, you can set up automated reminders that start as soon as the tax year ends, so you know they are not forgetting their obligations.

While some of your clients are likely to be impacted by Making Tax Digital (MTD) as it comes into effect from April 2026, there are many that still slip below the first threshold.

For these clients, having an effective way to handle their self-assessment returns is going to be important if they want to avoid the last-minute panic next year.

The earlier clients submit their tax returns, the more control they have over how and when to pay the tax they owe.

Taking the sting of administrative burdens out of the process will leave the positives of smart financial planning and should inspire your clients to take a more proactive approach.

At the very least, you can take away some of your stress by requesting specific information as and when you need to and having full visibility of each client’s progress.

To transform your clients’ approach to self-assessment tax returns, book a demo today!