Glossary

Corporation tax return (CT600)

The corporation tax return (CT600) is the form your limited company files with HMRC declaring taxable profit and the tax due — filed within 12 months of your year end, with tax paid earlier.

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CT600 to HMRCDeclares taxable profit

File within 12 monthsPay within 9m 1d

Definition

The corporation tax return (form CT600) reports a company’s taxable profit and the corporation tax due for an accounting period. It must be filed within 12 months of the period end, though the tax itself is due nine months and one day after.

In plain terms

It is your company’s tax declaration. The confusing bit is that you pay the tax before you have to file the return that calculates it — so estimate early.

Why it matters for your company

Set the tax aside as profit arises so payment day is a non-event. Estimate the bill with the corporation tax calculator, and use set-aside discipline. See taxable profit.