---
title: Dividends and Self Assessment
description: Dividends and Self Assessment
---
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1. [Accounting Service](https://help.1stformations.co.uk/accounting-service?hsLang=en-gb)
2. [Paying Yourself and Employees](https://help.1stformations.co.uk/accounting-service/paying-yourself-and-employees?hsLang=en-gb)
3. [Dividends: Legal Process](https://help.1stformations.co.uk/accounting-service/paying-yourself-and-employees?hsLang=en-gb#dividends-legal-process)
# Dividends and Self Assessment
## Tax-efficient distributions and what we need from you
All dividends you receive from your company must be declared on your personal Self Assessment return for the tax year they were paid.
### Which tax year
Dividends are taxed in the year the cash is received. A dividend paid on or after 6 April 2026 falls in the 2026/27 tax year. A dividend paid on or before 5 April 2026 falls in the 2025/26 tax year. This distinction matters when planning dividends around the 5 April year-end.
### What we need
We prepare the dividend figures from the vouchers we create and the journals in Xero. You do not need to calculate your dividends separately for your Self Assessment. We reconcile the figures between the company records and your personal return.
đź’ˇ **Good to know:** Keep your dividend vouchers in a safe place. HMRC may request them during a personal tax enquiry. We hold copies, but you should maintain your own file as the shareholder who received the payments.
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