A tax computation sheet is an official document from a tax authority that shows how your tax bill for a given year was worked out, line by line. In the United Kingdom it is called the SA302, produced by HMRC after you file a Self Assessment return.1GOV.UK. Understand Your Self Assessment Bill – Tax Calculation SA302 In the United States, the equivalent is an IRS tax transcript. Both documents exist mainly so you can prove your income to a mortgage lender, landlord, school, or government agency, and both are free to obtain through your online tax account.
What an SA302 Contains
The SA302 is the output HMRC produces once it has processed your Self Assessment return. It sets out four things: your total income on which tax is due, the allowances and reliefs you claimed, the total tax owed for the year, and the calculation that got HMRC to that figure.1GOV.UK. Understand Your Self Assessment Bill – Tax Calculation SA302 Income from every source you reported feeds in — employment, self-employment profits, rent, interest, dividends — and is added to a gross figure. Your personal allowance and other reliefs are then subtracted, and the remaining taxable income is split across rate bands. The bottom line is either a balance you owe HMRC or a refund it owes you. Once you have filed, you can pull SA302s for the last four tax years.2GOV.UK. Get Your SA302 Tax Calculation
Scottish taxpayers see a different-looking calculation because Scotland sets its own income tax bands, and there are six of them rather than three.3Scottish Government. Scottish Income Tax 2026 to 2027 Technical Factsheet The personal allowance itself is the same across the UK.
SA302 Versus the Tax Year Overview
Do not confuse the SA302 with the tax year overview. The SA302 is the detailed calculation showing how your tax was worked out from your income. The tax year overview is more like an account statement: it shows what you have paid, what remains outstanding, and whether you are up to date with HMRC.2GOV.UK. Get Your SA302 Tax Calculation Mortgage lenders almost always ask for both. The SA302 proves what you earned; the overview confirms you actually paid the tax due on it. Sending only the overview when a lender asks for proof of income will send you straight back to your HMRC account for the missing document.
How to Get Your SA302
Through Your HMRC Online Account
The quickest route is online. Log in to your HMRC account, go to Self Assessment, then select “More details about your Self Assessment returns and payments.”2GOV.UK. Get Your SA302 Tax Calculation Pick the tax year you need, view the calculation, and save or print it as a PDF. If you filed using commercial software, you can usually print the calculation directly from that software instead.
You will need your Unique Taxpayer Reference (a 10-digit number issued when you first registered for Self Assessment) and your Government Gateway credentials to log in. If you have lost your UTR, it appears on old tax returns, payment reminders, and other correspondence from HMRC.4GOV.UK. Find Your UTR Number The UK tax year runs 6 April to 5 April, so check you are selecting the right period.5GOV.UK. Self Assessment Tax Returns – Deadlines
By Post
If you filed a paper return, HMRC posts your tax calculation to you automatically.1GOV.UK. Understand Your Self Assessment Bill – Tax Calculation SA302 If you need an extra copy and cannot use the online service, contact HMRC directly. Postal delivery takes a couple of weeks, so allow time if a mortgage deadline is looming.
Will a Lender Accept a Self-Printed Copy?
They used to insist on an original SA302 posted by HMRC, which slowed down time-sensitive property purchases. That has changed. HMRC publishes a list of mortgage providers that accept SA302s printed from your online account or from the commercial software you filed with.6GOV.UK. Mortgage Providers and Lenders Who Accept a SA302 Tax Calculation or Tax Year Overview Most of the major names are on it. Print your tax year overview to go alongside, and check with your specific lender before you send anything, since requirements vary at the edges.
If the Numbers Are Wrong
The SA302 is only as accurate as the return that produced it. You can amend a Self Assessment return up to 12 months after the 31 January filing deadline for that year, so a mistake on your 2025-2026 return can be corrected until 31 January 2028. HMRC will issue an updated calculation once the amendment is processed. Miss that window and you have to write to HMRC to request a correction, which is slower and less predictable.
The US Equivalent: IRS Tax Transcripts
The United States does not use the phrase “tax computation sheet,” but the IRS produces free transcripts that do the same job. There are four types, and picking the right one matters.7Internal Revenue Service. Transcript Types for Individuals and Ways to Order Them
- Tax return transcript. Most line items from your original Form 1040 as filed, including forms and schedules. Available for the current year and three prior years.
- Tax account transcript. Basic data such as filing status, taxable income, payment types, plus any changes made after filing. Available for the current year and nine prior.
- Record of account transcript. Combines the two above. Current year and three prior.
- Wage and income transcript. Income reported to the IRS by employers and banks (W-2s, 1099s, and similar). Current year and nine prior.
Lenders and schools most commonly ask for the tax return transcript because it mirrors what you actually filed. The tax account transcript is the one to reach for if you need to confirm payments or see adjustments the IRS made after processing — roughly the role the UK tax year overview plays alongside the SA302. Adjusted gross income, which appears on line 11 of Form 1040, is the US figure closest in function to the total income line on an SA302.8Internal Revenue Service. Adjusted Gross Income
How to Get an IRS Transcript
Online
The fastest way is your Individual Online Account at irs.gov, where you can view, print, or download any available transcript straight away.9Internal Revenue Service. Get Your Tax Records and Transcripts Setting up the account means verifying your identity through ID.me. You need to be at least 18, and you will need a Social Security number or ITIN, a government-issued photo ID, and a personal email address.10Internal Revenue Service. Creating an Account for IRS.gov Multifactor authentication is required, using an app, biometric unlock, or text message code.
One timing quirk trips people up: transcripts for e-filed returns take about three weeks to become available, and paper returns take six to eight. If you filed recently and need a transcript for a mortgage application, factor that in.
By Mail or Phone
Without an online account, request transcripts by mail using Form 4506-T, sent or faxed to the IRS processing center for your state.11Internal Revenue Service. Where to File Addresses for Filing Form 4506-T The automated phone line at 800-908-9946 works too. Either route delivers within 5 to 10 calendar days to the address the IRS has on file for you.9Internal Revenue Service. Get Your Tax Records and Transcripts Some personal information is masked on the printed transcript for security, but all financial data stays visible.
Form 4506-C and Lender Verification
US mortgage lenders rarely rely on the copy you hand them. Many use the IRS Income Verification Express Service, which lets them pull your tax records straight from the IRS with your written consent.12Internal Revenue Service. Income Verification Express Service You authorize this by signing Form 4506-C, which the IRS must receive within 120 days of your signature.13Internal Revenue Service. IVES Request for Transcript of Tax Return – Form 4506-C You can also grant authorization through your online IRS account. The purpose is fraud prevention: a printed transcript could in theory be doctored, but data pulled through IVES comes direct from the source. If you are applying for a mortgage or business loan, expect to sign a 4506-C. It is routine, not a warning sign.