# what address to send first Annual Return to CRO?



## iamthemoney (22 Feb 2012)

hi folks,
few questions about first annual return,

quick question i have my first annual return ( 6 mth one ) to file with the CRO
i have two different addresses listed, in documentation, i have a pre written letter from the formation agent, with the parnell square address on it as below, and the b1 form states a different address, in this post below,


Annual Return Filing Section
Companies Registration Office
Parnell House
14 Parnell Square
Dublin 1


and on the B1 form it states

If submitting by post, send with prescribed fee to
the Registrar of Companies at: Companies Registration Office, O'Brien Road, Carlow.

which address do i send it to, and also, is it ok to file a  few days early of the annual return date?


thanks


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## RonanC (22 Feb 2012)

Annual Returns should be posted to Carlow. Also, you cannot file your first annual return early. You have 28 days after your ARD to send it to them. The 1st annual return must be made up to your ARD.


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## iamthemoney (22 Feb 2012)

grand thanks, do you know if its ok to post it in a couple of days ahead of its ARD?

thanks


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## DB74 (22 Feb 2012)

1st return cannot be filed early


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## iamthemoney (22 Feb 2012)

ok thanks, so is it better to wait until the ARD and then post it in?  better to send registered or standard post?


thanks for the info so far,


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## RonanC (22 Feb 2012)

iamthemoney said:


> ok thanks, so is it better to wait until the ARD and then post it in?
> thanks



The Annual Return contains information which is correct on a certain date - the ARD or the made up to date. In your case you have to use the ARD as its your first return. If you were to post it a few days early, how are you to know what could or would happen in between those couple of days which could change the detail on the form completly.


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## iamthemoney (22 Feb 2012)

RonanC said:


> The Annual Return contains information which is correct on a certain date - the ARD or the made up to date. In your case you have to use the ARD as its your first return. If you were to post it a few days early, how are you to know what could or would happen in between those couple of days which could change the detail on the form completly.



ok good point,  say the ARD is 25 Feb   keep the CRO happy and keep the company on time,   you have to file within 28 days of this date?

so if i post form on 28th i am still ok, 

thanks


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## RonanC (23 Feb 2012)

iamthemoney said:


> ok good point,  say the ARD is 25 Feb   keep the CRO happy and keep the company on time,   you have to file within 28 days of this date?
> 
> so if i post form on 28th i am still ok,
> 
> thanks



ARD is 25/02/2012. You have up to 26/03/2012 (which is next working day) as the 28th day actually falls on the 24/03/2012. Dont leave it til the last day though as if you miss this deadline, you will hit late filing penalties.


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## iamthemoney (23 Feb 2012)

RonanC said:


> ARD is 25/02/2012. You have up to 26/03/2012 (which is next working day) as the 28th day actually falls on the 24/03/2012. Dont leave it til the last day though as if you miss this deadline, you will hit late filing penalties.



ok so i will post it on Monday 27th so all should be good then

thanks for all the info and advice.


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## RonanC (23 Feb 2012)

Also, have a look at filing your Annual Return [broken link removed] using [broken link removed]. Its cheaper than filing paper documents and also gives you more time to file.


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## iamthemoney (23 Feb 2012)

RonanC said:


> Also, have a look at filing your Annual Return [broken link removed] using [broken link removed]. Its cheaper than filing paper documents and also gives you more time to file.



hi i am registered on core.ie and have a B1 filled out ready to go online , i have a prefilled first B1 form from the formation agent that i just need to sign and send in...

i am paranoid that i will make a mistake on the online B1 and then form wont be accepted, and i will , miss the ARD...


probably safer to file the paper form....?


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## Time (23 Feb 2012)

You pay more to send the paper return.


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## capnhand (28 Feb 2012)

Hi

If you send anything to Carlow make sure you send it registered post and ideally make it that someone has to sign for it. I have had too many problems with returns going missing in the Carlow office to mention. Even if you know that An Post delievered it their address because you sent it registered post unless you can prove it was in the building by the due date you will still have to pay the late filing fee and loose audit exemption.

If you can spare the time I would definately hand deliver it to the Parnell Square office. There is usually not that much of a que.

Hope this helps

capnhand


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## iamthemoney (28 Feb 2012)

capnhand said:


> Hi
> 
> If you send anything to Carlow make sure you send it registered post and ideally make it that someone has to sign for it. I have had too many problems with returns going missing in the Carlow office to mention. Even if you know that An Post delievered it their address because you sent it registered post unless you can prove it was in the building by the due date you will still have to pay the late filing fee and loose audit exemption.
> 
> ...



hi yes, have sent it by registered post, in the end, i filed the B1 online
and sent the signature page, and cheque via registered post to carlow..

its showing now as delivered so i just mailed them to confirm that they have it..


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## DB74 (28 Feb 2012)

capnhand said:


> Even if you know that An Post delievered it their address because you sent it registered post unless you can prove it was in the building by the due date you will still have to pay the late filing fee and loose audit exemption.



I have to say I've never had a problem with this. The CRO say that if you can prove that the return was in the postal system on the due date (even if posted on that date) then they will accept it as received on-time.


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## T McGibney (28 Feb 2012)

DB74 said:


> I have to say I've never had a problem with this. The CRO say that if you can prove that the return was in the postal system on the due date (even if posted on that date) then they will accept it as received on-time.



We had a problem with them some years ago where I submitted two returns together (for 2 separate companies, each with separate payment cheques and separate covering letters) in one envelope about a week ahead of a deadline. They lodged one of the two, but 'mislaid' the other. 

We had to go back to the client to get abridged accounts, B1, and fees cheque all re-signed, and had fight with the CRO to avoid the late filing fee that they wanted to charge. Since then we rarely file a B1 return by ordinary post, and sometimes get a courier to deliver directly to the CRO when time is tight.


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## mandelbrot (28 Feb 2012)

T McGibney said:


> We had a problem with them some years ago where I submitted two returns together (for 2 separate companies, each with separate payment cheques and separate covering letters) in one envelope about a week ahead of a deadline. They lodged one of the two, but 'mislaid' the other.
> 
> We had to go back to the client to get abridged accounts, B1, and fees cheque all re-signed, and had fight with the CRO to avoid the late filing fee that they wanted to charge. Since then we rarely file a B1 return by ordinary post, and sometimes get a courier to deliver directly to the CRO when time is tight.


 
That's nuts alright, and the same thing happened to me once, and ever after I would make sure that there was one covering letter referencing the separate returns, to avoid it happening again.

When I was in practice I had the Company Sec function for client companies, and regularly when I was up to the deadline I'd ring one out of about 3 nice helpful ladies in Carlow and sweet talk them, and they would tell me to send the signature page etc. directly to them with a cover letter referring to our conversation.

Because we had so many messers of clients, who just wouldn't sign all the pages, or give us the cheque for the filing fees, I had to do this at least a couple of dozen times over a couple of years, and many's an audit exemption and late filing fee was saved...

Sometimes the best results can be achieved with a friendly word and a discussion about the weather... and by figuring out who's the right person to make small talk with!  Of course if you're unlucky in who you get to deal with, no amount of charm will help...


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## Bill Struth (28 Feb 2012)

mandelbrot said:


> That's nuts alright, and the same thing happened to me once, and ever after I would make sure that there was one covering letter referencing the separate returns, to avoid it happening again.
> 
> When I was in practice I had the Company Sec function for client companies, and regularly when I was up to the deadline I'd ring one out of about 3 nice helpful ladies in Carlow and sweet talk them, and they would tell me to send the signature page etc. directly to them with a cover letter referring to our conversation.
> 
> ...


 You'll probably find that you'll get a day or two leeway from time to time due to unforseen delays. As with every organisation it's best to just ring up and ask nicely. _Sweet talking the ladies_ as you put it shouldn't really be necessary.


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## iamthemoney (28 Feb 2012)

hi folks just to update, checked cro.ie and the annual return has been filed
and is now up, and my next return date is now showing as 2013..


that was quick


happy days.


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