[oarsinsync]

> most professionals in the UK will need to file taxes, but accountants are very cheap here

I'm guessing you're conflating professionals with contractors, as most high earning professionals I know do not need an accountant to file their taxes, as it's all just done on a self assessment, which is extremely straight forward, and there's little opportunity to game that system effectively.

Meanwhile contractors operating through Ltd entities (now may be hamstrung somewhat with IR35) absolutely should be leveraging an accountant to take advantage of the various ways to reduce their taxable earnings.

[chrisseaton]

> most high earning professionals I know do not need an accountant to file their taxes

Yes you don't need an accountant (and I didn't say that you did) but if you want one instead of doing it yourself they just about £100 rather than I don't know how many thousand that would cost you in the US.

[laurencerowe]

Likely hundreds rather than thousands through a tax preparation service (they’re not real accountants.) I just use one of the less expensive tax filing websites. It’s somewhat more complex than filing self assessment online in the U.K.