Choosing Your Account Type

What this is

After verifying your email, you are asked to choose your account type. This is the key decision that shapes your entire experience in Aligned. The two options are designed for very different workflows, so it is important to choose the right one.

What you see on screen

The account type selection screen presents two clear options:

• “I’m an accountant or tax agent” - for practices and professionals managing clients
• “I’m filing for myself” - for landlords, sole traders, and individuals

Each option includes a brief description of what you will get. Select one and click to continue.

The two options explained

If you’re an accountant

Choose “I’m an accountant or tax agent” if you are:

• An accountant or bookkeeper managing MTD submissions for clients
• A tax practice handling multiple taxpayers
• A tax agent who needs to authorise and submit on behalf of others

What you get:

• Client management - add and manage your clients from a dedicated section in the sidebar
• Multi-client workspace - see all your clients at a glance with their authorisation status, deadlines, and submission history
• Agent authorisation - authorise with HMRC using your Agent Reference Number (ARN) to act on behalf of clients
• Income Sources view - manage business income sources across your client base
• Client-level upload - select which client you are uploading data for before proceeding

If you’re filing for yourself

Choose “I’m filing for myself” if you are:

• A landlord with rental income
• A sole trader or self-employed person
• Anyone who needs to file their own MTD returns directly

What you get:

• Personal dashboard - see your own obligations, deadlines, and recent submissions in one place
• Direct HMRC connection - authorise yourself with HMRC using your Government Gateway credentials
• My Businesses - manage your own business income sources
• Streamlined upload - go straight to uploading your spreadsheet without needing to select a client

Things to know

• This choice affects everything. Your sidebar navigation, dashboard layout, labels, and available features all change based on your account type.
• Choose carefully. Changing your account type after setup is not straightforward. If you are unsure, think about whether you are filing for yourself or for other people.
• Accountants filing for themselves too should choose the accountant (agent) option. You can manage your own tax affairs as one of your clients within the agent workflow.

FAQ

Can I change my account type later?

Changing account types is not a simple toggle. If you need to switch, contact support. To avoid this, consider whether you will ever need to file on behalf of someone else - if so, choose the accountant option.

I am a sole trader with a bookkeeper. Which should I choose?

If your bookkeeper will be using Aligned on your behalf, they should sign up as an accountant and add you as a client. If you are using Aligned yourself to file your own returns, choose “I’m filing for myself”.

Can I have both an agent and individual account?

You would need to sign up with two different email addresses. However, if you are an accountant who also files personally, the agent account can handle both - simply add yourself as a client.