Re: Yearly tasks....
I was a school governor and there was a yearly site check that was done in late July, which was simple because you've got the school year that imposes its schedule on you and prevents you forgetting.
Similarly, I check all my smoke detectors when the gas appliances are checked annually. The plumbers know when their certificate runs out and pesters reminds me, so again a schedule that doesn't get forgotten.
When I do my tax return I have a bunch of stuff I do at the same time - and while I may put it off for months, there is a hard deadline each year so over the long term the yearly tasks get done.
I check my car tyres every time I get petrol. I check various other things at the annual MOT. External prompting ensures it gets done.
But if it is something that is independent of anything prodding you to do, it will get forgotten about because that's how the human brain works. If the DVLA didn't tell me my car tax was about to expire, or the insurance company tell me the insurance was about to expire, I'd never remember to pay it.