How does HMRC calculate the level of penalties to be charged to your client?
There are two types of penalties – those that are fixed and those that are tax geared. But did you know your client’s behaviour will affect the level of tax geared penalties they have to pay?
What is the difference between CoP8 and CoP9 so far as your client is concerned?
The difference between CoP8 and CoP9 can be confusing for both a taxpayer and their accountant. Find out what the difference is here.
HMRC views some tax avoidance schemes as a “misrepresentation of the true nature of events”
According to HMRC, the fine line between tax avoidance and tax evasion has been crossed and deliberately so. HMRC’s unit known as Offshore Corporate and Wealthy (OCW) was established in the wake of the ‘Panama Papers’ scandal in 2016 to investigate serious non-compliance by businesses and the wealthiest taxpayers
By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail
Some of you may recognise this as a quote from Benjamin Franklin. In my world it is a very true statement and I take time to explain its importance to others particularly in relation to failing to prepare for meetings with HMRC.
Don’t underestimate the ingenuity of HMRC
Two taxpayers in business together almost came a cropper with HMRC. HMRC raised a valid enquiry into their personal tax affairs issuing Code of Practice 9 (Cases of suspected serious fraud). All perfectly normal – in my world anyway! My clients had ignored my warning – don’t underestimate the ingenuity of HMRC
Signs that your tax investigation is about to get worse
Sadly I do not possess a magic wand. But I do know some of the tell tale signs that your tax investigation is about to get worse. These are some of the tell take signs.
HMRC thoughts on tax evasion – is the answer 42 or 0?
No, I haven’t gone mad. A client has spent a lot of time and energy recounting what he had done over the years. But it didn’t add up – literally. It didn’t explain why HMRC was accusing him of tax evasion. Nor did it explain why HMRC had issued him with Code of Practice 9 and invited him to join the Contractual Disclosure Facility (CDF)
The “too difficult” category
Most people have consciously moved a particular task into the “too difficult” category. It is worrying how many times a “too difficult” task results in some form of UK tax irregularity. Examples can ultimately include the lack of an up to date Tax Return for an individual, partnership, limited liability partnership or company. But that is not how it all starts.