Massive tax problem ... please help

wassup

It's been some time since I posted in this thread. The reason for that is I simply became too depressed with the whole situation. In fact I have been feeling quite suicidal.

But things have moved on a bit and I am feeling a little bit better, so I want to take the opportunity to thank everyone for their help and to let you know how things stand now.

My story is I think a terrible indictment of the how the IR in this country works and how they have become too powerful.

I truly believe something should be done about it.... they have ruined my life and that of my wife who is now so ill as a result of the stress she cannot work and is housebound.

After as much wrangling and arguing with the inspector he was not, in my view, prepared to be fair. His final offer was a settlement figure of £78k.

I was not prepared to accept this, but in anticipation of what was coming I sold my house and bought a cheaper one which released £60k. I offered him the £60k. No deal... so they issued assements which totalled around £80k plus penalties meaning a final figure in the region of £120k.

I decided to take it to appeal.

A week after the appeal papers were lodged a different inspector contacted my agent wanting to discuss the case. He had taken over because the first inspector by now had retired.... been on the case over 4 years !

This meeting came as a surprise because I had received a letter stating that no further negotiations could take place once the final assessments had been raised.

Anyway the guy came out and within an hour of listening to my agent agreed to half the total bill to £60k.

So it was my call whether to accept this offer or go to commissioner.

Since I had the £60 from selling my house I have decided to pay it.

It makes a mockery of the whole system.

Clearly the first inspector had a personal grudge against me. i think this is due to the complaints I made about the way he was conducting the investigation. He refused to look at any evidence to support my case. He has put myself and my wife through years of unneccessary stress. The case could have been settled amicably a long time ago. Instead I have been facing despair.

Nobody I have spoken to and that includes tax inspectors who I know personally believe that I owe that kind of money in tax and yet none of them can tell me how I get out of the situation.

moneywise22

geo555 wrote:

I take it the tax person was from the "Compliance Department".
They constantly pester compaines to find the smallest discreprancy and then hit them. Most settle to avoid the full investigation.
They won't admit it, but the investigator does get a commission on the tax paid.
Your agent doesn't sound up to the job. Fight it. Go to the special commissioner. Its not as daunting as it sounds. So long as you haven't been living beyond your (accountable) means, you should be alright. It when you have the new Porsche on the driveway and you only earn £15000 a year you have no chance.

Unless you have whopping great personal bank loans of course. Thats always my worry with the IR as my accounts dont show a great deal of income but we have 2 new cars and lots of assets etc, luckily i can prove i paid for them with bank loans etc going back over the years but knowing the IR they will say something different.