Child benefit

Nai2mum

Hi I have just been stung for a £2236 bill for unpaid tax on my child benefit because my husband is a higher earn. Was completely oblivious to this 'new' higher earner child benefit payment but cannot understand why it doesn't appear to be common knowledge. It was introduced apparently in 2013 when we would have been way under the 50k wage but haven't seen any promotion or literature about it. Why on earth has the tax office waited nearly 3 years to notify me, surely the moral thing to do would be to send a letter each year to say did you know your not actually entitled to child credits and do I wNt to opt out but nothing? Do I have any comeback or anyone else oblivious to it?

whitewing

It was all over the news.

Maybe call an accountant and see if they can suggest any way of you benefiting from the money eg into a pension scheme to make the issue disappear. May not be possible.

Keep a record of what happens and when as my experience of HMRC is that things can go quiet and then all of a sudden rear up again, even if you have been told it is all sorted.

Darksparkle

To be honest it was very well publicised so I don’t know how anyone wasn’t aware unless you don’t read the paper, watch the news, use social media etc. In my opinion if you claim benefits you should check any changes each year when the budget comes out.

Here’s some links about it. Some from at the time and some more current.

https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-tax-charge

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/tax/how-to-pay-income-tax/child-benefit-and-tax-if-you-have-a-high-income/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/pensions-retirement/financial-planning/pension-trick-means-high-earners-can-regain-lost-child-benefits/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11464300

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8095513/Fines-to-penalise-non-disclosure-of-child-benefit.html

There’s nothing you can do to appeal the tax due. Your partner should complete self assessment for the years in question to confirm the figures are correct. He also can’t appeal any interest that will be due. Have they charged penalties?