Tax return not recorded by HMRC

chrismac1

"You keep suggesting this, when any competent accountant would know that filing a return you know is not correct opens the taxpayer up to the possibility of penalties in excess of 35%.

I'm beginning to think you're not very clever"


No problem. We are dealing here with a 1 out of 10 tax service. It is run by halfwits whose only thought is "fine first and ask questions later."


So file something before the deadline. Anything, just tick the box and stop the fines. Use the white space to explan any gaps or assumptions. HMRC never read that stuff, but it protects you if antyhing should come of this return.


Using this approach, I've filed about 15 tax returns per year on average over the past 10 years. So let's see that is 150 tax returns where the minimum fine for each late filed return would be £100, so I make that to be £15,000 in fines minimum I have saved my client base just in self-assessment fines. To say nothing of fines in other taxes I've saved them using similar methods.


Total enquiries into this stuff = nil. Total penalties = £0.00. Total problems arising for my clients - nil.


It's a no-brainer. End of story.

Expatmichali

This is irrelevant in our case. We do not need to 'make up' figures. We have them in the copy of the original tax return we posted in June. All I had to do to resubmit was copy the figures into the new form. Our returns are very simple. This is the first time in over eighteen years that one of our returns cannot be found. I still have hope!

chrismac1

That's great. I post this stuff into these sorts of threads, because lots of people will end up reading them - especially in January when Christmas is over and they are fretting about the tax deadline.


I think it is important that folk know the way this sysem works, and the ways around it to avoid ever being fined.

Pennywise

Wayne_O_Mac wrote: »

You keep suggesting this, when any competent accountant would know that filing a return you know is not correct opens the taxpayer up to the possibility of penalties in excess of 35%.

Assuming it's corrected to the proper figures before HMRC open an enquiry (which it will be if correction filed fairly quickly), the risk of 35% penalties is pretty much zero. In fact the risk of any penalties is pretty much zero. I'd have no qualms in submitting estimates if it meant that a deadline was met. I've been doing so for about 18 years since I started my own practice, and the number of clients who've been penalised is a big fat zero. It's all a matter of knowing how HMRC works.

Expatmichali

Well, I said I still had hope! Having sent in the return three times because they could not find my husband's tax return submitted in June and having called and expressed our annoyance at this and the fact that mine also was scheduled to be assessed in December, we have today both received our letters confirming receipt and letting us know no tax is payable! I guess our calls were effective. Thank you for all the advice given. In the midst of our stress, the posts were reassuring.