I owe HMRC money but they never told me!

kinger101

Bookworm105 said:

p00hsticks said:

Bookworm105 said:

Sorry but you have "done something wrong" - claimed CB you are no longer entitled to.

High Income Child Benefit Charge: Overview - GOV.UK

Ok, I'm being a bit pedantic, but the OP was indeed entitled to carrying claiming child benefit (and there may be valid reasons for continuing to do so, such as the other parent needing the associated NI credits) on the condition that they may face a tax demand for some or all of it to be paid back, as they have done. .

yes as the only person in this thread to correct someone else you are being pedantic, if they were not "entitled" to it then it would not need to be "repaid"

The child benefit tapers (currently from £60K to £80K) but those on the taper have to claim it all and repay via the tax charge.   You are entitled to claim it all.  You are not repaying CB.  You are paying an additional tax that reduces the net amount.

I makes absolute sense to claim if you earn £60-80K.
I also makes sense if you think there's any possibility you'll be under the £80K threshold.  If a proportion of your pay is made up by a variable annual bonus, this could well be the case.

Bambers29

Final one from me. The below is an extract from the ONLY letter I ever remember getting from HMRC. At some point in 2022 i signed up to receive my tax letters online. I would have done this while dealing with something to do with wrap around child care on the Gov.UK site. The following definitely created a false sense of security:

This message was sent to you on 31 August 2022

Now you have signed up to online tax letters, we wanted to tell you more.

Our promise to you

We will:

• send you online tax letters, such as if you have paid too little or too much tax
• email you to let you know whenever you have a new online letter to read

Never miss a tax letter

We will write to you by post if:

• we send an email, but it does not reach you and is returned to us
• you have not done something important

Not much of a promise really...

Flugelhorn

 they can only work on the info they have and the key is that unless you declare it they don't know that the other half of the couple is claiming CB & in combination with a higher tax payer  this means more tax is due

uknick

I'm male and have never had children, but I was aware of the HICBC and woman's retirement age changes when they were introduced.  How? I watch the news and read newspapers.
   

Dazed_and_C0nfused

p00hsticks said:

Bookworm105 said:

Sorry but you have "done something wrong" - claimed CB you are no longer entitled to.

High Income Child Benefit Charge: Overview - GOV.UK

Ok, I'm being a bit pedantic, but the OP was indeed entitled to carrying claiming child benefit (and there may be valid reasons for continuing to do so, such as the other parent needing the associated NI credits) on the condition that they may face a tax demand for some or all of it to be paid back, as they have done. .

Agree with this, anyone entitled to Child Benefit is perfectly entitled to have the money up front, it's the not complying with their tax obligations that is the problem here.

Bookworm105

kinger101 said:

Bookworm105 said:

p00hsticks said:

Bookworm105 said:

Sorry but you have "done something wrong" - claimed CB you are no longer entitled to.

High Income Child Benefit Charge: Overview - GOV.UK

Ok, I'm being a bit pedantic, but the OP was indeed entitled to carrying claiming child benefit (and there may be valid reasons for continuing to do so, such as the other parent needing the associated NI credits) on the condition that they may face a tax demand for some or all of it to be paid back, as they have done. .

yes as the only person in this thread to correct someone else you are being pedantic, if they were not "entitled" to it then it would not need to be "repaid"

The child benefit tapers (currently from £60K to £80K) but those on the taper have to claim it all and repay via the tax charge.   You are entitled to claim it all.  You are not repaying CB.  You are paying an additional tax that reduces the net amount.

I makes absolute sense to claim if you earn £60-80K.
I also makes sense if you think there's any possibility you'll be under the £80K threshold.  If a proportion of your pay is made up by a variable annual bonus, this could well be the case.

your desire to score points is noted.
Does not address the fact that this thread is actually about OP claiming ignorance of tax rules that were part of how to claim CB since the higher rate limitation was first introduced sidetracked triggered two of you.
MCTT's response above is the more germane addition to this thread. 

Bambers29

uknick said:

I'm male and have never had children, but I was aware of the HICBC and woman's retirement age changes when they were introduced.  How? I watch the news and read newspapers.
   

Thanks for that. Super useful... As an officer in a very high readiness special operations force unit in the British Army I'm actually pretty good with current affairs on the whole. Due to my job I tend to be drawn to the sort of current affairs that are related to HM Gov interests abroad or national infrastructure issues at home. For whatever reason, I've personally never come across HICBC or the associated implications that go with it. I wish I knew everything but alas, I do not. Good for you though and thanks again for chipping in with such sage advice. 

TheSpectator

[Deleted User] said:

Bambers29 said:

Final one from me. The below is an extract from the ONLY letter I ever remember getting from HMRC. At some point in 2022 i signed up to receive my tax letters online. I would have done this while dealing with something to do with wrap around child care on the Gov.UK site. The following definitely created a false sense of security:

This message was sent to you on 31 August 2022

Now you have signed up to online tax letters, we wanted to tell you more.

Our promise to you

We will:

• send you online tax letters, such as if you have paid too little or too much tax
• email you to let you know whenever you have a new online letter to read

Never miss a tax letter

We will write to you by post if:

• we send an email, but it does not reach you and is returned to us
• you have not done something important

Not much of a promise really...

It's a nice little earner for HMRC.

Surely you mean the Government - it's their policy not HMRC's.

eskbanker

[Deleted User] said:

TheSpectator said:

[Deleted User] said:

Bambers29 said:

Final one from me. The below is an extract from the ONLY letter I ever remember getting from HMRC. At some point in 2022 i signed up to receive my tax letters online. I would have done this while dealing with something to do with wrap around child care on the Gov.UK site. The following definitely created a false sense of security:

This message was sent to you on 31 August 2022

Now you have signed up to online tax letters, we wanted to tell you more.

Our promise to you

We will:

• send you online tax letters, such as if you have paid too little or too much tax
• email you to let you know whenever you have a new online letter to read

Never miss a tax letter

We will write to you by post if:

• we send an email, but it does not reach you and is returned to us
• you have not done something important

Not much of a promise really...

It's a nice little earner for HMRC.

Surely you mean the Government - it's their policy not HMRC's.

True. It won't allow me to correct my post

What specifically are you claiming to be "a nice little earner" though, are you referring to the HICBC itself or the lack of proactive communication to any who might be affected?

I don't see how either could really be described as a "nice little earner" - the HICBC is just means-testing a benefit, i.e. restricting government expenditure to those actually deemed to need it, and lack of communication could perhaps be seen as an earner if there were penalties and interest applied, but as I read it OP is simply expected to pay what they owe, rather than having any non-compliance charges added?

eskbanker

[Deleted User] said:

eskbanker said:

[Deleted User] said:

TheSpectator said:

[Deleted User] said:

Bambers29 said:

Final one from me. The below is an extract from the ONLY letter I ever remember getting from HMRC. At some point in 2022 i signed up to receive my tax letters online. I would have done this while dealing with something to do with wrap around child care on the Gov.UK site. The following definitely created a false sense of security:

This message was sent to you on 31 August 2022

Now you have signed up to online tax letters, we wanted to tell you more.

Our promise to you

We will:

• send you online tax letters, such as if you have paid too little or too much tax
• email you to let you know whenever you have a new online letter to read

Never miss a tax letter

We will write to you by post if:

• we send an email, but it does not reach you and is returned to us
• you have not done something important

Not much of a promise really...

It's a nice little earner for HMRC.

Surely you mean the Government - it's their policy not HMRC's.

True. It won't allow me to correct my post

I don't see how either could really be described as a "nice little earner" - the HICBC is just means-testing a benefit, i.e. restricting government expenditure to those actually deemed to need it,

This the "cutting tax" forum and not the benefits one.

Your point being....?