Late Tax Return £100 Fine

powertothepeople

you're absolutely right, i do have eight months to return the form, but thats procrastinators for you. although i did send it in before the deadline. have since received my bill from the irs and lo and behold, no fine anymore. it pays to appeal and i believe my reason was honest and valid. this year it'll be in by the end of may! i still think its a scam though. goes to pay for all our mps expense claims, which they presumably don't have to declare!!

System

jsoap wrote: »

Seems odd that the tax office does not send reminders by email also.

Sorry but I just had to giggle at that.

This is the UK government we are talking about. The same UK government who bought 2 disastrous computer systems ( Tax Credits and CSA) from the same company. The same government whose online tax return filing system crashed at the end of January because it couldn't cope with the number of taxpayers who left everything to the last minute. Attempting to contact taxpayers by email would probably fail too.

Besides which if taxpayers don't tell HMRC when they move house, change telephone number etc do you think they will bother to tell HMRC when they change their email address?

ctm_2

sassybooboos wrote: »

have sent them a letter my accountant has drawn up but mine is re a partnership that never became a partnership, but he has put on there that as nil balance is owing there shouldn't be a charge. ( can't remember exact words) but basically saying how can they fine you when nothing is due.

Partnerships don't in themselves have a tax liability, and therefore partnership penalties are not capped to match the liability (as there is none).

I assume you, or the nominated partner, told HMRC there was a partnership, then after that you decided not to go ahead with the partnership, but neglected to tell HMRC that. You, or the nominated partner, then chose to ignore the tax return that was issued to the partnership, and the tax return reminder that was issued to the partnership in December, and are now surprised to have received a fine.

You really do not have what HMRC would deem to be a 'reasonable excuse' here, and should expect to have to pay the fine.

Having said that, it is worth appealing just in case, as if you don't ask, you don't get.

It just highlights how important it is to keep HMRC notified of everything affecting your tax. They aren't mind readers, and don't have crystal balls.

Had you, or the nominated partner, informed them that the partnership didn't actually start before the due date for the return, then they may have just cancelled the requirement for a return, thereby avoiding all the hassle of penalties and appeals.