Unsolicited 2011/12 letter + from HMRC

[webberg]

I've said this before but it's worth repeating.

HMRC is engaged in a large scale exercise to issue discovery notices to all those they suspect of having used a contractor scheme in 2011/12.

In most cases, HMRC does not have a return for that period, nor have asked any questions to try and arrive at a sensible figure. Therefore you may get an assessment with no notice at all.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU DO NOT IGNORE THIS

(nor assume that a lack of prior notice in some way invalidates the assessment).

If you get an assessment and have an adviser - send it to them immediately and ask them to confirm to you that they have appealed and asked for the tax to be postponed.

If you get an assessment and DO NOT have an adviser - either find one quickly or make an appeal and postponement application yourself. You have 30 days FROM ISSUE, not from date received.

[Wibble1]

I've said this before but it's worth repeating.

HMRC is engaged in a large scale exercise to issue discovery notices to all those they suspect of having used a contractor scheme in 2011/12.

In most cases, HMRC does not have a return for that period, nor have asked any questions to try and arrive at a sensible figure. Therefore you may get an assessment with no notice at all.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU DO NOT IGNORE THIS

(nor assume that a lack of prior notice in some way invalidates the assessment).

If you get an assessment and have an adviser - send it to them immediately and ask them to confirm to you that they have appealed and asked for the tax to be postponed.

If you get an assessment and DO NOT have an adviser - either find one quickly or make an appeal and postponement application yourself. You have 30 days FROM ISSUE, not from date received.

1 landed today for me re Edge Consulting

[Wibble1]

1 landed today for me re Edge Consulting

Which is interesting because this was after Edge moved away from their EBT offering.

[EBTContractor]

Which is interesting because this was after Edge moved away from their EBT offering.

Did you use Edge for 2011/12?

[ZContractor]

Discovery Letter 2011/12 received

Hi I was with an offshore trust years 2009/10, 2010/11 & 2011/12 - I have just received a Discovery Letter for 2011/12 - the firm that I went through are preparing an Appeal Letter to be sent off within the 30days

I have a question - what is the likelihood that I would receive letters for the earlier years? - is this just the start with the 2011/12 and then they follow with the earlier years... I had read that there was some sort off cutoff period that the HMRC could go back and that is why they were issuing 2011/12 now before April-16

Thanks

[mav2010]

I just received a notice of assessment for year 11\12. They are demanding 18k. On the calculations spreadsheet I can generally see where they are getting their figures from apart from the "other income" figure which I believe is out by 15k. I'm assuming here that the other income is the loans I received. I have 2 theories. Either a) they've made it up or b) they are trying to include the money taken by the scheme provider. What is the more likely and how do I challenge it?

[Not Losing Any Sleep]

I just received a notice of assessment for year 11\12. They are demanding 18k. On the calculations spreadsheet I can generally see where they are getting their figures from apart from the "other income" figure which I believe is out by 15k. I'm assuming here that the other income is the loans I received. I have 2 theories. Either a) they've made it up or b) they are trying to include the money taken by the scheme provider. What is the more likely and how do I challenge it?

My experience with HMRC is that when they don't have the data, or are out of time, they guess and try it on. If they were less dishonest there is more chance that I might settle. I have now been through seven case officers, all of them giving the same flakey argument.

[mav2010]

My experience with HMRC is that when they don't have the data, or are out of time, they guess and try it on. If they were less dishonest there is more chance that I might settle. I have now been through seven case officers, all of them giving the same flakey argument.

Agreed! The extra 15k actually makes a lot of difference when taxed at 40% I would pay them 12k today if it meant getting them off my back. I can even provide bank statements to prove the loan amounts were 15k less than what they state. Scared to pick up the phone and speak to them though

[DotasScandal]

Scared to pick up the phone and speak to them though

Then don't. They'll probably say something, only to deny it later. Don't waste your time, pull these statements together, and do everything in writing. The written word stays, spoken words fly away.

[webberg]

Hi I was with an offshore trust years 2009/10, 2010/11 & 2011/12 - I have just received a Discovery Letter for 2011/12 - the firm that I went through are preparing an Appeal Letter to be sent off within the 30days

I have a question - what is the likelihood that I would receive letters for the earlier years? - is this just the start with the 2011/12 and then they follow with the earlier years... I had read that there was some sort off cutoff period that the HMRC could go back and that is why they were issuing 2011/12 now before April-16

Thanks

These threads are full of information on time limits.

Broadly though, if you submitted returns for the earlier years and have had no enquiry letter or assessment, chances are that HMRC have missed those periods and cannot now recoup them.

Read the threads though as this is not a simple process.