IPSE and Tax Avoidance

[cojak]

We've always known this MS, it was Mal who brought IPSE up in this context.

A little bit of protection to those asking for help in the IPSE forums wouldn't go amiss, however...

[mudskipper]

We've always known this MS, it was Mal who brought IPSE up in this context.

A little bit of protection to those asking for help in the IPSE forums wouldn't go amiss, however...

I do not know what has happened in the past, and accept that this may not always have been the case, but members asking for help on this or any other matter on the IPSE forums can and should expect to be responded to professionally and politely.

[malvolio]

We've always known this MS, it was Mal who brought IPSE up in this context.

A little bit of protection to those asking for help in the IPSE forums wouldn't go amiss, however...

I hate to disagree, but I made the general point "That's why we need people like IPSE and Big Group to take these kinds of battles forward " and that got the standard "IPSE are useless" response. Actually they are in this case, for the reasons given by MS, but that does not invalidate my own point that we need to cooperate to beat HMRC at their own game. How you do it and with whom is largely irrelevant.

Incidentally, since around 2008 when this all started, I've never seen any request for help with this issue on the PCG/IPSE forums.

[eek]

I hate to disagree, but I made the general point "That's why we need people like IPSE and Big Group to take these kinds of battles forward " and that got the standard "IPSE are useless" response. Actually they are in this case, for the reasons given by MS, but that does not invalidate my own point that we need to cooperate to beat HMRC at their own game. How you do it and with whom is largely irrelevant.

Incidentally, since around 2008 when this all started, I've never seen any request for help with this issue on the PCG/IPSE forums.

Mal, given your age I would have thought that you were fully aware that there are times when its better to keep your mouth shut rather than saying things....

To be blunt putting Big Group and IPSE in the same sentence does neither group any favours. Even mentioning IPSE in what was an HMRC Enquiries thread really doesn't help anyone....

[Lost It]

This is probably the most confusing thread I've come across in a while.... IPSE is there because some contractors must feel it has it's uses. Else it wouldn't exist in the market place, there would be no demand. Am I seeing this as too black and white?

I don't see it as a "Solution looking for a problem to solve" which is what quite a few sites seem to do. I'm sure if you play straight with HMRC they will play straight with you.

But I don't really earn enough to worry about getting involved in tax avoidance schemes, I see it differently as I'm only alive today because there is a Tax collecting system in place in the UK that paid for my cancer to be cut out.

[cojak]

I hate to disagree, but I made the general point "That's why we need people like IPSE and Big Group to take these kinds of battles forward " and that got the standard "IPSE are useless" response. Actually they are in this case, for the reasons given by MS, but that does not invalidate my own point that we need to cooperate to beat HMRC at their own game. How you do it and with whom is largely irrelevant.

Incidentally, since around 2008 when this all started, I've never seen any request for help with this issue on the PCG/IPSE forums.

Oh never fear Mal, I have a thread reference to prove it... (not posted here as it's members only, but search for 'HMRC letter and undisclosed sums' and you'll find it).

[BrilloPad]

IPSE/PCG do, and always have, advised members to steer clear of these schemes.

So do BG, NTRT, etcetc.

At the time I went into the scheme, almost everybody was doing it.

[adubya]

Slight side-issue, I'm a member of IPSE but haven't used their community forum.

Is the forum URL https://community.ipse.co.uk/ ?

I can't find a "register" link/button and my main IPSE userid isn't recognised. Any idea how I register for the forum ?

Thanks.

[cojak]

So do BG, NTRT, etcetc.

At the time I went into the scheme, almost everybody was doing it.

Almost everyone of your acquaintance possibly BP, but not almost everyone who was a contractor. I've only known two colleagues who had been in a scheme back in 2005 and they were already getting whacked by HMRC then.

We had a lot of fun with people asking about these schemes in the past. A lot of regulars tried to tell people that they were a bad idea*.

But from 2013 we have had the forum for people whose bad decisions have come back to haunt them.

(*And amazingly, still do!)

[eek]

Slight side-issue, I'm a member of IPSE but haven't used their community forum.

Is the forum URL https://community.ipse.co.uk/ ?

I can't find a "register" link/button and my main IPSE userid isn't recognised. Any idea how I register for the forum ?

Thanks.

They don't want the general public to use it....

More seriously you can join via the dashboard from memory https://www.ipse.co.uk/dashboard (don't rush unless you want to see about 6 people talking to each other)...