How to exit a tax avoidance scheme and settle.

[wilsonX]

Good morning,
First post here.I believe this has been talked around quite a few hundred times.

I realised a couple of months ago that I've been in tax avoidance schemes but as many others I was probably quite naive.

Now I want to exit those umbrellas and settle my tax obligations with HMRC in the less painful way possible.

Should I get a tax advisor to get the best deal possible in terms of interests etc or is it will be the same as facing HMRC directly on their email?


Thanks in advance

[Fred Bloggs]

Nobody gets a discount on tax. You can negotiate time to pay.

[cojak]

HMRC is be expecting all the taxes you owe.

Get a tax advisor; they will ensure that you pay the correct amount of tax. No more, no less.

[WTFH]

Step 1 is to stop using the scheme immediately.
Don't spend time thinking/worrying about settling, etc until you've stopped using the scheme.

If you need to get yourself a new umbrella, then consider speaking to Lucy at ClarityUmbrella: https://clarityumbrella.co.uk

What scheme were you involved in?

[wilsonX]

Thanks for your swift response to all.
I believe I've been on these disguised remuneration schemes but actually on umbrellas that are or have been PP approved which makes it a bit strange?

My question regarding appointing a tax advisor is if they'd be able to negotiate down any kind of interests/fee/fines on the tax debt if any rather than negotiate/avoid the taxes I owe?

Is this process straight forward enough with HMRC to do it one self and avoid the tax advisor?
Would there be any advantage/savings appointing one?

Is it actually possible that I've been "illegal" and I am liable for tax avoidance in Passport approved umbrellas?

[WTFH]

Thanks for your swift response to all.
I believe I've been on these disguised remuneration schemes but actually on umbrellas that are or have been PP approved which makes it a bit strange?

My question regarding appointing a tax advisor is if they'd be able to negotiate down any kind of interests/fee/fines on the tax debt if any rather than negotiate/avoid the taxes I owe?

Is this process straight forward enough with HMRC to do it one self and avoid the tax advisor?
Would there be any advantage/savings appointing one?

Is it actually possible that I've been "illegal" and I am liable for tax avoidance in Passport approved umbrellas?

OK, if you're unsure about whether the payments you have received are disguised remuneration, then before you start talking about negotiations or legality, then speak to a tax advisor, give them the facts.

If you've already been contacted by HMRC about it and you're still using the same scheme, then get out of the scheme immediately - the longer you stay in it, the more you will have to pay.

A tax advisor will be able to go through your figures and work out what needs to be paid. That may include interest and penalties, but we're not tax advisors and we don't have any details from you, so we can't give you answers to that question.

Try contacting WTT Group or Gilbert Tax

[Fred Bloggs]

Thanks for your swift response to all.
I believe I've been on these disguised remuneration schemes but actually on umbrellas that are or have been PP approved which makes it a bit strange?

My question regarding appointing a tax advisor is if they'd be able to negotiate down any kind of interests/fee/fines on the tax debt if any rather than negotiate/avoid the taxes I owe?

Is this process straight forward enough with HMRC to do it one self and avoid the tax advisor?
Would there be any advantage/savings appointing one?

Is it actually possible that I've been "illegal" and I am liable for tax avoidance in Passport approved umbrellas?

I doubt anyone can tell you without you naming the suspected dodgy umbrella companies.

[northernladuk]

First post here.I believe this has been talked around quite a few hundred times.

Way more than that. So much so we have an entire part of the forum dedicated to it.

https://forums.contractoruk.com/hmrc-scheme-enquiries/

There is a lot in there but you can use the google search to look for your provider and other keywords.

In Google type <keywords> site:forums.contractoruk.com

If you want to narrow it down to remove teh guff from other parts of the forum you can search in just that part of the forum by using.

<keywords> site:forums.contractoruk.com/hmrc-scheme-enquiries

[Snooky]

Thanks for your swift response to all.
I believe I've been on these disguised remuneration schemes but actually on umbrellas that are or have been PP approved which makes it a bit strange?

My question regarding appointing a tax advisor is if they'd be able to negotiate down any kind of interests/fee/fines on the tax debt if any rather than negotiate/avoid the taxes I owe?

Is this process straight forward enough with HMRC to do it one self and avoid the tax advisor?
Would there be any advantage/savings appointing one?

Is it actually possible that I've been "illegal" and I am liable for tax avoidance in Passport approved umbrellas?

I was in a scheme about 14 years ago, thankfully for less than a year before I got cold feet and went back to normal Ltd Company operation. When the Loan Charge reared its ugly head I decided I should see about settling. I used a tax advisor my accountant recommended, who went through all the details and worked out what HMRC were likely to require. They did all the talking to HMRC. While they were unable to reduce the basic amount owed or the interest accumulated since the original payments, I believe that showing a willingness to settle and having a professional deal with HMRC was key to (a) not incurring any penalty and (b) achieving a reasonable Time To Pay schedule.

TL;DR - get a tax professional involved, especially if the amounts are significant.

[wilsonX]

I doubt anyone can tell you without you naming the suspected dodgy umbrella companies.

I was initially with Goldfish Umbrella and then moved to IP Global.

Goldfish Umbrella seems to be still in the list of Passport Accreditations.
I was told by my agent that IP Global are accredited and HMRC compliant and bla bla bla but I don't seem to find them in the list of approved umbrellas by PP or FCSA.

Any feedback on those?
Thank you for the advice on tax advisors and compliant umbrellas. I've already started making moves.