I always knew we were right....

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

How many times have we said on here "if it looks too good to be true then it very probably is" - confirmed by those nice people at HMRC HM Revenue & Customs: Tempted by Tax Avoidance?

[kevpuk]

Ah, so just in case there was every any doubt.....

[Martin at NixonWilliams]

That's a useful link, it's a shame barely anybody will notice it buried on their website!

They should look at better ways of spreading awareness for this sort of thing. A simple information sheet with the many paper tax returns they send out each year would help them massively.

I'm also not convinced that HMRC are 'very successful at tackling tax avoidance.' The last I read, the enquiries are often succesful but HMRC are struggling to collect the tax.

[cojak]

How many times have we said on here "if it looks too good to be true then it very probably is" - confirmed by those nice people at HMRC HM Revenue & Customs: Tempted by Tax Avoidance?

<saves for future reference...>

[Wanderer]

How many times have we said on here "if it looks too good to be true then it very probably is" - confirmed by those nice people at HMRC HM Revenue & Customs: Tempted by Tax Avoidance?

It's a really good piece, as Cojak says, one to cut out and keep. They still persist in spreading confusion over the definition of "tax avoidance" which is muddying the waters though.

Probably the easiest test for these schemes is to ask what percentage of the workers earnings go to HMRC. If the scheme promoter is making more out of it than HMRC is then it's going to be a bit dodgy...

[SimonMac]

So the tax man are saying that ways to avoid paying tax should be avoided?

[BrilloPad]

I am deeply saddened by the posts on this thread and by the HMRC post.

Avoidance is Legal.

No-one should enter into tax evasion.

FFS.

[BrilloPad]

That's a useful link, it's a shame barely anybody will notice it buried on their website!

Because it is total bollux.

How do I complain about it?

[jamesbrown]

Because it is total bollux.

How do I complain about it?

Seems perfectly reasonable to me, as guidance. It's quite clear that they're talking about "schemes" rather than ordinary tax planning. I feel sorry for people that were caught up in these schemes, but they might've known they were treading on very thin ice, any questions of legality aside. You'd hardly expect HMRC to offer different guidance, and I agree with the other posters that suggest it should be more visible as a counter to the propaganda from scheme operators.

[BrilloPad]

Seems perfectly reasonable to me, as guidance. It's quite clear that they're talking about "schemes" rather than ordinary tax planning. I feel sorry for people that were caught up in these schemes, but they might've known they were treading on very thin ice, any questions of legality aside. You'd hardly expect HMRC to offer different guidance, and I agree with the other posters that suggest it should be more visible as a counter to the propaganda from scheme operators.

total bollux.

"treading on very thin ice, any questions of legality aside." WTF? The only thing that matters here is legality. Avoidance is legal, evasion illegal.

If HMRC want to counter schemes then they should try simplyfying the tax code.

You refer to schems rather than ordinary tax planning. But it seems that mostly big companies and the rich can pay zero tax while those who are not friends with a MP pay through the nose.