Guilty until proved innocent

[MicrosoftBob]

If only he hadn't signed up to that dodgy tax avoidance scheme and just played it nice and simple like most of the rest of us do.

Invoice his clients. Filled in his tax return. Paid his dues.

He wouldn't have all this stress.

He must be kicking himself now for being so greedy ..... oh no wait ... he's bleating on about it being HMRC's fault.

Until they come after the rest of us, and start using APNs, it's all about fairness after all

[tomtomagain]

Until they come after the rest of us, and start using APNs, it's all about fairness after all

He was involved in some dodgy scheme.

The tax laws will change. Our tax rates will go up and down. But nobody is coming to come after me and say "You owe 30k".

If you keep it simple then there's nothing to fear.

If on the other hand you have joined a scheme that promises to cut your tax rate to 10% by lending you some money from a fictitious source that you don't have to pay back then you were a fool.

[ASB]

Perhaps he was foolish.

He certainly wont get a lot of sympathy.

However there is one stand out fact.

The scheme he used has not been tested for its efficacy.

[AtW]

Perhaps he was foolish.

Perhaps?

[BrilloPad]

Bit sensationalist of you DP. This only affects contractors this invested in an offshore tax avoidance scheme. Those with PSCs, that shoot straight dice are not on the radar.

And I thought avoidance was legal?

Anyway, my concern is that APN powers will be extended to anyone HMRC believes is IR35 caught. And will take the money allegedly owed directly out of bank accounts.

I really hope that IPSE and writing to MPs and petitions will make a difference.

[AtW]

And I thought avoidance was legal?

Famous last words...

What did they do to "tax avoiders" in Victorian England?

[BrilloPad]

He was involved in some dodgy scheme.

The tax laws will change. Our tax rates will go up and down. But nobody is coming to come after me and say "You owe 30k".

If you keep it simple then there's nothing to fear.

If on the other hand you have joined a scheme that promises to cut your tax rate to 10% by lending you some money from a fictitious source that you don't have to pay back then you were a fool.

I hope you are right. Were you fully IR35 compliant? As I am concerned that might deem you owe everything under IR35 plus penalties plus interest and take it out of your bank account.

HMRC might say that you were dodgy. What is the definition of dodgy?

I would like to see a legal definition.

[AtW]

Why tax avoiders have all the money spent???

Why didn't they use CDTs?

Why didn't they insist on full reputable (ie Lloyd's of London) 3rd party insurance with the "scheme provider" which would pay tax/penalties in the event of scheme deemed "not working" by HMRC??? Such insurance should be legally compulsory with sale of any DOTAs products in UK - that should have killed the market for "tax avoidance" nicely, though not even sasguru would touch DOTAS scheme now.

[EternalOptimist]

Not getting involved in the rights or wrongs of this, but when I grew up, I was taught not to look like a victim. If you do, you are more likely to become one.

Same thing applies to looking like a 'low hanging fruit'

Just don't do it.


Be a hard to get fruit, like me

[TestMangler]

If only he hadn't signed up to that dodgy tax avoidance scheme and just played it nice and simple like most of the rest of us do.

Invoice his clients. Filled in his tax return. Paid his dues.

He wouldn't have all this stress.

He must be kicking himself now for being so greedy ..... oh no wait ... he's bleating on about it being HMRC's fault.

First, I need to point out that I have never used any scheme and have been LTD since I started contracting.

With that out of the way, I find comments like yours, aimed at people who were in schemes, utterly ridiculous and the product of someone who has no real clue about contracting or business.

Thousands upon thousands of people were taken into these schemes at the very early stage in their contracting lives, usually being advised by agents and, dare I say it, accountants.

Imagine you've been an employee for 10 years or so and get made redundant or some such thing and you fall into contracting kind of by accident, when applying for perm jobs. You know nothing of how contracting works and take advice from agents who in turn pass you on to advisors. These people don't turn up with Dick Turpin masks, whispering behind their hands that they have a 'scheme' that you can use to evade tax. They are marketed as a legitimate way of doing business and indeed, they were at the time.

Would you come back with glib comments if Osbourne decides everyone who works via an agency is IR35 caught and then passes retrospective legislation ?