More powers for the Revenue
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7293850.stm
Up until now, for VAT and PAYE matters, the Revenue had inspection powers with no rights of appeal.
But this was not the case for other taxes.
Previously the Revenue had to open a formal tax enquiry before asking you for additional information.
This has all changed and a lot of the red tape surrounding their ability to do this has gone.
What is clear is that the Revenue will now be able to directly penalise those who assist tax evaders by providing false or misleading information.
It will enable the Revenue to require taxpayers to provide supplementary information in relation to any documents which they consider relevant to establishing the correct tax position.
The new powers will also give tax inspectors the right to require third parties to provide information, rather than simply the taxpayer himself.
The Revenue will now be able to directly penalise those who assist tax evaders by providing false or misleading information
The new powers contain an extension whereby if the Revenue can establish that a tax return is incorrect because a third party has either withheld, or provided false information to the tax payer, that third party will be directly charged a penalty by the Revenue.
Work or home?
A further new power will be introduced whereby the Revenue can visit business premises and inspect records, assets and indeed the premises themselves.
This will present an interesting scenario where taxpayers have claimed for the use of a room at home as an office.
It would appear that under the new legislation the Revenue will have an absolute right to visit the private home on the grounds that at least part of it constitutes "business premises"!
Up until now, for VAT and PAYE matters, the Revenue had inspection powers with no rights of appeal.
But this was not the case for other taxes.
Previously the Revenue had to open a formal tax enquiry before asking you for additional information.
This has all changed and a lot of the red tape surrounding their ability to do this has gone.
What is clear is that the Revenue will now be able to directly penalise those who assist tax evaders by providing false or misleading information.
It will enable the Revenue to require taxpayers to provide supplementary information in relation to any documents which they consider relevant to establishing the correct tax position.
The new powers will also give tax inspectors the right to require third parties to provide information, rather than simply the taxpayer himself.
The Revenue will now be able to directly penalise those who assist tax evaders by providing false or misleading information
The new powers contain an extension whereby if the Revenue can establish that a tax return is incorrect because a third party has either withheld, or provided false information to the tax payer, that third party will be directly charged a penalty by the Revenue.
Work or home?
A further new power will be introduced whereby the Revenue can visit business premises and inspect records, assets and indeed the premises themselves.
This will present an interesting scenario where taxpayers have claimed for the use of a room at home as an office.
It would appear that under the new legislation the Revenue will have an absolute right to visit the private home on the grounds that at least part of it constitutes "business premises"!
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