MPs expenses again, FFS they don't get it!

[expat]

Darling (among others) uses Commons expenses to pay for accountant for personal SA return. Then he justifies it by saying that he did it to ensure that he paid the correct amount of tax.

Yes Alistair, that is indeed why we get an accountant to do our SA return. The problem is that it is a personal expense, but you paid for it with company money. Do you not understand the difference?

[FSM with Cheddar]

Um, my personal tax return and corp tax are all included in one fee that my accountant charges me.

How is this any different from what the MPs have done?

I'm not defending the other expense claims, however if they need an accountant to deal with the complicated issues of tax, which arise from being an MP. Then this is actually a fair claim.

What's not fair is when the advice given by the accountant is how to flip your house etc.

[NotAllThere]

...however if they need an accountant to deal with the complicated issues of tax, which arise from being an MP. Then this is actually a fair claim....

Precisely.

The fact that we can't claim it is immaterial. MPs are allowed to claim all sorts of things we are not.

[expat]

Um, my personal tax return and corp tax are all included in one fee that my accountant charges me.

How is this any different from what the MPs have done?

It isn't, you're breaking the law too if you pay for accountancy service for your personal tax return out of company money.

One difference is that the Commons' "company money" is mine and yours, so we do have a say in its being abused. But that fact that a personal expense is paid with untaxed money, so is therefore a Benefit In Kind, is the same.

[EternalOptimist]

What's not fair is when the advice given by the accountant is how to flip your house etc.

I dont understand why that is not fair. It's the accountants job to tell you what is possible within the law. How the rules work.
It's up to you whether it is right and proper to follow the advice.

[DimPrawn]

It isn't, you're breaking the law too if you pay for accountancy service for your personal tax return out of company money.

One difference is that the Commons' "company money" is mine and yours, so we do have a say in its being abused. But that fact that a personal expense is paid with untaxed money, so is therefore a Benefit In Kind, is the same.

Get over it. Who cares. Is this all you've got to worry about? My accountanct changes about £50 to fill in a tax return. Whoopee do.

[expat]

Get over it. Who cares. Is this all you've got to worry about? My accountanct changes about £50 to fill in a tax return. Whoopee do.

I look forward to your telling that to Hector next time you try to skip tax on a personal expense.

What you have just said is that it's OK to steal, if it's not much.

[suityou01]

Get over it. Who cares. Is this all you've got to worry about? My accountanct changes about £50 to fill in a tax return. Whoopee do.

Whoopty doo

[Doggy Styles]

I'm not defending the other expense claims, however if they need an accountant to deal with the complicated issues of tax, which arise from being an MP. Then this is actually a fair claim.

No it isn't. It is a personal expense.

Are you an MP?