BIG GROUP

[albotorium]

How do I PM someone?

[administrator]

How do I PM someone?

I have upgraded your account so that you can send PMs. Find the person you want to PM and then click their name next to one of their posts and you will see a menu with "Private Message" in - click that to send them a message.

[Centrick]

Who to believe......

Very interesting to read some of the disparate opinions around how best to deal with HMRC enquiries. Interesting also to see commercial organisations openly marketing their services; is that actually allowed here?

There are many contractors who certainly do not fit the definition of 'rich', hence they simply and genuinely cannot afford to throw countless thousands of pounds in the direction of so-called experts who claim to know best. I am aware of a few contractors who were only in affected arrangements for a matter of months, yet have seen any potential tax liability now almost (if not already) surpassed by years of fees they have been charged in representation!

I for one am now very confused as to how/why contractors feel they will be advantaged/disadvantaged by which outfit represents them in moving towards resolution/closure of an enquiry? I've seen some folk citing urgent deadlines to sign up to particular defence groups, suggesting that somehow those who don't will lose out?

Any person without an ulterior (i.e. commercial) motive please correct me if I’m wrong but, even under the recently 'tweaked' version of its Taxpayers Charter, it is reasonable to conclude HMRC will be held - by the courts, if necessary - to its historic obligation to treat any one taxpayer "in the same way as other taxpayers in similar circumstances.”

[webberg]

Some valid points mixed in with some misconceptions.

I can't answer for other advisers but as you have chosen the Big Group thread for your post, I cannot ignore it.

Big Group is not aligned with any former or current promoter of schemes. It does not exist to protect promoters. It exists to act for those individuals who have used the schemes and now find themselves at the mercy of an HMRC who, despite clear instructions, are inconsistent, pernicious and prone to error (honest or otherwise).

Big Group is advised by WTT Consulting who charge a fee.

Big Group costs £133 plus VAT to join and £15 plus VAT per month. I may be biased but I don't see that as "countless thousands of pounds".

Again I cannot answer for other advisers, but we have spent a long while developing a strategy that fits the facts and are now about to execute it. In doing so, we will require that all members who wish to go ahead are aware of the risks and rewards.

As to all agreements with HMRC being available to all taxpayers, that is just not true. HMRC regularly reaches individual settlements with taxpayers by way of legal agreements that have confidentiality clauses.

[carluk]

HMRC Letter

Hi All
I to have received a letter from HMRC about Choice Premier scheme asking to contact them by 17th Jan to get tax affairs in order.

In the letter they have stated that any fees paid to Choice Premier cannot be claimed as to quote:-

'they were expenses not incurred wholly and exclusively for the purposes of the trade as defined in Section 34, Income Tas Act 2005'

This does not seem right as I believe you can claim accountants fees so why not fees paid to Choice, has anyone any thoughts on this or have challenged this already with HMRC?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

[centurian]

I believe you can claim accountants fees

That's a bit too simplistic - a better explanation of what you can and can't claim was given in their quote.

'they were expenses not incurred wholly and exclusively for the purposes of the trade as defined in Section 34, Income Tas Act 2005'

Just because you pay a fee to an organisation that calls themselves accountants does not mean that any and all fees paid to such people are automatically deductible. It's the detail of what you are paying the fees for that matters

Nutshell - HMRC don't agree that what you paid to Choice was "wholly and exclusively for the purposes of trade".

Are they right - no idea - I don't know the details. But arguing HMRC are wrong simply because "Choice are accountants" isn't going to be enough.

[AtW]

Big Group costs £133 plus VAT to join and £15 plus VAT per month.

In this country simple legal things run into many thousands, so it's a real bargain if there was one - comparable to TV license, a lot less than sat TV and just about a round of drinks in a pub.

Makes me want to join even though I never used any of those schemes.

[webberg]

Big Group closed temporarily this morning.

This is to enable us to have a stable list of people for whom we will attempt a settlement.

The group will reopen shortly after the end the end of the tax year and we can then see what might be possible after that time.

This thread opened 626 days ago. It has had 153,000 views = 244 a day.

Thank you for your time, your comments - good and bad, your attention.

We may not have the answer. We may be wasting our time and your money. But we are content that we have done so honestly and with good intention. Now though we are at the crux and all of our planning is to be put to the test.

Let me thanks the moderators here for their help and patience with my muppet grasp of computers and allowing us to use their space.

And with apologies to Dylan Thomas

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

[dmuk]

Big Group closed temporarily this morning.

When will the group be open to new members?
What options exist to those outside these groups?

[cojak]

Sometime after 6th April.