Reply to: The 'who's' getting shafted over tax avoidance thread?

[Sysman]

The whole VAT thing is stupid. No VAT on books, but VAT on kindle books? Stoopid.

In the mid-90s nobody seemed to know what to do with computer books which came with a CD. If I remember correctly the official VAT Handbook had it that if a CD was included, VAT should be charged on the lot.

Yours truly found a shop which ignored that rule, so I got my Winders Server Resource Kit VAT free. At 150 quid that was a decent saving (OK I was VAT registered so could have got the VAT back, but I wasn't complaining).

[Sysman]

What about those cheeky ****ers who choose lower paid jobs so they can pay lower rate tax?

I considered that back in the days of 60% tax. I really wasn't keen on seeing more than 50% of my income going in taxes & NI payments.

What to do? Stop working and have a much earned holiday?

Nah! I bought a new car, new computer, fax machine and office furniture!

Which when you look at it in terms of the bigger economic picture was the Right Thing To Do. I was stimulating the economy with that spending.

And as a bonus I got some rather nice cheques from the VATman.

[mudskipper]

The whole VAT thing is stupid. No VAT on books, but VAT on kindle books? Stoopid.

[AtW]

What about those people who eat in Greggs? Been avoiding VAT for years the bastards. Anyone who's eaten in Greggs should be put in jail surely.

Well, if there was no VAT on such foods then it's just the way it is.

Personally I think everything should be VATable at same rate without any exemptions whatsoever.

This would probably allow to drop income tax rates to levels which would encourage people actually pay tax rather than get into crazy schemes, my plan (no NIC bulltulip - single rate of tax):

10% for income under £20k
20% for income in range £20-50k
30% for income in range £50-100k
20% for income in range £100-250k
10% for income in range £250k+

CGT: 10% for long term holdings, 90% for short term.
Gambling wins of any kind (including lottery): 90% tax
Dividends etc - treat as income with tax credit as it is now.
Corp tax - reflect personal income rates.
Business rates - removed.
VAT - 25% on everything (implemented gradually).
Fuel duties set at level that at least 50% of income goes into roads.
Booze - higher on retailed stuff and a LOT less for pubs.

Anybody who fails to pay material amount of tax on time for any reason will be deemed tax evader.

HTH

[SupremeSpod]

What about those people who eat in Greggs? Been avoiding VAT for years the bastards. Anyone who's eaten in Greggs should be put in jail surely.

If ever there was a case for retrospective taxation, you're it.

A fat bastard like you must've got away with hundreds of thousands in unpaid pasty-tax over the past six years.

[MarillionFan]

There is no tax on ISAs as intended by Parliament, using them you are no more avoiding tax than cooking meal at home instead of buying VATable take away.

What about those people who eat in Greggs? Been avoiding VAT for years the bastards. Anyone who's eaten in Greggs should be put in jail surely.

[AtW]

Ah but the ISA accounts are advertised as a way of saving without paying tax on the interest! That's blatant tax avoidance!

As I said there is no tax on them because it was intended by Parliament just like no VAT on certain food, given near 0 saving rates in this country it's all academical anyway.

[SupremeSpod]

There is no tax on ISAs as intended by Parliament, using them you are no more avoiding tax than cooking meal at home instead of buying VATable take away.

Ah but the ISA accounts are advertised as a way of saving without paying tax on the interest! That's blatant tax avoidance!

Individual Savings Accounts, or ISAs, provide an easy and tax efficient way for you to build up your long-term savings pot. Crucially, you have no income tax or capital gains tax liability on investments held within an ISA. These tax savings mean your money can work harder, potentially boosting long-term returns.

Oh how they tease! It's almost like they're enticing you into becoming a "tax avoider"!

[AtW]

Those rotten immigrants cooking at home and doing British workers out of British jobs. It's an outrage!

I don't use ISAs and buy take aways

[doodab]

There is no tax on ISAs as intended by Parliament, using them you are no more avoiding tax than cooking meal at home instead of buying VATable take away.

Those rotten immigrants cooking at home and doing British workers out of British jobs. It's an outrage!

[AtW]

No but earning interest on your savings and not paying income tax on that interest is avoidance, surely.

There is no tax on ISAs as intended by Parliament, using them you are no more avoiding tax than cooking meal at home instead of buying VATable take away.

[SupremeSpod]

It's not avoidance actually, there is no income tax on such activity as explicitly approved by Parliament.

There is no VAT on food, that does not mean that eating it is tax avoidance.

No but earning interest on your savings and not paying income tax on that interest is avoidance, surely.

You're saving money in an ISA and avoiding the tax liability that you would incur in another type of account. That is tax avoidance - true or false?

[doodab]

Still tax avoidance. They're still used by individuals to mitigate their tax liability and therefore depriving the exchequer directly and indirectly us!

Hang the f*ckers, every last one of 'em.

What about those cheeky ****ers who choose lower paid jobs so they can pay lower rate tax?

[AtW]

Still tax avoidance.

It's not avoidance actually, there is no income tax on such activity as explicitly approved by Parliament.

There is no VAT on food, that does not mean that eating it is tax avoidance.

[SupremeSpod]

Those are ok because they were explicitly created for such reason and their net tax avoidance effect is offset by making people save for the future.

HTH

Still tax avoidance. They're still used by individuals to mitigate their tax liability and therefore depriving the exchequer directly and indirectly us!

Hang the f*ckers, every last one of 'em.