Up to 90%

[DonkeyRhubarb]

Schemes are f***ed.

Totally 100%, and the promoters still selling them damn well know this. But they can rake in 2 or 3 years of fees before their clients get a tap on the shoulder from HMRC.

[AnotherGuy]

I have a close friend who has been using Network One for a very long time (probably more than 7 years) and tried to convinced me into going that route when I started contracting. I went for a Ltd, of course.

He is absolutely convinced there is nothing illegal on it and he even told me that (due to another reason) he had a problem with HMRC and had to provide lots of documentation and evidence and not only he managed to be clean, but HMRC returned tax money to him!

So to be honest, I'm not really sure how, if at all, HMRC is interested in closing down those schemes, and if an end happens, I wonder how many of those contractors will laugh at your face: "yes, now I can't do it anymore, but for many years I got was I was promised, 85%+ take home, meanwhile you've been taking (if lucky) 75% with your Ltd."

[cojak]

Since I sleep at night I don't give a damn about them.

[PerfectStorm]

I get calls about these every so often. Always from a withheld number, and when I ask them to email details through, they say "certainly" and never do.

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

I have a close friend who has been using Network One for a very long time (probably more than 7 years) and tried to convinced me into going that route when I started contracting. I went for a Ltd, of course.

He is absolutely convinced there is nothing illegal on it and he even told me that (due to another reason) he had a problem with HMRC and had to provide lots of documentation and evidence and not only he managed to be clean, but HMRC returned tax money to him!

So to be honest, I'm not really sure how, if at all, HMRC is interested in closing down those schemes, and if an end happens, I wonder how many of those contractors will laugh at your face: "yes, now I can't do it anymore, but for many years I got was I was promised, 85%+ take home, meanwhile you've been taking (if lucky) 75% with your Ltd."

Not sure if you've visited this section of the site HMRC Scheme Enquiries but I feel that it demonstrates HMRC's level of interest in tax avoidance schemes fairly well. If you have a few hours to spare you could also have a look here http://forums.contractoruk.com/accou...58-fa2008.html. I don't think you'll find many of them laughing

[TykeMerc]

I have a close friend who has been using Network One for a very long time (probably more than 7 years) and tried to convinced me into going that route when I started contracting. I went for a Ltd, of course.

He is absolutely convinced there is nothing illegal on it and he even told me that (due to another reason) he had a problem with HMRC and had to provide lots of documentation and evidence and not only he managed to be clean, but HMRC returned tax money to him!

So to be honest, I'm not really sure how, if at all, HMRC is interested in closing down those schemes, and if an end happens, I wonder how many of those contractors will laugh at your face: "yes, now I can't do it anymore, but for many years I got was I was promised, 85%+ take home, meanwhile you've been taking (if lucky) 75% with your Ltd."

The thing with HMRC is that they aren't fast, nor do they have any motivation to be fast, but they are dogged, vindictive and bullying, it may take a while, but they will catch these scheme users and then badly maul them unless the users get lucky.

Anyone that signs up to a scheme or has done so in the last few years deserves every measure of pain they have coming to them, it's no secret that HMRC have been attacking schemes for years.

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

The thing with HMRC is that they aren't fast, nor do they have any motivation to be fast, but they are dogged, vindictive and bullying, it may take a while, but they will catch these scheme users and then badly maul them unless the users get lucky.

Anyone that signs up to a scheme or has done so in the last few years deserves every measure of pain they have coming to them, it's no secret that HMRC have been attacking schemes for years.

This. Plus professional help to fight them will cost the earth and, even if you win, chances are you won't get your costs back. Plus the people who sold you the scheme in the first place will probably disappear at the first sign of trouble.

[cojak]

This. Plus professional help to fight them will cost the earth and, even if you win, chances are you won't get your costs back. Plus the people who sold you the scheme in the first place will probably disappear at the first sign of trouble.

And we will point and laugh at you...

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

And do the 'I told you so' dance

[AnotherGuy]

This well-known umbrella I'm talking about that my friend is using has been around for a lot of years.

How is even possible that it seems to be doing business as usual? I recon it may have thousands of users, so how many of them should become a target of HMRC for this umbrella to close down?