Do you have to have a signed copy of your clients personal tax return on file ? or will an engagement letter detailing submitted returns etc. suffice ?
Do Iceaw require this ? we are just getting bogged down with files and paper work and I want to streamline to online only off possible
many thanks
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Replies (11)
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Get the client to acknowledge an email with an attached return, then store the response.
Or use digital signing. I think IRIS OpenSpace is free to use for that.
Use electronic approval
There are several facilities now.
You can sign up free for Iris OpenSpace, you upload the return, the client gets an invite to download and a link to electronically OK it and you get an electronically certfied PDF to download.
SNAP
PS: Per Tim's response, when we used to email the returns we'd quote the unique return number in the email or subject line.
another way
I get the client to sign a one sheet piece of paper approving their return, and in that one-pager I have pasted the Revenue Mark (that long gobbledook on the front of the online return).
If you can sort out the fully electronic route suggested above, probably even more efficient.
Yet another way
Like Red Leader, we get the client to sign a one page approval certificate, but we refer to the total tax due on that, and attach the declaration page from the tax return, resplendent with the IR mark across the top, for signature as well.
We find that it saves us having to go down to the sorting office to pay the unpaid postage + £1 every time that a client fails to put a Large stamp on the envelope when we used to ask them to send back the entire tax return.
That is when we are not using IRIS OpenSpace to get the tax return approved electronically.
More
We find that it saves us having to go down to the sorting office to pay the unpaid postage + £1 every time that a client fails to put a Large stamp on the envelope when we used to ask them to send back the entire tax return.
Always baffled me why it's so high. It's cheaper to get Royal Mail to send it back to the sender and them to send it to you again, properly stamped.
Surely Royal Mail want to avoid all that work.
But I expect they know their business. Or maybe they don't ........
I usually just ask for authorisation by reply email, my email having the Return to be approved attached, and keep a copy of their reply on file.
Electronic approval
It has transformed our practice, eliminates the printing, posting and scanning of tax returns, accounts etc. We use signable.co.uk and our clients love it too!
Signed tax returns
We scan the signed tax return onto our paperless document management system. I think you never know when you might be asked for a copy of the signed return and if needed you can check the figures on the return with the figures on your tax return software because I never quite trust the software not to lose the tax return information. That has happened to us before!
Adobe Reader app
I encourage clients to open and sign the pdf return via Adobe reader app on a tablet or touchscreen laptop. They can then sign and return. Free app of course. Some struggle at first but all get the hang of it
