Save content
Have you found this content useful? Use the button above to save it to your profile.

Does anybody actually enjoy January tax return mayhem ?

5th Jan 2016
Save content
Have you found this content useful? Use the button above to save it to your profile.

For the past few weeks many of my friends and acquaintances have asked me if I am ready for the stress and rush of keeping HMRC sweet with tax returns . They seem surprised when I respond that I am no longer in practice and couldn't give a hoot except for the fact that it is almost impossible to communicate in a meaningful way with my many accountant clients.

I am not actually sitting here twiddling my fingers - there are plenty of things I need to sort out almost a year after flogging my main business believe it or not , but it prompted me think counter intuitively , which I really like to do. It cannot be the case that the single thing that accountants are associated with , taxation , can be the bane of their lives . If that is the case why so ? 

Given that you are forced to interact with your clients , or rather they are forced to interact with you , surely it means ££££ , so isn't all that pressure worth it ?

Tags:

You might also be interested in

Replies (3)

Please login or register to join the discussion.

Sarah Douglas - HouseTree Business Ltd
By sarah douglas
07th Jan 2016 23:45

no

I find the stress too much.  If a new client for tax returns has not signed up by October for the following Jan 31st I will not take the business.  My experience is you never have anything on time and they take forever and day to pay.  My worst one was someone who became extremely abusive after me working every hour under the sun and I was  exhausted. They were abusing me and my staff whily they went off on holidays and then I had to take them to court to get paid.

That was the last year I did last minute returns.  It was the best decision I made.

 

Thanks (0)
Norman Younger
By Norman Younger
08th Jan 2016 13:19

Oddly enough

Most of the accountants I have been dealing with in a professional capacity seem to be on top of things. I emailed or rang them to see I would leave them alone until early February and they were not keen to delay engaging with me

Then again it could be because I am trying to help them exit from practice !

There is never any excuse for abusing people but the problem lies in the inability to understand that a tax return may throw up a bouncer and it isn't a case of simply whipping through a series of tick boxes and pressing the submit button. I bet they don't treat their solicitor the same way

Time for the profession to educate the great unwashed masses out there because clearly HMRC aren't , mind you they have every incentive for people not filing on time

 

 

 

Thanks (0)
Sarah Douglas - HouseTree Business Ltd
By sarah douglas
08th Jan 2016 14:17

I agree

But so many clients start off with it is just a simple return.  Even if it is some of them expect to be done yesterday even though they gave no notice seem to become very upset about their tax bill and see your bill as part of it. The same people who are last minute always seemed shocked to find out they have to pay some tax and have already spent the money.

Maybe I just do not have the energy to  deal with people like that.   They really do just suck the life out of me.

Thanks (0)