Effect of Covid on Compliance

Not as many returns left as usual

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I had expected 2019/20 to be much the same as previous years - I usually photocopy last year's Stragglers List and find the usual suspects to be there for this year.

Much to my surprise, I've only seven returns left - discounting stuff that just needs signing off - instead of the usual 20 or so.

Just waiting for a couple of queries to be resolved       1

Books in, waiting for me to start                                  3

Supposed to be fetching books in tonight                    1

Client believes still too early                                        2

How's everyone else found lockdown ?   Has it helped ?

Replies (14)

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By Paul Crowley
18th Nov 2020 16:04

Size of firm and workload varies
A prior posting said 200 left. A week ago?
At that time, I had 199

I assume you did not have 70% of staff choose to self isolate or need to deal with school closures or be worried concerning ethnicity for three months
That is 1/3 of the time available for tax returns

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Replying to Paul Crowley:
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By lionofludesch
18th Nov 2020 16:18

Paul Crowley wrote:

Size of firm and workload varies
A prior posting said 200 left. A week ago?
At that time, I had 199

I assume you did not have 70% of staff choose to self isolate or need to deal with school closures or be worried concerning ethnicity for three months
That is 1/3 of the time available for tax returns

Sure - I'm barely working 20 hours a week on average and there's only me here.

Nevertheless, that's not significantly different to what I was working last year or half a dozen years before that when I had a lot more returns outstanding.

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Scooby
By gainsborough
18th Nov 2020 16:04

Pretty much in the same boat as you Lion. Found clients were bored at home this year and sent in stuff much earlier. Saying that my client with the most complex affairs, who always gives me a stack of messy papers in the last week of January with half the info missing, will still most likely be doing the same this time round!

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By bettybobbymeggie
18th Nov 2020 16:46

Same for me and probably a bit ahead of last year. Still have 32% of all returns to submit according to my Taxfiler pie chart, but these are mostly the easy stuff. Happily I may actually be able to afford Christmas this year.

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Replying to bettybobbymeggie:
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By lionofludesch
18th Nov 2020 18:05

bettybobbymeggie wrote:

Same for me and probably a bit ahead of last year. Still have 32% of all returns to submit according to my Taxfiler pie chart, but these are mostly the easy stuff. Happily I may actually be able to afford Christmas this year.

It's always the little ones that leave it till the last minute. The seven I have left are

Small rent accounts, no trading 3

More complex rent accounts (H+W) 2

Subcontractors 2

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Replying to lionofludesch:
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By bettybobbymeggie
18th Nov 2020 18:15

Those landlords of yours are going to love MTD then...

I'm surprised about the subbies - all of mine are done in April!

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By lionofludesch
18th Nov 2020 18:25

bettybobbymeggie] <p>Those landlords of yours are going to love MTD then...</p> <p>[/quote}</p> <p>It won't be my problem. I've mentioned it but I don't think they believe me.</p> <p>[quote wrote:

I'm surprised about the subbies - all of mine are done in April!

Well, you'll be even more surprised to find that they're both August 2019 year ends. Could've had their £3000 months ago but - again - not my problem.

They might have a wake-up call if they rock up to their new accountants in November next year and find they're tarred as PITA clients.

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By ireallyshouldknowthisbut
18th Nov 2020 17:29

We are certainly ahead of the curve on SA, but much slower this month than normal with getting my head around Furlough MK8 of whatever scheme we are up to and my No.2 is being a bit slow quite frankly working from home for the 8th month now is making her lose all motivation. I thought we were doing OK with the home working but it seem to be too many distractions are creeping in.

November is normally my biggest month for SA but it wont be this year.

I have about 22% in progress of left to go, with about that of the period available left, and most of them are the smaller ones so I am happy with that. I don't get this "leave half of them to Jan" lark.

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the sea otter
By memyself-eye
18th Nov 2020 18:58

yes - but I'm quitting next year anyway.

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By New To Accountancy
18th Nov 2020 22:27

I'm ok at the moment, I've caught up with the majority of my workload and I'm trying to get into a routine now. I am preparing for my children's school's to close again by putting in clearer processes for me to follow should I have no childcare and have to work nights again, basically I'm making myself step by step sheets that I can follow when I'm tired. I'm determined to beat Covid no matter what it throws at me. I've been having mini panic attacks when I read about another confirmed case within their schools so by preparing for the worst, is helping.
My SA clients are mostly CIS so they are at my door quicker than I can say 'tax back', so I've only a few property returns to do and that's me done.
The future is still uncertain and I've still got Covid work to do but I now feel it's within my control, so that's a relief.

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By zebaa
19th Nov 2020 08:52

I think step by step sheets are a good idea. Just putting things down in writing gives me back a feeling of control.

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By New To Accountancy
19th Nov 2020 17:16

Yes I agree. Offloading my brain by not assuming it'll all be there when i need it, and having these sheets to refer to, really takes the pressure off.

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By lionofludesch
19th Nov 2020 17:21

Even if I had practice software, I'd still print it off periodically and add hand written notes.

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By New To Accountancy
19th Nov 2020 18:10

I don't think I'll could ever be a paper-free office. Out of sight, out of mind with me. Plus, adding hand written notes is something I do too. My husband has built me an office in the garden but i am currently in the 'box room' as we call it, and the walls are covered with post-it notes that are just so helpful. I'm dreading him finishing the office because I just don't want to leave and god knows how long it'll take me to move the post-it notes.

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