HMRC special

How to deal with unfiled tax returns - stop asking

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A new client has come to me to sort out many years of unfiled tax returns. She's been paying the late filing penalties and doing nothing further. She owes a lot of tax, unbeknownst to HMRC. HMRC's way of dealing with the situation? Turn up on her doorstep to sort the problem out, like they do in other far less warranted situations, such as ficticious unpaid debts? No. It seems they just stop issuing tax returns after a few years of non-filing! Is it that easy to not pay tax? Just don't file anything, pay a few thousand in late filing penalties and eventually they leave you alone?

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By bernard michael
28th Jul 2016 10:43

Have HMRC never assessed her ??

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By GW
28th Jul 2016 12:10

We came across a similar situation a while back, client came to us as HMRC were chasing for two most recent years tax returns, it turned no returns had been filed for seven years, the assessments had been ignored and nothing had been paid, including penalties. HMRC had written the first five years off in one go and where only interested in the two most recent years.

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RLI
By lionofludesch
28th Jul 2016 12:52

Reminds me of the peelers who asked folk to stop reporting crimes as it buggered up their clear-up percentages.

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By Paul D Utherone
28th Jul 2016 15:08

I noticed recently that HMRC seeemed to have had a purge and issued determinations for 2014-15. If that happens automatically then presumably there will come a time when, like the old estimated assessments they will raise a determination and if that doesn't get a response double it the next year and so on until the pips squeak when DMB turn up to collect on the determination

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