Had a pension scheme reminder for a client (i had checked online and TR not issued...so i thought)....their reminder letter included the paragrph....
'If you have not sent us your return, please ensure the completed tax return is received by this office by midnight on 31 January 2010. If it is not received by this time the trustee will be liable to an automatic penalty of £100.'
Apparently per the revenue the pension scheme returns have been issued offline this year to avoid issuing automatic penalties as most have no liability (so online screen says not issued but they actually have been....so they say).
So apart from getting the deadline date wrong in the letter why make mention of the penalty due if they will not be issuing one?!!?!? They take all pension schemes off the sa system that everybody now uses, they do it to avoid issuing penatly notices (albeit to those schemes who are LATE in providing the return) to make it better for those who have no liabilities (well the ones who deliver the return LATE). Who wins in that.....we check the system only to find that a return has been issued, the revenue will probably wait longer for the 'late' returns, the client's perception is that we have not done our job and indeed that he will get a £100 penalty (whether he has a liability or not), and the returns cannot be submitted online. Oh and it is likely next year that the penalties will be applied whether you have a tax liability or not....so will they change back then....? I give in......
anybody else seen this?
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What do you expect from HMRC?
HMRC do it all the time.
What about when they say an SA repayment has been made, you tell the client but they don't get the payment?It's been held up for "security checks". HMRC are too stupid to do the "security checks" before saying that they've made the payment. I always warn the client now.
Get rid of all top management in HMRC!
Her Majesties Revenue & Cockups
Two clients brought in "reminders" they had received for SA today. The reminders warned that a return was required and if not received by 31-Jan they would issue penalties, come round & kick the cat to death etc etc etc. One small problem - both clients SA returns were subnitted in MAY 2010 and both had received refunds. We await the issuing of illegal penalties and our subsequent claim for costs, distress to clients, etc with interest.
Pension return
One of my clients had the same experience except that the letter did not state that a tax return had been issued but rather "You can download the tax return from our website." This is the form SA970.
The pension scheme return ( not the SA tax return ) is submitted online to HMRC. I assume your client has done this one.