HMRC Letter

[MojoDog]

Morning,

Received a letter last week from HMRC saying they were questioning my self assessment for 2014 and that I hadn't declared that I'd received interest amounting to a 5-figure sum...!

I haven't received any such amount in interest and my better half (who does my accounts and SA and who is sh*t hot at it) will be contacting them today to find out what's what.

As a contractor, my alarm bells are ringing that this might be an attempt at a "foot-in-the-door" to an eventual IR35 investigation.

I've heard tales of HMRC going around the houses and asking seemingly random, unrelated questions in order to find an excuse to launch an investigation.

Or am I being unduly paranoid?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated

Thanks

[TheCoconutDog]

Do you have IPSE+ membership? If so, time to make a claim in your tax investigation insurance.

[SueEllen]

HMRC being weird = not paranoid

They simply could have got you mixed up with someone else but as their systems are never wrong it's up to you to prove it.

So if you have tax investigation insurance get in touch with the insurer. If you don't then start asking around for a very good accountant.

[MarillionFan]

(1) I had this before Xmas when HMRC stated they had noticed an issue with my 2012 and 2013 returns. Turns out my accountant had neglected to put my norminal Ltd company salary on my Self Assessment after I went permie.

I got hit for an extra 7k the week before Xmas. They gave me 3 weeks to pay. Which was nice.

(2) For 2014 I am owed 27k in tax back for a pension contribution. I put my SA in on the first week in April. It's now the 20th July and I still don't have my rebate. Having chased my accountant to chase HMRC again, she said that they'd checked a flag on my 2012/2013 and 2014 entries to say no money was due back and therefore had not paid it. Now it's been taken off for 2014, they wish to review the validity of my 2014 return.

They want theirs quickly, but can I get them to do it when they owe me! No.

[JB3000]

Morning,

Received a letter last week from HMRC saying they were questioning my self assessment for 2014 and that I hadn't declared that I'd received interest amounting to a 5-figure sum...!

I haven't received any such amount in interest and my better half (who does my accounts and SA and who is sh*t hot at it) will be contacting them today to find out what's what.

As a contractor, my alarm bells are ringing that this might be an attempt at a "foot-in-the-door" to an eventual IR35 investigation.

I've heard tales of HMRC going around the houses and asking seemingly random, unrelated questions in order to find an excuse to launch an investigation.

Or am I being unduly paranoid?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated

Thanks

You are probably being paranoid

Sounds like there is a glitch in the system at HMRC's end

If they wanted to investigate you for IR35 they would; they wouldn't invent a 5 figure interest payment because they now need to apologize to you for their error.

[TheFaQQer]

Do you have IPSE+ membership? If so, time to make a claim in your tax investigation insurance.

This.

If you have any form of investigation protection, this is the time to get them in now. Get it shut down before it gets worse.