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Is IPSE Plus membership worth the extra cost for the initial tax investigation cover?

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    Is IPSE Plus membership worth the extra cost for the initial tax investigation cover?

    I've been a Standard member of IPSE (previously PCG) for many years, mainly because of the tax investigation cover peace of mind.

    My IPSE renewal is due up soon and although I'm probably going to close my company down in the coming months, I'm wondering if it's worth upgrading my membership for the next few years for extra peace of mind.

    The only extra benefit I'm interested in with Plus membership is that it means the first correspondence with HMRC is included should you be unlucky enough to get one of those tax investigation letters. I know this can save a lot of grief if it can be dealt with in the right way from the very first response.

    However, worst case if you need to engage Merkel tax directly and independently of IPSE to help with that first response (and you've got the support of IPSE Standard membership anyway if it progresses). Would it actually cost that much to pay Merkel tax directly yourself for that first response help?

    If you factor in this probably fairly insignificant initial cost and the probability of being hit with an investigation, it's probably not worth paying the extra £108 per year? Again assuming you are not interested in the extra benefits of Plus membership, which I'm not.

    Anyone actually had to pay for this kind of initial help with Merkel tax (or similar) and have a rough idea of cost?

    Also let me know if I've missed anything or oversimplified anything based on the above scenario?

    Thanks
    Last edited by Scoooby; 26 April 2020, 18:31. Reason: not sure if tags need to be case sensitive

    #2
    I haven't paid for the first letter as I was a plus member when I had an enquiry. It's also worth looking at another provider like Qdos if you only want specific products rather than subsidise the whole membership package.

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      #3
      Good question. I think I put through enough in shopping vouchers to offset a lot of it and the tax cover got me out of a lengthy investigation with both myself and my accountants.
      ⭐️ Gold Star Contractor

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        #4
        Merkel tax.....? I must have missed that lesson
        This default font is sooooooooooooo boring and so are short usernames

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          #5
          Originally posted by MPwannadecentincome View Post
          Merkel tax.....? I must have missed that lesson
          Suppliers to IPSE, not the German chancellor

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            #6
            Investigated by who exactly? Not in the next year as they all have been reassigned


            Sent from my iPhone using Contractor UK Forum

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              #7
              Merkel = Abbey with new badge AFAIK

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                #8
                Originally posted by mudskipper View Post
                Merkel = Abbey with new badge AFAIK
                ISTR Merkel=Abbey with new owners: the original Abbey team is still in place.
                Blog? What blog...?

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                  #9
                  ah that explains it then TY!

                  I am on IPSE plus, simply just to have some protection against any HMRC investigation. The alternative was QDOS but I never really did a proper comparison between the two and as an IPSE member already I upgraded my membership a few years ago. I did phone for some advice on the new IR35 rules a few months ago (I had an overseas client before they clarified that rule) so I spoke to someone from the Abbey team and they gave me some advice but not sure if I was able to do that as a basic IPSE member or not.
                  This default font is sooooooooooooo boring and so are short usernames

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by GhostofTarbera View Post
                    Investigated by who exactly? Not in the next year as they all have been reassigned


                    Sent from my iPhone using Contractor UK Forum
                    HMRC may still investigate normal contracts under previous rules or public sector contracts.
                    This default font is sooooooooooooo boring and so are short usernames

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