Advice to HMRC: amnesties only work if you publicise them.In the view of many tax professionals the last amnesty for offshore account holders was not advertised nearly enough.
This time round, with a new amnesty being proposed for offshore account holders, the professionals want a pro active advertising campaign rather than just a posting on the HMRC website.
Tax does have to be taxing.
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The financial press are all over the HMRC website, so it was widely publicised in the papers and by the BBC. As the accountancy publications also drew attention to it, advisors should also have know about it - Taxation magazine barely talked about anything else for 6 months!
ReplyDeleteWhat do you want - HMRC to advertise the next amnesty on telly? How much would that cost? As an employee subject to PAYE who doesn't have the option to evade or avoid tax, why should I be paying to alert evaders to the fact that they have a chance to get away with paying penalties? It's not my problem if they don't read the papers or if their accountant isn't on the ball!
Before the next amnesty how about the prosecutions from the first one that we were promised? We were assured that in accordance with HMRC Policy those in a position of authority or simply who ought to have known better would be prosecuted - to date I have not seen one prosecution. There are rumours within HMRC that MPs and even senior officials with or formerly with HMRC are also involved. Surely thsese people should not be granted an amnesty but should be prosecuted and removed from Public life. Or is it one rule for the rich one for the poor?
ReplyDeleteCome on you long suffering lot in HMRC if the top brass want to cover it up lets have a leak!!
I bet Smith and Jones didn't have to pay tax. More proof that the Wild West was one of the most enlightened societies mankind has ever produced. What's wrong with shooting people you disagree with anyway? Political correctness gone mad.
ReplyDelete