Being investigated by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC – formerly called the Inland Revenue) can be a worrying and financially painful experience. If this is happening to you, or if you wish to make a voluntary disclosure – perhaps under the Liechtenstein Disclosure Facility (LDF) – you need experienced professional help on your side as soon as possible. You can get help from us today whether you have just received the first threatening letter - or if you have been struggling to deal with HMRC yourself. And if you have an existing tax advisor or accountant, we can easily take over all aspects of the enquiry, or work alongside them or behind the scenes without disturbing your existing day-to-day relationship.

British Taxpayers can help you with any type of HMRC tax enquiry, whether you have made an accidental oversight or innocent error in your tax returns, or if there might be a more serious problem which the HMRC might see as tax avoidance, evasion – or even tax fraud. It makes no difference whether you have been approached by a local tax office or a specialist civil investigations office (working under Code of Practice 9 "COP9") – we handle all types of investigations on a regular basis and can get the investigation settled quickly and easily.

What is worrying to you can be straightforward to us; and with our technical skills and experience at reducing HMRC’s demands for extra income tax or capital gains tax – and penalties – you can rely on us to minimise the financial pain.

All our work is dealt with on a completely confidential basis, and without making any judgements about what you have done or not done in the past. Whether things have gone wrong accidentally or deliberately, British Taxpayers will ease all of your concerns about dealing with HMRC, present your case in the best possible light, and negotiate the lowest possible settlement.

There are different types of investigation. Some can be simple. Others, conducted by Compliance, Expatriate, or Offshore Co-ordination Units or the specialist Civil Investigation of Fraud offices, can be far-reaching. If not handled expertly, all are sure to cause you a lot of heartache, a large hole in your pocket, and - in the most serious cases - carry the risk of prosecution if things go really wrong.

A few investigations start as random Audits, but the majority are prompted by entries on your tax return (or lack of them). Others are prompted by information received from third parties (including overseas banks and tax authorities) and even neighbours, relations, "friends" or colleagues who might become anonymous informers.

However straightforward the initial questions may be, you must always remember that the HMRC is trying to find out if you owe any additional tax, plus interest and a financial penalty (which can be up to 200% of the tax due). As the HMRC has a 20-year time limit in most cases, a small adjustment can add up to a very large figure over time.

Although the HMRC has considerable legal powers, its conduct can be carefully regulated and, even if there is a problem with your tax returns, there is considerable scope to negotiate a settlement which may be far lower than the HMRC's initial demands. And this is especially true if you make a Voluntary Disclosure before the HMRC starts investigating your affairs. This is where the Liechtenstein Disclosure Facility (LDF) can be useful, avoiding a tax bill for years before 1999/2000 and limiting penalties to 10%.

If your returns are correct, then the HMRC's demands have to be rejected using the correct legal and factual arguments, and perhaps followed up with a claim for compensation.

If you get caught up in a tax investigation, call Geoff Adams
on 01403 271919 to get immediate advice on what you should and should not say and do.

TEL: 01403 271919

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