Errors in self-assessment cost UK taxpayers 319 million
ERRORS IN SELF-ASSESSMENT COST UK TAXPAYERS 319 MILLION AND POOR RECORD-KEEPING COULD COST UP TO 3,000 MORE EACH
- Visit www.taketaxaction.co.uk or call 0800 085 3250 to find a local IFA to help you sort out your finances -
In less than 20 days the Inland Revenue deadline for submitting your self assessment return on time passes; after September 30th the Inland Revenue can no longer guarantee that your calculations will be done for you by the deadline of January 31st. Research from IFA Promotion reveals that making this deadline will avoid taxpayer costs of 319 million this year alone.
This amount does not even account for the total we waste through the self assessment scheme, with overall fines set to top 487 million this year alone. In addition to this, annual penalties of up to 3,000 a year may be charged for each year in which inadequate records of taxpayers’ incomes are kept. Personal records should be kept for a period of 22 months after the tax year to which they relate (five years if the taxpayer is self employed).
David Elms, Chief Executive of IFA Promotion, said, “After September 30th, the pressure increases on individuals to ensure their forms are completed accurately and in before the January 31st final deadline or face substantial fines. An IFA can help you take control of your finances and plan them tax-efficiently, simplifying the process for you or your accountant to complete the self assessment forms accurately and on time. This will help you avoid financial penalties and prevent the taxman acquiring more of your hard-earned cash.”
For more information on self-assessment and avoiding tax waste, visit IFA Promotion’s dedicated website at www.taketaxaction.co.uk. The site contains tips on how to save tax, an online tax wastage calculator, and a guide to saving tax. You can also find details of local IFAs on the site or by calling 0800 085 3250.
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For further information please contact:
IFA Promotion | |
020 7833 3131 |
For expert comment or case studies from over 200 media-friendly IFAs, journalists should call IFA Promotion’s Media Services hotline on 020 7294 3682 or search online in ‘Media’ at www.unbiased.co.uk
1. Independent Financial Adviser Promotion
IFA Promotion was established in 1989 to promote the value and accessibility of independent financial advice to the public. It represents around 9,000 firms of independent financial advisers across the UK and is sponsored by 31 leading financial institutions. In the past 12 months, over 530,000 consumers and businesses used IFA Promotion to find local independent financial advice.
IFA Promotion believes Independent financial advice should be:
Affordable. The option to take independent financial advice should be available, by right, to all- not just the wealthiest in society.
Convenient. IFAs should be available in the location of the consumer’s choice, wherever they live in the UK.
Transparent. It must be clearly transparent to consumers who is able to offer independent financial advice and who is not.
2. Independent Financial Adviser Promotion’s sponsors
Aberdeen Asset Management | Mortgage Express |
Abbey | National Savings & Investments |
AXA Life | NatWest Business Banking |
Bright Grey | New Star Investment Funds |
BUPA Health Services | Norwich Union Life |
Canada Life Ltd | Prudential |
The Children’s Mutual | Scottish Equitable Plc |
Clerical Medical Investment | Scottish Life |
Defaqto | Scottish Life International |
Friends Provident | Scottish Widows Plc |
GE Life | Skandia UK Group |
GMAC Residential Funding | Standard Life Assurance Company |
INVESCO Fund Managers Ltd | Unum Provident |
Legal & General | Webline Limited |
London Mortgage Company | Zurich Intermediary Group |
Lincoln Financial Group |
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