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Fee protection

Giving you peace of mind - Fee Protection as standard

From 1st April 2011 Beltons implemented a practice wide Fee Protection Scheme whereby we have insured our practice to cover any additional fees incurred as a result of an HMRC enquiry or investigation.

Beltons started offering Fee Protection against the cost of HMRC enquiries in April 2011, and the reaction from clients has been positive.  We’ve also seen recent indicators that HMRC will be increasing the amount of routine enquiries they undertake in an effort to recover more tax from existing taxpayers, and we understand they will be putting in extra resources in a bid to meet Treasury targets.

Therefore, we’re keen that not just some but ALL of our clients have the Fee Protection so that no one experiences the unforeseeable cash flow hit of the cost of an enquiry.  As a result of the low cost and obvious benefits we had a fairly unanimous take up of the scheme and, to that end, have decided that we shall roll the scheme out to ALL clients with effect from 1st April 2012.

Why have a Fee Protection scheme?

Anyone who pays tax can come under scrutiny and every year HMRC starts enquiries into thousands of personal and business tax returns and accounts. VAT and PAYE payments are also thoroughly checked. The aim in every case is to collect more tax.

Tax investigations of one sort or another are on the increase, whether these investigations relate to Income Tax, Corporation Tax, P.A.Y.E., National Insurance or V.A.T. Revenue and Customs are diverting time and resources to investigations and the additional tax generated from these is significant, with the professional costs of defense rising.

Going forward HMRC will have new powers regarding ‘information requests’ and are able to visit business premises to inspect records in connection with ALL aspects of your tax affairs, and in recent times there has been an increase in the number of clients whose tax returns are investigated or disputed, regardless of their size or income status.

Most enquiries are generated by computer ‘risk profiling’ and many are selected completely at random. As a result HMRC sometimes picks the wrong targets. Even if you have done nothing wrong, the taxman will not give up and will still try hard to find errors.

Anyone who has undergone an HMRC investigation will testify to the benefits of inexpensive Fee Protection insurance cover.

 What does the Fee Protection Scheme cover?

 ·         Corporation Tax Self Assessment Full & Aspect Enquiries

 ·         Income Tax Self Assessment Full & Aspect Enquiries 

·         Business Inspection Notices under Schedule 36 (Interventions) 

·         PAYE/NIC Employer Compliance Visits and Disputes 

·         IR35 Disputes & CIS Disputes 

·         VAT Visits and Disputes 

·         Business Record Checks (BRC’s) Visits and Resulting Correspondence  

·         Repayment Claims 

·         Special Civil Investigations and Judicial Review (£5,000 indemnity) 

·         Any written enquiry from HMRC

The questions asked by HMRC are usually very detailed and time-consuming to answer. The costs of defending you can be expensive, even if little or no extra tax is paid at the end of the enquiry. Our Fee Protection Scheme covers our costs incurred defending you in the event of an enquiry so you don’t have to pay us yourself. 

In addition to the Fee Protection Scheme, you will also have access to a telephone helpline where experienced consultants can answer your queries on Employment matters and Health and Safety queries.

What is not covered? 

·         Routine compliance work e.g. preparing your tax return 

·         Overseeing HMRC whilst they review your records 

·         Outstanding taxes, penalties, interest or any other amounts due to HMRC 

·         Defence of criminal prosecution cases or serious fraud enquiries 

·         Fees relating to pre-existing tax enquiries.

 For more information please contact us.