Wood & Co

Helping you add value to your Business

Enquiries/Investigations

With enquiry/investigation work becoming ever more complex a substantial knowledge of all disciplines of tax work is highly desirable. Since the merger of HM Customs & Excise with the Inland Revenue to form the new organisation HMRC, the wrong thing said at the wrong time can be extremely expensive for taxpayers. Specialist assistance and advice is now being more widely sought than ever.

District Enquiries/Investigations

Three types of enquiry:

Cases can be handled either by one or a team of Investigators. In addition it may also involve joint working with VAT specialist Inspector.

Not the most pleasant of experiences for the majority of taxpayers. Self Assessment enquiries opened by Section 9A notice with no reason being given from the outset of what, if any, problems the Inland Revenue feel exist. There can be clues in what HMRC is asking for and it's important at this stage to carry out a full review of the taxpayers business and personal situation. In addition specialist advice should be considered at this early stage.

Special Compliance Office (SCO) Investigations 

One of the most unpleasant experiences taxpayers are likely to come across. In addition, the experience can be equally traumatic for the professional advisor concerned. Handled by senior investigators, cases reaching SCO usually involve fraud and substantial tax irregularities with monetary settlements usually in excess of £100,000. It is absolutely crucial that specialist advice is sought at the initial stages. The case will normally be opened at a meeting involving the client being read the Hansard extract which sets out HMRC's practice in cases involving fraud. Five questions will be posed by HMRC and it's important the correct replies are given, failure may lead to prosecution. A full written report on business and personal activities will then be required from the taxpayer for years that SCO decide, this will often be drawn up by a specialist in this field.

Key Benefits

For further information e-mail us at investigations@taxsolutions.co.uk

Send email to tacslimited@taxsolutions.co.uk with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: November 20, 2009

Wood & Co is the trading name of Tax and Compliance Support Limited a company registered in England & Wales. Registration No. 3791638. Registered Office - 45 Grasmere Road, Chestfield, Whitstable, Kent. CT5 3NA

Registered with the Association of Taxation Technicians for the purposes of anti-money laundering legislation