Can I avoid a tax investigation?
Introduction So the return is in, and we can breathe a sigh of relief, but is it all over? We are often being asked this question “What chance is there that I get investigated by HMRC?” The truth is that you cannot entirely eliminate the risk of getting investigated, but you can minimise it. Some clarification First we need to tidy up the terminology! The word “investigation” is emotive. It suggests that the person selected is guilty of some misdemeanour, or even a crime! HMRC use various words on their website, and in their literature to describe the same thing. You might have a “check”, an “enquiry” or a “review”. All of these simply mean HMRC want to check that you are paying the correct amount of tax, and at the correct time. Time limits Generally, HMRC have 12 months from the date the return is filed to open an…
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