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28th February 2011 - HMRC getting tougher on debtors

From Accounting Web http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/topic/tax/hmrc-gets-tougher-debtors/482868

With insolvency experts predicting an increase in company failures, evidence is emerging that HMRC is adopting a harder line on outstanding debts and voluntary agreements.

Baker Tilly insolvency practitioner David Hudson warned an Institute of Credit Management conference in London this week that with the indicators pointing towards more businesses at risk, the number of firms seeking company voluntary arrangements would increase in the coming months.

CVAs are based on legal agreements with creditors that allow the company to keep trading while paying off its debts. While many creditors continue to see advantages in allowing struggling companies to try and trade their way out of trouble, Hudson and other insolvency practitioners at the event offered evidence of a harder line emerging from HMRC, the country’s most influential trade creditor.

“A CVA is like a legal ‘time to pay’ arrangement to give the company a breathing space,” said Hudson. “Banks tend to like them because they should end up with a better return for creditors. It’s a means of saving the company, not punishing the directors.”

In the past, HMRC appeared to be a great supporter of CVAs, noted Tony Groom of K2 Business Rescue. Recently, however, he noted that the department has been rejecting CVA proposals that would have approved in the past.

“HMRC website guidelines to case officers indicate that they should attempt to get arrears repaid within 12 months with longer periods being the exception,” said Groom. “This may explain why HMRC is now rejecting more proposals because its objective is to maximise early repayment contributions for clearing VAT and PAYE arrears rather than accepting those that propose a realistic repayment schedule with lower early repayments.”

As well as tightening its stance on Time to Pay arrangements and CVAs, the tax deparment’s treatment of outstanding debts is likely to get tougher in a plan to outsource collection. Following a pilot scheme last year in which it engaged four agencies to collect £140m in debuts, the department has put a £30m-£70m outsourcing contract out for tender. Hudson predicted that the move would produce a more consistent, but tougher stance on outstanding tax debts.

“HMRC is not consistent across the board. In some situations it will be very aggressive, but in others it will give a company more time to deal with debt,” said Hudson.

“My views are that there will be better consistency if it outsources collection. The process is driven through profit and we believe that will make a more aggressive culture. Is that good for economy or bad?”

 

3rd January 2011 - VAT Increase

As you are no doubt aware, the rate of VAT changes tomorrow (4th January 2011) to 20% up from 17.5%. This is a huge blow for many people in business, companies and consumers who will all be hit by this increase.

Of course the papers are saying that consumers are going to be paying x amount of money more in a year but since this tax is relative to what you spend its really impossibe to say this. If you spend a lot on items other than food then yes it will cost you more. That also depends through on if companies and shops pass the increase on or absorb it in their margins. For example most things are rounded down from the pound, say £499.99. So will that tv cost tomorrow, £512.50? Food is zero rated as is childrens clothes etc so there should be no change there. Not saying there will be no change as we all know the dirty tactics big companies employ. However expect your household bills such as telephone, gas and electric to cost you more from the VAT rise.

People in business will suffer such as the local pub unless they increase their prices. However they only suffer the difference of 2.5% on their gross profit as they will claim back VAT from the tax man at the higher rate. So to enable these companies to make the same profits they will have to increase their charges.

The thing is we will all see prices rise in some way or other and the government has said the rise is here to stay. Countries such as Norway, Sweden, Denmark have a 25% rate. How long before we see the same here?

27th Dec 2010 - The New Online Fraud.

One of the biggest threats in 2010 came about from bogus companies phoning computers users at home, with an attempt to defraud, by tricking you into believing there is a serious virus with your computer.

The fraud starts off by the person claiming to be from Microsoft and a convincing call centre noise in the background helps with this illusion.

The person tells you that your computer has a serious virus or Trojan and your sensitive information such as passwords, logins and your credit card details is being accessed by crooks.

They say however to prove it they must find if this “bogus” file is on your computer.  They will guide you through a process asking you to open a command prompt (giving step by step instructions).  They give the name of the file that if found will prove your computer is infected.  However the file is on every windows operating system and will be found.  However by tricking you into saying this is the virus you believe that you really do have a virus and this friendly person phoning you is helping you.

Of course there is a fee.   They will ask for this fee to get rid of the virus and to protect in the future.  Once you give your credit card, that’s it.  They will ask for something small like £39.99.  However since they are operating outside the UK and from some country where the UK has no jurisdiction over, there is no chance of getting your money back.  Plus they will take as much as they can and not the amount stated.

The software given will no doubt be a virus itself with key logging information to record your keyboard strokes etc.  Since they are telling you what to do with command prompt etc they are probably taking over your computer already.

This info might be obvious to you but speak to your parents and friends to tell them about this as its the older people who are more vulnerable to this.

NO COMPANY WILL GENUINELY PHONE YOU FOR THIS.  I GET LOTS OF CALLS FROM PEOPLE PRETENDING TO BE MICROSOFT, GOOGLE, APPLE ETC AND THEY ARE ALL UP TO NO GOOD. A QUICK MENTION OF WHAT YOU HAVE READ HERE AND THEY WILL SOON PUT THE PHONE DOWN.

 

 

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