Overview
Most firms of accountants deal with everyday tax advice and compliance for their clients. However, few have much experience of dealing with HMRC investigations.
It is very easy to make an error in dealing with a tax investigation which has detrimental consequences for the client, even in cases where there is nothing wrong with their tax affairs. For example, if unlimited information is provided to HMRC, they will almost invariably find questions to ask about the data provided. Before providing any information or documentation to HMRC it is always better to ascertain exactly what information HMRC are entitled to receive, and then present this in such a way that it helps to bring the tax investigation to a close rather than opening up new aspects for HMRC to explore.
Many tax investigations, particularly the more serious cases where HMRC suspects tax fraud or tax evasion are time-consuming and most accountancy practices do not have the resources to deal with these cases without it adversely affecting the rest of their client base.
How WLH Tax can help
WLH Tax is a specialist tax investigation firm. We do not deal with the preparation of tax returns or business accounts. We therefore have no interest in taking clients away from their existing advisers. We already work with many firms of accountants who seek our advice on tax disputes affecting their clients.
Lawyers are often involved when dealing with HMRC, either because their clients have come to them for advice because they do not have a tax adviser, or because the tax matter is beyond the knowledge or experience of their usual tax advisers. WLH Tax can provide specialist advice in disputes with HMRC, working with the legal advisers to achieve the best result for the client.
WLH Tax is there to help other advisers to deal with HMRC, ranging from providing advice on particular aspects of a dispute with HMRC to managing a tax investigation. The level of our involvement is up to the taxpayer and the agent to decide.
We can make our involvement known to HMRC but, if you prefer, we can draft letters for the accountant to send to HMRC under their own firm’s name.
If you are an accountant, lawyer or other professional intermediary and you or your client have tax issues that you want to discuss then please contact us for a free, confidential and no obligation discussion. We are happy to have an initial free of charge meeting with professional intermediaries to discuss how we can assist your clients.