tax returns when ill

Jon Snow said:

No, they can insist on being given whatever books & records exist, in whatever format they exist. I'd say there's crossed wires there - most people with a business of any kind of size will use excel or bookkeeping software to prepare their books, so the tax official will want the soft copy of such a record, rather than a printout.

I'm in no way suggesting no Revenue officer has ever been mean or intimidating to a taxpayer, but I'm very conscious that we only have one part of a story here.

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I'm not getting you in relation to a record versus a printout. For example I put all my rental records in excel, and then in my paper file I have my receipts and my bank statements and that's it. I'd have to show that if asked by revenue, but I woudn't have to put it into a different format to suit them. The poster here seems to put all his records into paper accountancy books but was asked to put them into excel. Apparently.

Agreed we've only one side of the story, but I've negotiated with high handed revenue officials back in the day and I've had relations take them on etc. There is a world of difference explaining your rights to disclose versus threatening and intimidating and some officials do take it too far.

25euronote said:

This post will be deleted if not edited immediately wept. I got a bill of 2,200 from the auditors for the rental of a cubicle in their office for one day. A senior partner walked in on the meeting introduced him self and left. There was no further interaction. When I queried this bill (bear in mind the revenue spent day 2 in my house) I was told that I should have had insurance to cover the cost of a revenue audit.
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I didn't know one could have insurance for an audit. I'd have gone to my solicitor if presented with a bill for €2200 if they did no work. Surely the accountants bill must show something on it, what does it say? It seems from your reply that it's for work on a revenue audit. They are your accountants so they must have been dealing with revenue for you?

Also sounds like a big firm if it's got cubicles and senior partners etc.

T McGibney said:

Such a bill makes no sense. I'd love to see it. I can't see any insurer paying it either - they're not mugs. You could have hired a hotel room for €100.

Did the accounting firm leave you alone with the Inspector in this cubicle, without any of their staff present, for the entire duration of the audit interview?

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I agree with you Tommy and he said it was not just a meeting but a full day in the accountancy office and again in his house. That wouldn't be normal, to meet with revenue for an audit without your accountant being present the whole time, I can't see how that can be.

And it seems there is actual revenue audit insurance? How much does this cost and who would need it and for what do they pay out?

Yes.
Im not paying it. Thats not the issue. What makes it more galling is I served my time with two of the partners and considered them friends. (dont ask)

I know I could have hired a hotel room. I did not want the revenue coming to my house so I asked if I could meet them in the accountants office. Subsequently the revenue told me they were coming to my house anyway. I ended up owing them 500 quid. I was told that there investigation of me in the lead up to the audit and the month after the audit would have cost in the region of 10k.

T McGibney said:

Relax, the issue of "false declarations" rarely arise in routine small sole trader audits. The emphasis, both in the Code of Practice for Revenue Audit and in real life situations, is on co-operation with the Inspector who completes the audit. Once you co-operate reasonably with the Inspector, and particularly as there are outside extenuating factors in your case, you should be fine in that regard.

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Thanks. These posts are actually putting a little clarity in my head.

25euronote said:

Thanks. These posts are actually putting a little clarity in my head.

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I'm glad you said that 25Euronote as you did to me by PM and the guys on here have been a great help to you. I think you need to get this behind you now and I'd switch to a smaller accountancy practice. Perhaps with one of the accountants on here once your mess is sorted. I've hired a professional from here myself and it's been brilliant.

Bronte said:

I didn't know one could have insurance for an audit. I'd have gone to my solicitor if presented with a bill for €2200 if they did no work. Surely the accountants bill must show something on it, what does it say? It seems from your reply that it's for work on a revenue audit. They are your accountants so they must have been dealing with revenue for you?

Also sounds like a big firm if it's got cubicles and senior partners etc.

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Its a big enough firm. There was a massive move to new premises with a complete refurb., just as the recession broke.

I think thats where the fee was going.

Anyway when I get it sorted Ill be changing accountants. Interestingly revenue are copying them on all correspondence, but they have yet to contact me other that to ask when I might be making a payment on my account.