Visit to a consultant (in his "rooms" ) Cash only No cheques,no laser cards,no visa ?
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truthseeker
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Any consultant Ive ever seen who insists on cash only I always assume is scamming the tax man. Getting a receipt is no proof of legitimacy, who do you think in revenue is going through everyone in the countries MED 1's and collecting up all the receipts for Consultant X and counting how many appointments he gave a receipt for compared to how many appointments are in his computer? Not to mention that not everyone sends in Med 1s - and even when you do send it in, you dont have to send the receipts with it - so only a few get checked each year. So no one in revenue knows what Mr Consultant is up to with his cash only business except his (probably handsomely paid and fully declared to be paid) accountant.
My old GP worked solely in cash, only gave a hand written receipt when you specifically asked for one, you had to pay her and not the receptionist, they had nothing on computer (so, annoyingly if you lost a receipt they wouldnt re-issue) and would sometimes make up prices - but nowhere was any of it recorded. I also discovered that they occasioally 'forgot' to update the medical records after a visit. Tax evasion? I personally thought so.
My old GP worked solely in cash, only gave a hand written receipt when you specifically asked for one, you had to pay her and not the receptionist, they had nothing on computer (so, annoyingly if you lost a receipt they wouldnt re-issue) and would sometimes make up prices - but nowhere was any of it recorded. I also discovered that they occasioally 'forgot' to update the medical records after a visit. Tax evasion? I personally thought so.
What does this mean?
I think that's a fair assumption.
Mrs. Purple’s old accountant said she was mad to declare all her income for tax. He said she must be the only GP in Ireland doing it. I’m sure that’s not the case but the practice is widespread. It’s a non-VAT registered cash business where very few customers ask for a receipt. It's strange that you need a tax clearance cert to be a taxi driver but not to be a doctor (or lawyer for that matter).
T McGibney
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This post will be deleted if not edited immediately wept.
truthseeker
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Sorry, bad english from me.
What that meant was that the accountants for these people are no doubt paid well and that payment is no doubt declared in full in the books should anyone wish to look and see - whatever about the income!
I can easily see how the income is massaged any way they want it.
I dont doubt for a minute that what Purple (or Purples wifes accountant) says is true.
You get a different feel when you are passed back out to a receptionist to pay and a receipt gets printed and there is a proper cash drawer of some sort. Every extra person involved in the transaction increases the risk of someone talking to revenue and certainly gives more of an impression of things being above board. My old GP would ask you for the money in the surgery and used to look for change in her own purse sometimes - no one except yourself and herself saw the money change hands or knew how much was charged.
Mr Consultant is getting wise. I remember a few years ago refusing to pay a bill because I was less than 2 minutes and did not have time to sit down, all he wanted to tell me was my test was OK, which he could have done over the phone. Instead I had to take time off work and pay another consultancy bill, ( I paid the first one)
This is so funny Tommy because the other day when I said an accountant told someone not to notify revenue of two pensions that the accountant told them to let speeping dogs lie either your or Mandelbrot didn't believe me. Or thought it wasn't a proper accountant.
There is only one reason consultants are demanding cash only and that's to avoid tax.
Truthseeker, revenue can cross check one or two surely and that put the onus on the consultant. In any case don't revenue know that they are raking in thousands in an afternoon surgery session. Would be real easy to check their tax returns.
As an aside, can't believe you have to pay 200€ for 5 to 15 minutes or TWO minutes in the case of Roker. It's unreal.
Here's how revenue could ensure the system was properly regulated, all receipts would have to be of a standard type with an invoice number. So if you have a book with number 1 to 50 you have to have the back foil of who paid you and how much and be able to show that to revenue.
T McGibney
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Hi
I didn't say I didn't believe you. I did say...
I wonder was this a real accountant or a Bertie-type character who calls themselves an 'accountant' because they once worked in an office
Please be 100% assured that this was never intended as a cut at you - if it came across as such, I unreservedly apologise. I just wondered about the mentality of an 'accountant' that would advise a pensioner to say nothing about an untaxed pension, while knowing full well that this sort of thing is very easy for Revenue to detect. Frankly, the 'advice' sounded like the sort of amateur barstool garbage that would be immediately dismissed as nonsense if uttered by the village idiot, but which gains credence if it comes from an 'accountant' or 'legal expert', self-styled or otherwise. Of course there are plenty of 'real' accountants' and 'legal experts' who could say this, and a lot worse, but that I thought that went without saying.
's story of his wife's old 'accountant' was equally bizarre. Sounds like the Scrap Saturday lampooning of a certain female ex-politician (allegedly) offering what she termed 'high flying financial advice'
That's not true. I gave a perfectly plausible explanation as to why the consultant wants to be paid in cash and it has nothing to do with Revenue or tax at all.
SouthDoc, the out of hours GP service in Cork does the same - never understood why, as you're likely to be going there at strange times, not pre-planned, and may not have cash with you. People have to leave and drive to a nearby garage at all hours to get out cash to pay.
I presume as this is LOS you're being tongue in cheek. Your post was in no way felt as a cut at me.
T McGibney
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Thanks - I was worried earlier
I've also seen the "cash only" consultant - 3 visits, each less than 10 minutes, 180 euro first time round, 120 for repeats.
The room that the consultant used was one that's shared by several consultants in a particular hospital (I've seen another consultant in the same room). There are no secretaries on site - they work elsewhere. Using shared space could be a reason for not accepting cards, whatever about not accepting cheques?
The room that the consultant used was one that's shared by several consultants in a particular hospital (I've seen another consultant in the same room). There are no secretaries on site - they work elsewhere. Using shared space could be a reason for not accepting cards, whatever about not accepting cheques?
As with other service providers, if you are not satisfied with the terms and conditions, find another service provider.
Not really the point of the discussion though, is it?