Form 12 taking over 9 months to be processed - no communication from Revenue

C

Cilar

Registered User
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Hello,

I usually make large AVC contribution for the previous tax year the October deadline (through form 12 return). Last year, it took Revenue until July 2019 to ask for a proof of the AVC contribution (and health expenses) for the return I made in Oct 2018. It took a number of communication on my side to make them "wake up". I even opened an official complain that was left ignored.

Same issue this year - no communication so far from Revenue for the form12 tax return made in October 2019 for tax year 2018.

Is this normal? Is there a time limit that Revenue would have to comply with to process form 12 returns by law? Obviously Revenue is charging 8% interest on payment being made late, so that should work in both way?
 
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How did you file the form 12? Online via my account or a paper return? Have you sent an enquiry via MyAccount to see what the dealt is. Turn around time for an answer is about 2 days at the moment.
 
Online for the form 12 via my account. All enquiries are done online as well ;/
 
Cilar said:
Online for the form 12 via my account. All enquiries are done online as well ;/
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If everything is in order, returns via MyAccount are processed automatically within 48 hours. Some are stopped for specific reasons or some random checks bit whatever the reason it was stopped, there's no reason for this long a delay. What have Revenue told you is the issue?
 
They never told me why it took so long for them to "wake up" last year - that's the whole issue. They came back out of the blue in July 2019 with a standard letter asking for proof of the AVC without addressing my question on why this is taking so long, and after that the refund was finally processed. Exact same issue this year... Really frustrating. Surely there must be some law protecting normal people? That would push back more than one doing additional AVC contributions in the future.
 
Cilar said:
They never told me why it took so long for them to "wake up" last year - that's the whole issue. They came back out of the blue in July 2019 with a standard letter asking for proof of the AVC without addressing my question on why this is taking so long, and after that the refund was finally processed. Exact same issue this year... Really frustrating. Surely there must be some law protecting normal people? That would push back more than one doing additional AVC contributions in the future.
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The delay is unacceptable. Your claim for tax relief for your AVC if it hadn't automatically processed within 48 hours should been reviewed by a staff member within a few weeks. If proof of the AVC was required, a request for documentation should have issued at that stage.
Create a new MyEnquiries to Revenue requesting an update within 7 days as to the reason for the delay and what exactly is required to process your AVC claim? Request a HEO review your case and provide you with an explanation for the delay.
 
Unusually long delay. I did have to wait 6 weeks for 2019 refund I requested in January, but they had some systems issues with the phase out of P60s and year end is a busy time for them anyway.

One tip: immediately after doing your return, submit proof of AVC to My Enquiries including the reference number from your tax return; this avoids a few more days faffing about when they're actually ready to process your refund.

Aside: for off payroll AVCs made this year I've heard I can ask Revenue to adjust my 2020 tax credits to get tax relief now, rather than waiting untli my tax return in January. Has anyone done that?
 
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