Revenue mistake overpaid me

W

wizardsleeve

Guest
I put in a tax return and got a rebate. I have received a letter from the Revenue stating that I was overpaid by over €3,800 and that I must return the funds within 21 days. The fault was theirs. I used the money to pay off several banks and credit cards and I spent a bit on nights out and clothes. I've got about €1,000 left and am really living on the bread-line as it stands. I earn about €2k net per month but have most of that taken up in overheads - rent, transport, wife and baby.

I am living in Germany at the moment, don't have the money to pay them back and feel aggrieved that it was their fault.

What are my options here?
 
Also, the letter is dated 5th July and arrived today, 19th July, giving me seven days to pay them.
 

Normally revenue would try to avoid taken any blame even if their error. How was such a refund overpaid.

What caused it?

Who filed the tax return for you?

How did this issue come to light?

Are they correct now?

You can get them to reduce your tax credits going forward if going to work in Ireland again?

Outline the full facts to get a more accurate answer
 
I did the tax return via revenue online. I got two rebates for two different amounts. They claim that it is a duplicate but I can't see how two different amounts can be a duplicate. One was paid by cheque and the other by electronic transfer. Of course they want the larger amount back! I had submitted returns for a period of 21 months, spanning three different years. The cheque came first, I had my mum lodge it. The transfer second.

I don't even know if they are correct now! Are they negotiable?

I will obviously work in Ireland at some point in the future but I don't intend to in the short term.
 

are you saying you filed 3 tax returns? 2009/2008/2007

If paye/prsi- Did you hit paye credit box?


Do you know yourself what the correct tax amount is?

Were you self employed?

What did you claim that you might not have been entitled to?
 
No, I have no idea what the correct tax amount is but I only worked for part of 2007 and 2009 and worked the whole of 2008.

I was a full time PAYE worker in the bank throughout this time.

I didn't claim for much other than allowance to have the bank uniform dry cleaned.

Anyway, I am where I am. If I am honest, I probably knew that I should have researched two different payments a bit more but deluded myself, hoping for the best.

How do I go about paying them if I don't have the money and am not working in the state?

Can I appeal their decision?

Must they take any of the blame?
 

Firstly make certain you owe it back

Want to take out the three assessments and try to calulate what is due and if your short any credits etc(maybe put figures up here and some one will calulate)

Need to Know from assessment each year

gross
tax credits(list name and amount)
tax deducted

Also tied the refund to the year and see why their is a difference.

To repay- Reduce tax credits/ Agree to pay back so much a month

Did you claim paye credit as well as single credit and rent credit if applicable

Honestly from exper they see it as self assessment and they rarely take any blame at all. Appealing it I think would make little difference

You could contact them and explain situation and push them on error on their part, and come to some arrangement.
 
I lived with my parents so didn't claim any rent relief or mortgage relief.

I am convinced now that I owe it so I guess it is just a case of coming to an agreement.

Would they take a part settlement?
 
Ask for clarification before you do anything.

What returns did you submit? I would have thought you would have been looking for a balancing statement before submitting any forms - that should have identified how much you were due.
 
Is there any fines in the amount that they are looking for. I have agreed with them a number of times that all my payments are up to date and they turn around and send me a bill for a late return which was done on line by my accountants (Supposedly) We come to an agreement with one guy and the slate is clean and then it starts all over again.
 

No, it just says

"It has come to my attention that a duplicate refund of tax for the amount €xxx issued to you on the date for the above mentioned year.

As this refund was issued to you in error, please now forward a cheque for the amount of €XXX within 21 days of the date of this letter."

and signed by someone whose job title is HEO.

I don't want to put down the date or the amount in case the Revenue will trace me by doing that.

It is not a duplicate in my eyes as the two amounts paid were different.
 
The duplication could be to do with very slightly different amounts of interest being repaid to you. Are the amounts very similar but not identical?

Firstly you need to be 100% sure that you have been overpaid. DO NOT accept Revenue's word for it. Check the figures yourself or have someone else do it for you.

Secondly, it is going to be next to near impossible for Revenue to get this money back from you without legal recourse so don't succumb to any pressure from them. Germany are not going to extradite you for a €3,800 debt owed to Irish Revenue!

Contact Revenue and explain the situation:

1. It was their fault that you were overpaid. You didn't know that the figures were wrong and you have spent some of the money.

2. You are willing to repay them the amounts owing but that you don't have the money at the moment to be able to pay it as a lump sum so you want to pay via an instalment arrangement.

3. Don't accept any interest & penalties that they want to charge if you do enter into an instalment arrangement.

Don't let them bully you
 

Thanks DB. My worry is that if I can't deal with it that they get a judgement against me in my absence and when I next pass through Dublin airport I'll be arrested and thrown in the 'joy!

I want to come to a fair agreement but bullying is what I am worried about. It clearly states on the letter that an error has been made so I am hoping that that might go in my favour.
 
Like Wizard, I just received a demand six days later than the date on the letter/demand thus reducing the 14 days to resolve the matter, now I have 8 days....

I have been out of work for almost two years, been means tested and receiving min job seekers allowance. I have no way of paying the amount (over 1600) and I am worried.

The Rev say I got tax refund on the double and they want it back. I will cantact the company who made the last return and see if they can help resolve.

Any info on how I can get the Revenue to see my situation would help. Thanks
 
Same with me as well. Just got the letter in the door from yesterday. Its for 2007 and they are looking for 1170 back. What I can't understand is that I completed a form 11 for that year and actually got a refund from them. Now they are saying that it was a mistake and want it back!!
 

Want to get copy of orginal assessment for 2007 and compare to amended/new assessment for 2007- Identify the differences and why they have arose. make sure that you are not missing any credits

also advise compare credits/bands you had on 2007 tax credits/bands cert against what you put on tax return

must be doing some check now, if you are third person on this forum to get a letter.

maybe get them to reduce your tax credits going forward to cover
 
Same thing happened to me in Jan/Feb this year - gets a cheque for 1100. Happy days. Spent it in a heartbeat. Few weeks later I got a letter stating I was refunded in error and they are adjusting my Tax Credits for 2010, 2011 and 2012 to make up for it. I could see where the error had occurred (their fault) so all was above board.

I didn't need to contact them or anything, spreading the repayment over 3 years was/is grand as far as I'm concerned.
 
I have received the details from Revenue and it would appear that the overpayment was made. They have only provided the return for 2008 and not 2009 and they paid out two different amounts.

They want €3,800 off me which I do not have. I used their payments to me to reduce debts. As I was what is classed as a "bad debt" with AIB and have debt outstanding with them I will not be able to borrow more.

I am not resident in the state but will periodically go back.

I am at my wits' end worrying now about this.

They want me to re-do a tax return for 2009 before they will listen to any appeal.

Can anyone give me any good advice about this as to which way to go? I could maybe rustle up €1,000.
 

From reading back on the post from start, I dont think it is fully clarified whether you owe it(Dont take revenue word for it)

Why do they want 2009 redone?

I felt you need a copy of 2007 assessment, 2008 assessment and 2009 assessment

them

Get someone who fully understands tax assessmnts to check each assessment for you(They might spot something you have missed).

If due:

What is the max amount you can afford to repay a month

or

pay €500 euro down as a goodwill payment and balance at 24 months?
 
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