What should i do if my accountant goes missing with my books the day before tax payment deadline ?
About 8 weeks ago i took my books to my accountant to give him plenty ot time to sort it out before my tax is due to be paid (tomorrow). I called him last week to find out when it would be ready and he said he'd call me earlier this week. He didnt call so i phoned him yesterday (fri) and this morning but got no joy and left him a message on his answerphone to call me. So far he hasnt called and I dont hold out much hope of any joy tomorrow (due day). The wife and myself are a partnership so this involves filing 3 tax returns.I assume if we are late then we'll have 3 x penalty fines. Is there anything i should or could do to avoid paying the fines as theres nothing we can do if the accountant goes missing . TIA Thanks for replies ,and to be fair i'm pretty sure nothing untoward has happened, he took over from his father and has been operating for many years. For all i know something serious might have happened to him so i don't want to get too carried away involving police etc. I 'll try to get hold of him tomorrow and if not phone the tax office and ask for an extension. Its our first years tax returns so we have nothing from a previous year to gauge any payment.although i have worked out roughly what we will have to pay. tringy -why did you say id have to pay the fine on the partnership one? I know it requires special software to submit it, is that why? My ( soon to be ex) accountant told me the individual returns are just the partnership one split in two I'm thinking at the moment to just file our individual returns . Phew ! Finally got hold of him and hes already submitted the return. I was dreading spending the rest of the day trying to sort out them myself. Thanks for replies
United Kingdom - 5 Answers
People Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
Answer 1 :
you should probably get a new accountant
Answer 2 :
File for an extension. Include a check for estimated tax payment : look at your 2008 payment, and raise or lower that amount by the same percentage as your guesstimated revenues for 2009 - you will then be liable only for interest and penalties on any amount still due, not the full tax amount. Get a new accountant, and put a lawyer onto the old one.
Answer 3 :
contact the tax office yourself and explain to them whats happenend,they will help you with everything ,give them the name off your accountant ,because they have to be registerd with them , i would also contact the police , the accountant is in breach if they do not keep in contact with you ,also check or freeze your bank account .
Answer 4 :
No point in asking HMRC for mercy - the rules state you must file and pay your tax on time. If you pay the tax due by the due date, even without filing your return you cannot be fined. As you dont even know the amount of tax due, I would suggest that you make a payment by tomorrow roughly the same as last year's. At least this will stop interest being piled on to the tax. All you can then do is try and track your accountant down and demand that he pays any fine and interest you are charged (or at least deduct this frm his bill)....and then find another accountant. EDIT: You cannot ask for an extension - it doesnt matter what the circumstances, its down to you to get your SA in on time.
Answer 5 :
Pay what you think is due. That will reduce the penalty on two of the returns. You're going to have to pay the fine on the partnership one but I would ask the accountant to cover that. You could appeal the fines but as you only gave the accountant the records at the beginning of December I doubt your circumstances would count as a reasonable excuse.
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