What If I Have A Huge Tax Bill?

[Livinginexile]

My wife and I have submitted our SV application and are waiting for the interview. My biggest worry is that I owe heaps in tax.

Does anyone know if they check this?

[the scouser]

It's not checked. The Inland Revenue will not divulge any information about your tax records to a 3rd party; even another government department.

Scouse.

[Livinginexile]

Scouse.

That was the best post I have ever read in my life Thanks for that

Martin

[atlastaname]

My wife and I have submitted our SV application and are waiting for the interview. My biggest worry is that I owe heaps in tax.

Does anyone know if they check this?

And why don't you pay it ??

[GU22]

Martin,

Debts, no matter to whom the money is owed, are not a problem, as long as you can show that you can service them and still have enough to live on.

And why don't you pay it ??

None of our business.

[Livinginexile]

Martin,

Debts, no matter to whom the money is owed, are not a problem, as long as you can show that you can service them and still have enough to live on.

And why don't you pay it ??

None of our business.

I am paying it.

Thanks for that info, I was just worried the government could say to me square up my tax bill and then they will look at our visa application thats all.

Cheers guys,

[JohnC]

It's not checked. The Inland Revenue will not divulge any information about your tax records to a 3rd party; even another government department.

Scouse.

Not true! The government now have a policy of cross department co-operation and sharing of information. I have recent experience of this when the IR sent me a polite letter asking to check my income as I was nearing retirement and needed to make sure I did not pay too much tax!

I wrote a nice letter back saying as I was approaching 60 which they can tell from my NI number I was not eligable for a state pension for another 5 years in addition thye have my P14s and my tax affairs are up to date. I added that as I am 60 next year they might like to consider sending me my over 60s cold weather payment to my home in Pattaya. No response to date and all this was triggered by the CSA who did not believe I now live in Thailand but that is another story!

[the scouser]

Can you please provide a link to any published government policy which indicates that Revenue and Customs will divulge your tax affairs to a 3rd party, in additon to the investigation of a serious crime?

Scouse.

[JohnC]

Hi , It was a statement in an official letter I received from the CSA asking for income details this was followed by the strange letter from the IR. I have not tried to find it on a website I just know what was in the letter.

[the scouser]

Section 18 of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 refers:

(1) Revenue and Customs officials may not disclose information which is held by the Revenue and Customs in connection with a function of the Revenue and Customs.

It does then list the circumstances in which information can be released, but, generally speaking, these refer to criminal matters.

If you feel that your tax records have been released to a party who should not have access to them, and for a reason other than one given in section 18(2) of the Act, then contact Revenue and Customs. For a member of staff to divulge such information constitutes an offence. Section 19 refers:

(1) A person commits an offence if he contravenes section 18(1) or 20(9) by disclosing revenue and customs information relating to a person whose identity-

(a) is specified in the disclosure, or

( can be deduced from it.

and:

(4) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable-

(a) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, to a fine or to both, or

( on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both.

Scouse.

[Livinginexile]

Section 18 of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 refers:

(1) Revenue and Customs officials may not disclose information which is held by the Revenue and Customs in connection with a function of the Revenue and Customs.

It does then list the circumstances in which information can be released, but, generally speaking, these refer to criminal matters.

If you feel that your tax records have been released to a party who should not have access to them, and for a reason other than one given in section 18(2) of the Act, then contact Revenue and Customs. For a member of staff to divulge such information constitutes an offence. Section 19 refers:

(1) A person commits an offence if he contravenes section 18(1) or 20(9) by disclosing revenue and customs information relating to a person whose identity-

(a) is specified in the disclosure, or

( can be deduced from it.

and:

(4) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable-

(a) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, to a fine or to both, or

( on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both.

Scouse.

Thanx again Scouse

That is very usefull information you have posted and you have eased my doubts somewhat. You really do have your finger on the pulse of imigration policies.

The Mrs interview is on Friday.

Martin

[Mossfinn]

The Mrs interview is on Friday.

Martin

Only a few days to go Martin,

Good Luck to you and your partner

Moss

[atlastaname]

Martin,

Debts, no matter to whom the money is owed, are not a problem, as long as you can show that you can service them and still have enough to live on.

And why don't you pay it ??

None of our business.

True its none of our business but then the OP did bring it up to start with . My point was not meant to be prying, more that if you paid it then you wouldn't have that to worry about .

[Livinginexile]

Martin,

Debts, no matter to whom the money is owed, are not a problem, as long as you can show that you can service them and still have enough to live on.

And why don't you pay it ??

None of our business.

True its none of our business but then the OP did bring it up to start with . My point was not meant to be prying, more that if you paid it then you wouldn't have that to worry about .

Hi

I am paying it, as I have stated in my post above. Believe me, in 25 years of working I have never owed any tax past the due date. I am self employed in the construction industry and my main client when bust early last year owing me thousands...therefore I couldn't pay my tax bill. I have negotiated a time frame to pay it back and I am doing so...but it's a slog. My worry was if I owe tax maybe immigration would make me sqaure up first, and that will take another year.

So rest assured, your pension is being paid.

Martin

[GU22]

Martin,

All the above replies assume you are applying to the UK. I now see from other posts that you are in fact applying to Australia!

However, I would imagine that the situation is the same.