The strangest tax return excuses and expense claims revealed

HMRC has published a list the most “imaginative and intriguing” excuses received by customers for not completing their tax return on time.

Once again, the Revenue has received a range of “wildly optimistic” explanations for late tax returns, ranging from “my ex-wife left my tax return upstairs, but I suffer from vertigo and can’t go upstairs to retrieve it” to “my wife has been seeing aliens and won’t let me enter the house”.

As well as the excuses, HMRC has also received some questionable items which taxpayers have tried to expense, including “£4.50 for sausage and chips meal expenses … for 250 days”, a hotel room service bill for candles and prosecco, and the particularly amusing “three-piece suite for my partner to sit on when I’m doing my accounts!”

Needless to say, all the above listed excuses and expenses were rejected.

Whilst the annual published list always provides some amusement, the filing of a tax return on time is in fact a more serious matter and can result in substantial penalties.

The deadline of 31 January 2018 for sending 2016-17 self-assessment tax returns to HMRC and paying any tax owed is fast approaching, so contact us for assistance and to ensure you remain compliant.

Our experts at Beavis Morgan take the hassle of dealing with HMRC away from you, so you don’t need to deal directly with them. We are also able to advise on all aspects of tax whether compliance or planning.

Please contact your usual Beavis Morgan Partner for further information and assistance.

If you have any concerns about your personal or business financial situation, our experts at our partner business, BM Advisory, are able to assist. We specialise in finding innovative solutions for businesses and individuals in distress. Contact Andy Pear or Mike Solomons of BM Advisory for more information and an initial free consultation.