Year after year, since the now 9yr old twins were born, at the end of every tax year, the HMRC say we're going to be investigated - we've been paid too much child tax credits, and thus they want them back!
We've been honest from day one about how much we earn - we couldn't even hide / lie anyway as we're both PAYE employed, so we just fill in the forms each year and leave them to do the rest.
But this year, I've had enough this time, it's taking it's toll on the wife health now so want to do something about it!
I'd like to know, is there someone somewhere we could complain to...?
An ombudsman of some kind maybe this time, we've tried complaining to them in the past, but it seems to just fall on deaf ears...
I've been in business for 20 years or more and the best advice I can give you is to go and see an accountant. I've had a tax investigation and believe me you don't want to go there without the support of a good accountant that truely understands your circumstances. They are on your side and will support you throughout. Once you've had a chat with him you will feel much better and your wife will love you again!!! Do it!
Write to your local MP, its surprising the contacts they have access to. Alternatively you could go to the Citizens Advice who will be well versed in this sort of problem.
Quote: Originally posted by GCMS2012 on 07/8/2017
Year after year, since the now 9yr old twins were born, at the end of every tax year, the HMRC say we're going to be investigated - we've been paid too much child tax credits, and thus they want them back!
We've been honest from day one about how much we earn - we couldn't even hide / lie anyway as we're both PAYE employed, so we just fill in the forms each year and leave them to do the rest.
But this year, I've had enough this time, it's taking it's toll on the wife health now so want to do something about it!
if they say that each year and nothing changes then don't worry, if you've done nothing wrong then just leave them to it.
The tax office is just a nightmare, i once had 8 new tax codes in one month alone, yet my circumstances never change apart from my annual bonus figure.
Quote: Originally posted by derekcbr on 07/8/2017
I've been in business for 20 years or more and the best advice I can give you is to go and see an accountant. I've had a tax investigation and believe me you don't want to go there without the support of a good accountant that truely understands your circumstances. They are on your side and will support you throughout. Once you've had a chat with him you will feel much better and your wife will love you again!!! Do it!
The way it works is that they take what you submitted as earnings, (paye) last tax year to be this year's level for payments. When you then submit this year's earnings (possibly higher) they then recalculate what you should have been paid. If there is a discrepancy then they usually adjust what they expect to pay you next year. It's quite clearly documented on the copious paperwork that they send you.
This goes on every year. It's a sh*t load more complicated if you're self employed because the tax year is another year removed.
If you expect your earnings to be less in the current year than the last then you can tell them so and them will adjust their payments as they go along.
If they are really planning on checking up on you every year then citizens advice would be a good first point of call.
Edit to say another thing to check up on would be you eligible child care.
I used to find the whole thing a total nightmare. We were in contact with Tax Credits almost monthly as hubby's wages are not fixed each month. Told them everything down do the final penny and every year without fail we apparently had been overpaid and needed to pay them back. They claimed they had been giving us money for childcare that we didn't need. On every application we said we did not need childcare costs, however on all paperwork that came back from them it said they were paying us this extra. We phoned and phoned stating we do not need childcare costs but they kept paying it.
We appealed in the end about them hounding us for money and won so got a chunk knocked off what we owed them.Thankfully on their records it showed us constantly telling them via letter and phone call about this childcare stuff and they chose to ignore us on many occasions.
The whole process is long, 'deliberately' complicated and a mess. In the end I took the view that it was a loan to tide us over in the hard times that we would pay back when we had more money.
Eventually we got to the point where we could just about manage without tax credits so stopped applying (even though we were probably entitled to a little) but the stress of it all was unbearable and it was relief not to have to deal with them anymore.
Tax credits are a nightmare.
When my daughter left school and went to college we carried on claiming for her.
We told tax credits everything but after she left college we were told we had to repay some money.
They didn't just claim some back for that year but went back 4 years and said we owed them nearly £6,000.
I appealed, phoned, and wrote. Nothing I did made any headway.
Every letter I sent was not replied to.
I gave up in the end and paid a minimum amount every month. Still paying it now.
------------- I can't add years to my life but I can add life to my years
Where have I come across this before, oh yes,.... In our own house!. The words frustrating, upsetting, confusion and very worrying spring to mind.
Only last year I was made redundant we tried to claim this year and was told that because we claimed the full time childcare vouchers and I'd only worked part time(this was necessary as I was on rota so a full time place was needed as I did not have any fluency with shifts) we'd been overpaid!! I thought the whole concept was to help you, I did not ask to be made redundant but yet we were left short and quite a bit short to be honest! Half of the problem as I can see is that they work twelve months in arrears to finalise their figures but unfortunately wages are paid to date, so if it's a case of working lesser amount of hours the year after, you lose and sometimes it's unavoidable but they make you feel as though it's you that has done something wrong!
This year we have no working tax and even a lesser amount of child tax because they are reclaiming overpayment and because our working tax that we would be due to this year isn't enough to cover the repayments they've decided that they're making the weekly repayments sum up by taking a percentage of the child tax that we are entitled to.
I reiterate, I thought it was there to help you. When both partners work in the hope of providing a better standard of living for their family and things go wrong its so stressful. Working family life is hard enough without being made to suffer for it.
I apologise for the rant. I've now put my soap box away so everyone's ears can rest.
(sue.to)... We have been honest from day one, which is why we don't understand why we're always investigated every (tax) year...
We tell them near enough the same day that there's been a change in wages and / or hours work - the 'person' on the end of the phone says great we'll update the system...
But come the new tax year, we get 'the letter' saying you owe us!!!
I can never understand how they work it all out.
I informed them of my earnings and that of my husband last June for tax year 15/16 and they wrote with our awards information. Neither of us have received a pay rise this year. We both work in schools and don't get overtime or bonuses. Our circumstances haven't changed. In June this year I renew our tax credits for 16/17 and they wrote to tell me that they had overpaid by £84.00 which they then took off us in one payment in July. I know it's not a huge amount but it left me short that month. It's basically a weeks shopping. I still haven't received my letter from them of the award for this year but I have received my usual amount today. So are they going to do the same thing next year?
They seem to be able to do what they want don't appear to be accountable to anyone.
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Topic: HMRC Child Tax Credits. Complaint?
