Tuesday 20 July 2010

A taxing evening.

I have completed my tax form early but didn't press 'submit' yet. I have to phone the taxman tomorrow.

Every year, the damn thing changes. This year, a bit popped up that said something about my notice of coding having an addon for underpaid tax for the previous year. The amount it stated as underpaid was 0.00 and there was a little box next to a question that said 'is this correct?'

Naturally I selected yes, because it was correct. This was not the best move, apparently.

Now I have a box on the account page saying that the amount of 0.00 is due immediately and if I don't pay it, it will accrue interest.

Not a big issue in itself. No matter what rate of interest they apply, the amount will remain zero. Forever. I'll never get rid of it. I'll be getting tax demands for 0.00 until the day I die.

Should I send them a cheque for 0.00? I suspect the computer won't let go of this until it has a cheque or other payment number attached to the amount so that it can mark the account paid.

I'm doing the return early because there's a tax on account bill due at the end of the month and I don't owe as much as they're asking for. Normally I'd let it go because it would cut down the amount payable in January, just after Christmas, but the Coagulation have decided to continue with smoker gulags so I'm not paying extra. Rather than risk getting the calculation wrong (getting it wrong can be expensive) I thought it easiest just to fill in the form.

I wasn't expecting the new trap question. I'm tempted, you know, to just send them 0.00 by online payment but the bank staff might look at me funny in the morning...

No extra tax from me this year. It's better off in my bank account.

Although now that the BS is under way, perhaps it'll be safer under the mattress.

7 comments:

PT Barnum said...

Sympathies on your £0.00 tax bill. I remember going through absurdities to pay a bill of 0.003p, which is at least a positive number but for which, strangely, no valid means of payment exists. Not even when I suggested using a lathe.

Amusing Bunni said...

Good luck dealing with the taxman Leg-Iron.

The are always looking for more ways to grab our money, I don't trust those bankers either.

Leg-iron said...

PTB - could you pay them 1p, leaving them owing you 0.07p, and then keep demanding a refund?

Amusing Bunni - the only way to be free of them is not to have any money, but then you're a vagrant in in some places that's illegal. Yes, illegal to have no money.

They'll fine you for it. It's a bit like having the death penalty for attempted suicide.

Leg-iron said...

...vagrant and in some places.

Tonight is brandy night.

timbone said...

Reminds me of the time I helped out an amateur orchestra as a favour. I was playing percussion in one piece and trombone in another. Someone mentioned that I was doubling. I said "yes, and they pay me double". "How much do you usually get" I was asked..."nothing".

Leg-iron said...

So you're a double-zero agent...

Leg-iron said...

Seems the zero demand will be automatically added to the second payment on account at the end of the month, and then it should vanish.

The computer won't let it go until it gets a payment.

How much did that system cost? We'd be better off with Bob Cratchett and an abacus.

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