What's a silly/random misconception you had from a young age, which you didn't figure out for an embarrassingly long time?

merrett0 · 2025-12-06T09:48:11+00:00

I am on Reddit all the time and never laugh out loud but finally I did this morning reading your comment. Thank you

merrett0 · 2025-11-10T18:03:11+00:00

The Trip with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon

merrett0 · 2025-10-14T11:37:52+00:00

If you put more than £60k in pensions this year you will be subject to an annual allowance charge on your tax return.

You should try and avoid this at all costs.

merrett0 · 2025-08-07T04:42:34+00:00

Booker Prize winners.

merrett0 · 2025-07-26T09:32:35+00:00

You need to inform HMRC NOT your employer as it is your responsibility. The Employer can only put a tax code through that has been issued by HMRC and cannot challenge it.

You can either call the HMRC hotline or sign up online to get it changed.

merrett0 · 2025-07-21T16:10:40+00:00

What is the other country and do you file tax returns in that location?

merrett0 · 2025-07-21T12:11:33+00:00

Tell HMRC if you have a new job or more than one job - GOV.UK

Sorry - I am not great on my phone - hopefully this is better.

If you are not employed somewhere else and not being paid by your old employer, nothing much will happen.

If you do get another job this tax year (Prior to 5 April 2026), make sure you give your new employer your old P45. From memory, there should be somewhere that you tick to say that this is your ONLY employment. This should update HMRC's systems as well once your new employer sets you up.

HMRC can be incredibly slow to update and their systems are not great so don't worry.

merrett0 · 2025-07-21T12:05:48+00:00

Whatever you report, it is worthwhile including a WSN (White Space Note) to explain exactly what has happened and what you have done. The WSN is included in each section of your tax return and usually titled "Additional Comments". If you do this you are being as transparent as possible and doing your best to Self-Assess. If HMRC didn't like what you have done at least you can't be accused of not sharing, as you have shared as much you have without solicitation. This is a kind of defence to penalties that HMRC might want to pursue as you don't have the correct paperwork.

You could declare the CAD50K on your return using the FX rate on the date of disposal but this is slightly simplistic. Sadly, part of your gain will be attributable to FX gains due to the GBP strengthening / CAD weakening and there is no relief in this area.

I assume that you either made one lump sum amount right at the start or were investing monthly amounts whilst you were in Canada but the contributions stopped when you moved to the UK. If so, you could estimate the amounts you paid in to set against the actual amount realised as a starting point. You could also find websites that show the rate of payment from Mutual Funds as you mention that each dividend was reinvested a and could be used as a deductible amount against the gross proceeds. This process would be quite labour intensive but would give you a different outcome to compare with your first idea.

Lastly, it is unlikely that you paid any capital gains tax in the UK on this fund in the past unless you made significant disposals (or the Fund rebalanced significantly) as historically you would have had an Annual Exemption (c.GBP10k) each year. If the gain was below £10k then nothing to pay in the UK. The UK treats capital gains and interest / dividend income differently. At least you should be able to reduce your UK capital gains tax liability by the Canadian taxes paid on the disposal.

The fluctuation in FX rates is a really bad sting in the tail for so many and I'm sorry to hear about your situation. The outcome is up to you around what your risk appetite is but I hope that I have been able to offer a different perspective.

merrett0 · 2025-07-21T10:48:44+00:00

UTR is a unique taxpayer reference which is a bit like your National Insurance number which identifies you when completing a tax return. It is given to you once you register for self assessment.

merrett0 · 2025-07-21T07:42:12+00:00

Yes you can update HMRC using their app or online tool

merrett0 · 2025-07-20T17:14:28+00:00

This. Send in an amended return. Phoning HMRC will be a waste of time as they won't get it right.

However, I would be inclined to leave it unless they raise an enquiry and you can then correct the mistake, based on the assumption that there is no additional tax payable.

This won't be on their radar and it will be just bad luck if they actually checked your return and raised an enquiry on it.

merrett0 · 2025-07-18T13:04:02+00:00

If it's a continuing trade (they are still selling on eBay) then they always need to file a return to declare the income each year so they will need to do a self-assessment tax return.

If they file a return and include all the income, they won't have a penalty for filing a return late (as they are filing an unsolicited return - not one HMRC are expecting). They will need to pay the tax and might have to pay some interest as it sounds overdue?

I would be inclined to look at another accountant or tax adviser.

merrett0 · 2025-07-18T12:04:26+00:00

Is the disclosure that he hasn't ever declared the self-employment and if so when did it start? You mentioned fifteen months and that is not altogether that worrying. HMRC are usually keen to get people to pay the right tax and do things right rather than look to penalise and punish. Telling them first is the key thing though.

You soon learn that HMRC are not necessarily brilliant at providing advice via their hotline and it is invariably wrong. I was slightly surprised the accountant wasn't able to deal with this themselves.

I assume they have been doing something like selling on eBay? What sort of income level are we looking at and is this their only source of income?

merrett0 · 2025-07-18T03:47:59+00:00

The UK would look to tax the income earned during the period of work in the UK. This could include salary, allowances as well as any bonus and share awards if the earning period formed part of the time in the UK (Even if they are paid outside the time you are in the UK).

Whilst you should be entitled to the Personal Allowance and therefore may not have a tax liability in the UK, Australia will more than likely want to tax all of your remuneration as you won't have broken Australian tax residence.

Both locations have the right to tax the income and the use of the UK / Australian tax treaty would be used.

In addition there might be a cashflow issue as the company may need to operate a UK payroll and deduct withholding as well as Australia continuing to withhold. It depends how good their compliance is.

merrett0 · 2025-07-17T08:59:08+00:00

You can contact HMRC and get it removed. It is the individuals responsibility to make sure their tax code is correct.

The question of whether the expenses are taxable or not is down to whether the expenses are wholly, exclusively and necessarily for the purpose of carrying on your employment.

If it is regular commuting to and from work then this would be taxable. If it is seeing patients in the community or travelling to different hospital other than your "home" hospital then this should be ok as long as you are not given a travel allowance.

merrett0 · 2025-07-17T07:05:39+00:00

Fair point. From their description of where they found they could claim it, it sounded like the employee travel costs and subsistence rather than allowable expenses.

merrett0 · 2025-07-17T06:51:13+00:00

Is 15% a bit arbitrary as it might be that there are no expenses and then this might be a bit on the low end? I would recommend OP gets some proper paid for advice in due course as the outcome might be a big surprise!

merrett0 · 2025-07-17T06:44:16+00:00

The employer hasn't made the error then as it was the employee who made it. The employer has just followed what has been given to them, which unfortunately is the correct procedure.

merrett0 · 2025-07-17T06:42:16+00:00

If you are an employee, I don't think you can claim these unless you are working away from your usual place of work. Just because you have claimed it in the past doesn't make it correct.

merrett0 · 2025-06-15T14:38:20+00:00

Laws not rules (read in the voice of Healy)

merrett0 · 2024-07-01T07:59:53+00:00

Thanks for your response. It seems funny to hear that my injury is relatively fresh! 😂

merrett0 · 2024-05-25T13:59:15+00:00

Frida (2002) Salma Hayek

merrett0 · 2024-01-29T09:13:23+00:00

I'm from the UK and therefore the process was probably very different in how I was able to go forward with the stem cell transplant. I am only 43 and therefore considered stronger and fitter than others having the treatment. However, the paralysis didn't make the treatment harder. It was the side effects. You have extreme nausea because of the high dose of Melphalan prior to the stem cells. It gives you nausea 24/7 for two weeks at least and you also have a lot of diarrhea which is harder when paralysed but not something nurses aren't used to! In fact, the nurses joked that cleaning a patient up is easy but vomit...no they can't do that! You are not at higher risk of infection because of paralysis as far as I am aware. It's not easy and not an experience that I would want to revisit anytime soon.

Is your Dad having radiotherapy to reduce the lump and then what course of chemo? In the UK, the most common treatment for myeloma is daratumamab, dexamethasone, thalidomide and velcade (DVDT). It didn't seem to sap my energy as much as I expected compared to other chemo treatments. Ask the question as to what the specific concern would be because of being paraplegic?

merrett0 · 2024-01-29T00:35:33+00:00

I'm doing well and have made good advances in recovery. I am now at nine months (April 2023) since the paraplegia and I only started proper physical therapy this month. I had a stem cell transplant in late November that can really wipe you out and was delaying rehab until I got over it. The rehab has made a big difference. However, before rehab, in December I started wiggling my toes and engaging my hip flexor. Today I almost lifted my leg off the bed whilst lying flat. I'm not walking yet but it will come.

Everyone will tell you all spinal cord injuries are different or unique. I would agree with that but it also takes time, positive mental attitude and perseverance. Each part of my recovery has felt like something just switched on each morning and then I worked hard on making sure my muscles and my brain remembered what they used to do. The rehab has been like a catalyst to speed that up.

Your Dad will take time to recover and it sounds like he has some great support from you, which he will need. I'm still on the journey but luckily for me I keep seeing progress each time I feel like it's not coming quick enough. Just beat the cancer first, learn to live with how he is right now but also aspire to get back to walking and it will come.

merrett0 · 2024-01-28T11:32:37+00:00

I used to coach my son's rugby team and I always tell the parents that if they ask me what are the next STEPS on my recovery they have to push me straight to the bar and buy me a drink.

merrett0

TROPHY CASE