How to manage tax investigations

Speed Read: How can you make tax investigations as efficient and painless as possible? Consider at the outset who is handling the investigation, and what is at stake for the client — as well as the money, to what extent are reputation, time pressures and peace of mind important? Be prompt in dealing with, and even anticipating, HMRC requests. Consider a pre-meeting with HMRC without the client, regular conference calls between adviser and HMRC, and the pros and cons of client attendance at meetings with HMRC. Remember that there are times when the formality of correspondence is vital. Do not forget the usefulness of payments on account. In a deadlock situation, consider requesting an independent peer review.