Has anyone ever been questioned about expenses?

[Bananabrain]

Hi there, I'm really interested to know if anyone {specially the lovely people who have been minding for years} has ever been questioned by r and customs.

And if so, what did they pick on?

Have only done one tax return and no idea whether I did it correctly or not.

Am so confused about claiming for utility useage especially 'cos the prices keep going up and down. I am sure that the figures I gave are wrong/not exact.

I'm up to date with my NI payments and tax from last year,but I'm always so worried that I'm going to be questioned.

This job has made me sooo paranoid:laughing:

[venus89]

:laughing: Me too (paraoid
Not done my first tax returnyet - kee worrying they'll pounce on me. Some weeks I spend loads,some I hardly spend anything.....

[rickysmiths]

If it helps I add up my annual heating, insurance, water rate and council tax and enter it in my accounts book once in April as a lump. For example this April when I start my new accounts book I will know what my council tax is for the year so thats easy, also my insurances. I am on a water meter so that figure is based on last year (april2008-9) and this is what I do for heating as well.

In answer to have the Inland Revenue ever investigated someones books. Yes I have had mine done because they said I had earned more money than I had declared as my income.

It was very very hard and they went through everything including reciepts with a fine tooth comb. Because I had used the NCMA Account book and had got the parents to sign their page at the back of it which confirms what they have paid me each month and because I have always used the NCMA register and I always get the parents to sign it every week I could prove beyond doubt when the parent had been with me and how much they had paid me and the problem was eventually cleared up.:clapping:

It was in the days before Tax Credits and there was a different system parents could use to claim help with fees. The parent had onle stayed with me for a month but carried on claiming chilcare fee for the rest of the year. When a spot check was do on me it looked as if my income had been more than I had put on my return.

This is one of the reasons I think it is so important to get your accounts book and register signed. I have in 14yrs of minding never had a problem with parents doing this, partly because I expect it for day one so they don't know anything different.

[bubbly]

If it helps I add up my annual heating, insurance, water rate and council tax and enter it in my accounts book once in April as a lump.
I'm a bit thick where numbers are concerned but if you add it as a lump sum once a year, how do you calculate the different percentages according to how many hours you've worked?

I'm sure there's a simple answer :)

[Carol]

I'm a bit thick where numbers are concerned but if you add it as a lump sum once a year, how do you calculate the different percentages according to how many hours you've worked?

I'm sure there's a simple answer :)

I work mine out weekly looking at my attendance register. So if I have worked a full week I can claim the full percentage. However if I have only worked part time then I have to recalculate the percentage. If you can understand that!!!Thats why it is important to do accounts reguarly.

Carol

[Pauline]

A childminder friend was checked about 15 years ago and they went through every receipt and book, even though she had an accountant do her accounts, they went to her house and looked through everything!!

[tulip0803]

I was sent a letter saying that they planned to but I had stopped minding for 5 months while I had a baby & moved. They wanted to know why my income had fallen dramatically during that year. I rang and said there was no problem them checking but did they know that I stopped at the beginning of Nov to have a baby & move and hadn't been filling spaces before due to being pregnant. They said that would explain it and sent a letter saying that they would not be investigating.:D