HMRC

In the day this story breaks: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/11/04/it_contractor_wins_ir35_appeal_against_hmrc/

I receive a letter:

Dear Sir/Madam,

Estate of Mrs Jane Murray

I am sorry to hear about your recent bereavement and I know that this will be a difficult time for you.
When someone dies, I need to work out if they paid the right amount of tax before their death.

I am writing to you now to confirm that our records show that Mrs Jane Murray did not pay any Income Tax between 6 April 2019 and 27 September 2019. This means there is no Income Tax to pay. I do not need you to do anything else.

Bloody hell.

Some questions for the HMRC:

• Do your records indicate that my mother was retired? I mean, I know this godforsaken Tory excuse of a government would rather us little people die before they have a hope of being pensioned off, but unfortunately for you my mother predated your austerity bollocks.
• Talking of austerity bollocks, you do realise the Basic State Pension is pretty much the joke of the entire developed world, right? 39 years of NI contributions (including several voluntary years) and she received only a little more than half what I get, and I’m in a minimum wage job. For utter shame.
• How much did it cost to send a letter stating, essentially, nothing? Still, I suppose it’s nothing compared to the “Prepare for Brexit” campaign that had to be shelved, NHS IT contracts, that railway, and…
• What’s with the address? It begins “The representative of The Personal Representative of MRS JANE MURRAY”. Surely the first three words are superfluous?
• And, of course, the obvious… Even if my mother had been employed, we’ve been in France since 2002. What the hell makes HMRC think that Income Tax would be paid? Here’s a tip. I make tax returns. IN FRANCE Because that’s where I live and work – nothing to do with you HMRC, so… move along now…

You gotta laugh, or you’d cry.

I received something similar when my daughter died, asking for repayment of any overpayments that where made between her death and it being reported to DHSS (or whatever they are called now) which turned out to be a few months. I don’t think you can pin this on ‘the government’ specifically – it is the Civil Service way of doing things.

https://youtu.be/6WedNV8TR_0?t=71

Do your records indicate that my mother was retired?

You can still have taxable income after you retire. When I dealt with my father estate, HMRC were very helpful.

The flavour of government has nothing to do with HMRC, they’re civil service aren’t they?

The flavour of government has nothing to do with HMRC, they’re civil service aren’t they?

What a nice, well regulated, parallel universe you must live in, Jon! (Slightly tongue-in-cheek & hyperbolic, no offence intended.)

These days though, I think civil servants are more afraid of the executive than they used to be – like journalists working for billionaire media owners, often afraid to step out of line. And/or chosen because they’re naturally inclined in the “correct” direction.

Perhaps this was the subtext of your (ironical) statement; if so, sorry to be so obtuse.

You can still have taxable income after you retire.

True. I was taxed on the last £243 p.a. of my income last year, costing me £48.60. It’ll be a few quid more this year, and quite a bit more when Grace gets her pension (when she’s 66) because she won’t be able to transfer 10% of her taxable allowance to me any longer.

What a nice, well regulated, parallel universe you must live in,

Indeed. It might be worth looking up the horror that is “IR35” and HMRC’s obsession with interpreting the rules in their own convoluted manner.

You can still have taxable income after you retire.

Not on a standard state pension you don’t…

Not on a standard state pension you don’t…

Indeed. Even with a not stingy pension from a few years’ teaching plus a very stingy commercial pension from many years in industry in addition to my state pension I’m only paying peanuts in tax.

I’m only paying peanuts in tax.

That’ll be to pay the salaries of the monkeys in …

You can still have taxable income after you retire.

And a ‘K’ tax code.

That’ll be to pay the salaries of the monkeys in …

No no, “12 Monkeys” is an entirely different Terry Gilliam film.

Following the video link that nemo posted, I noticed Brazil (hmm, tenuous link to Acorn there) on Prime Video so I watched it.

What an utterly bizarre film. With an unhealthy obsession for duct pipes in odd places. It’s like Metropolis gone horribly wrong. Or maybe horribly right, depending on your point of view.

Just about my favourite film. A flawed masterpiece. With it fresh in your mind, consider this: There are no terrorists. It is ‘1984’ after all – “We have always been at war with Eastasia”.

I agree with nemo: a masterpiece – but not even flawed.

You’re clearly a bigger fan of Kim Greist than many.