Your Questions Answered

Top 5 myths about our products (and why they’re all wrong).

1. It will make the purchase process longer, and may jeopardize the whole deal.

In actual fact, the tax planning will not add any time to the transaction at all. The only thing that we require is that the planning is started at least one week before exchange of contracts. Any objections of timescale are therefore completely unfounded.

2. The client stands to be significantly out of pocket if the plan is unsuccessful.

As part of the agreement that the client signs with us, we promise to refund any and all fees that we have taken should the plan prove to be unsuccessful. Further, if this occurs and HMRC impose interest, we will cover this as well. This is how confident we are, and experience over the last 5 years has backed up that confidence – not one instance of a completed tax plan has been unsuccessful so far.

3. HMRC is bound to close the loopholes and make all of the schemes redundant

Okay, so we can’t guarantee that HMRC won’t suddenly make sweeping reforms and get rid of all of the loopholes that currently exist. What we can say however, is that in 5 years of operating the schemes so far, they haven’t exactly been standing idle, and yet here we still are. We are constantly revising our plans, developing new ones, and taking continual advice from top legal experts in the field. This is not a case of a one shot deal and a mad rush to make as much money as possible before the chance is gone. We take our business as seriously as any other professional firm, and we have the track record to prove it.

4. It can’t be legal

The schemes that we use are all supported by opinions from leading experts in the field of Stamp Duty. We also have a panel of conveyancing firms, all of whom are independent and all of whom have carried out due diligence and compliance before becoming involved in the schemes. HMRC are notified where necessary of the plans and have provided written acknowledgment of such. Our plans are no less valid or legal than any other form of tax planning, the aim of which is always to minimize the tax liability of the client.

5. If it’s so easy, why isn’t everyone doing it?

A frequent comment is that it’s all ‘too good to be true’. The answer is quite simple – it isn’t ‘that easy’. Development of these plans takes an enormous amount of time, money and effort on the part of all involved. The fact that it is so painless and easy for the clients themselves is a reflection of that time and effort. Put another way, why would it seem more legitimate if we made the process more obtuse? If you had to pass an assault course before buying a lottery ticket, would it make it seem like a more legitimate transaction that just handing over your pound coin?