• The post you are reporting:
   
  GaryC #2182
  
  I am glad to see there is much we can agree on and that is a good post. I do need however to follow up on some points you made.
  
  First of all I 'go along with and even profit from' advising people on tax avoidance - that is quite true but there is more to it than that. I actually have obligations to do this, if I did not do so then I would be in breach of my duty of care to clients, I would also be in trouble with the financial service regulator for not applying 'due skill and diligence'. It is a fundamental part of investment and other financial advice to ensure that clients are properly advised to take advantage of all available tax breaks and where I see inefficient or inappropriate tax planning to advise them and save them overpaid tax. I am good at it and I am very proud of all the tax I save my clients as well as the broad range of services I provide.
  
  Another part you referred to was to draw distinctions between a waitress with tips and someone who is wealthy. Both are equal under law and the difference is only one of scale. If either of them evade tax and break the law they deserve to go down for it but also they both have many tax avoidance opportunities and both have the right to take advantage of them to the extent that their resources dictate. Again the difference is a matter of scale but both are subject to law and the law is subject to rule by consent, the government is not our master and must not be allowed (or anyone else) to blackmail people into forgoing more of their income in tax than is required by parliament.
  
  You are correct that a lot of people lack the knowledge to enable them to benefit from the options available. There is clearly an education issue but this is another situation where our overly complex tax system is unfair and wrong. Lower simple taxes, as I regularly advocate, are the best way to address any anomalies and to make tax fairer than building even more complexity into our already over complex system. High marginal tax rates do not mean more tax being collected.
  
  You then refer to the elderly person who cannot afford my services. The fact is that I provide an hour free and those who really can't afford me can usually learn what they need in that hour. Those who can afford my services will benefit by more than what they pay me either in the immediate short term or in the long term. I have also been known to do a spot of 'pro-bono' for some people who fall in between or to offer a special rate where appropriate.
  
  Incidentally - do not assume that it is expensive to get professional advice. At the Basic level anyone who can afford £21 pm (plus VAT) can afford to engage my services.

Report Post

Your Name

Reason