Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!alberta!ncc!apss!sph
From: sph@apss.ab.ca (Shaun Hammond)
Newsgroups: can.general
Subject: Re: income tax: what's this nonsense?
Summary: UK tax system
Message-ID: <1107@apss.apss.ab.ca>
Date: 29 Mar 89 16:51:55 GMT
References: <144@mindlink.UUCP> <1989Mar29.002321.5939@gpu.utcs.toronto.edu>
Distribution: can
Organization: Alberta Public Safety Services
Lines: 31

In article <1989Mar29.002321.5939@gpu.utcs.toronto.edu>, kocic@gpu.utcs.toronto.edu (Miroslav Kocic) writes:
> In article <144@mindlink.UUCP> a283@mindlink.UUCP (Steve Miller) writes:
> 
> >Yes I agree! Why don't we all just send in blank signed returns and let their
> >computer assess what is owed to whom. In the end it's up to them anyway and if
> government do all calculations, mail you a bill/refund, and let you file an
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> appeal if you disagree with their figures?
> 
> Miki Kocic
Remarkably like the UK tax system of the early 80's (I haven't lived there
since '81 so I can't comment on any "reforms" instituted since then.)
Basically one filled out one form giving all your income (expectations) etc
sent it off, and the Tax office did the rest. The only hassle I had was 
my mortgage interest payments (tax deductible) which varied (ususally upwards)
during that time. However, the mortgage company did all the hard work.
The form filling ocurred usually only at the start of employment and 
your employer kept the tax office updated on any changes. In this way
they took only what they had to each month, never any more or less. At the 
end of the year (as I recall it) you got details of tax paid etc etc.
I never filed a tax return in 4 years, but then again I really did
not know anything about the tax system as the above probably shows.
It was reputed that if you underreported, you paid, if they ( the tax office)
screwed up, they paid. I'm guessing that I had a very simple "return" at 
that time. The system was great for the individual, and from the look of the 
UK budget surplus, the Chancellor of the Exchequer thought so too.

My feeling is that by going through the tax return in detail, you (sometimes)
get an idea of how the system works. You may not agree with it, but 
at least you get an idea of how to formulate your own personal "tax
strategy".