[Stuart Webster]

In responce to a posting by a not so honest Window Cleaner, is everone else on the fiddle?

[riz]

If you want to sleep at night i would pay all taxes owed. I dont want to be looking over my shoulders for years to come.

 I new a bloke who avoided taxman for years, they caught up with him, (grassed on) and demanded 60k. He was fine with this as he had put money aside for it and it was more than 60k!

Riz

[windows_chepstow]

Stuart,

Before I answer properly, please define 'on the fiddle'?

If it's claiming benefits and earning a good income on top - my answer is no.

If it's being creative with my accounts - my answer is yes.

If Prince Charles can do it ( it's recently been in the papers) then so can I.

No qualms!  Perk of the job.  Full stop.

From a moral - tax spending - point of view, do you realise that there's government officials, (not just top ones, but soldiers too), getting drunk on your tax payers money?  Commanding Officers of units have a generous 'entertainments allowance'.  They can provide a minimal amount of food and loads of drink for their officers; for fun!  Then claim it all back from the pay office.

I've a friend in the Foriegn Office who regularly goes to 'free' functions, paid for at tax payers expense.

I myself, have hired buses for - 'welfare purposes' - to transport my friends and myself to various pubs and clubs in various countries, for the aim of getting drunk!
During the firestrikes, as a soldier, I stayed in a posh hotel in Glasgow.  I was an army accountant and not really needed there.  I ate steak every night and drunk till I was wobbling.  It was all billed to the British Taxpayer.

Being 'honest' with your taxes is very honourable.  But sometimes, what the cash is spent on isn't

[Ian_Giles]

Gosh, now isn't that a surprise, only a few votes so far, but its so heartlifting to see that everyone so far declares every penny they earn


Ian

[windows_chepstow]

Gosh, now isn't that a surprise, only a few votes so far, but its so heartlifting to see that everyone so far declares every penny they earn


Ian

Sorry Ian,

I put my two penorth in and forgot to vote!

[Stuart Webster]

windows chepstow

its not what the cash is spent on that is the point, rather your own moral values. Lets lift our image higher than the flat cap, weekend drunk, who can't spell honest, let alone be it.

[choice.clean]

I collect the majority of my customers by standing order and many have commented ther is no fiddling the tax man there is there.
to which i reply no and all of my men are on paye
i have come to realise cash collection means it must go in his pocket in peoples minds. so insisting on a thru the bank payment method actually raises your profile to being seen as honest. i wonder how much that customer trust is worth?

[marc al]

  Why risk getting caught? Taxmen aren't stupid and they know who to watch, saying that I applaud those of you who are helping the Government stop wastage!

[Ian_Giles]

On a serious note, I claim for every reasonable thing that I can, I don't lie to the tax man. If I go and and by a breakfast roll and a cup of tea, that is going to be paid for with whatever money I have in my pocket, and it is hardly likely to go down in my books, ditto if I buy a paper.
I don't think I am ripping anyone off, everyone pays an awful lot of tax in one way or another, it can't be avoided.

Standing orders for every account? not likely to happen, got to many accounts and it isn't possible to guarantee you can do them bang on time every month either, plus with a business account you are charged for every standing order.

In 24 years of being self employed I have been investigated twice so far, once was because of a crooked accountant, nightmare.
There was a little tax to find, but they went back 7 years and didn't find me guilty of tax evasion.

A great many window cleaners only earn a modest living, the amount of money that doesn't go through their books won't make a great deal of difference to what they pay in tax.
There are of course the window cleaners that earn exceptionally good money, they too will do the same as those on more modest incomes, and unless they are salting cash away in a deliberate attempt to avoid tax, it will make even less difference to their tax bill, as the odd pint, cup of coffee or newspaper costs them just the same as anyone else.
And they will be claiming more allowances and business costs.

60p for a coffee isn't 60 pence less tax remember.

Ian

[windows_chepstow]

Taxes pay for our public services, hospitals, benefit system, et cetera.  The government plans to receive a certain amount of cash to cover the cost.  Therefore from a moral point of view, avoiding your taxes is like stealing from other tax payers; because they then have to pay more than their fair share.

However, Prince Charles recently came under scrutiny by MPs over his own accounts.  "This looks very much like jiggery-pokery and it looks like you’ve been doing a bit of fiddling", said Gerry Steinberg, Labour MP for Durham about the Prince's books.  If our Monarchy can't be honest, why should 'Joe Public'.

Now there is another moral standpoint.  You may withhold paying taxes if you don't agree with how they're being spent.  Waste and squander within our public services is rife.  I know, I was in the army for seventeen years and ended up as the Financial Systems Manager – an accountant of sorts.  I could tell you some stories from a personal perspective, how the public sector spends our taxes that would disgust you. 

Tighten up the waste of public money by often arrogant individuals; then I'm sure we'd all be keener to pay more tax. 

Another idea to protect the public AND its purse would be to bring back capital punishment.  Don't waste money clothing, feeding and guarding the 'real' criminals.  The Romans had the right idea.  Turn them into gladiators and get them to murder each other.  I'd love to watch Ian Huntley verses The Yorkshire Ripper – having a go at each other, both with gladius in hand.

This brings me onto my final point.  If our next-in-line-to-the-throne can do a bit of tax evasion, then why shouldn't a poor window cleaner?  Raising the standard-stereotypical image of a window cleaner is not achieved by paying your taxes.  It's how we present ourselves to our customers.

Those who do 'cook the books' are only following the lead of a Senior Head of State. 

It's pouring with rain here.  I'm bored.  Can you tell?

[bill_sykes]

I fail to see the benfit of this topic,i can understand
giving advice about book keeping etc..But so far youve got people being self righteous preaching about paying taxes,which i might say is not giving willingly &
[wot do you want a pat on the back from tony blair]
undermining fellow window cleaners of how they conduct their private affairs.Every body is responsible for their own actions you dont need some condescending  prat talking a bout flat caps & beer money.

[windows_chepstow]

I fail to see the benfit of this topic,Every body is responsible for their own actions you dont need some condescending  prat talking a bout flat caps & beer money.

Ooh, you nasty man!  Let the flaming begin!

[Russell oxley]

I find that the only way to run your buisness is the honest way because if you don't you will get caught.
We are mainly a commercial wc and get paid by bacs or cheque so there is no room to fiddle.
My accountant does his job well and we pay the correct tax
It is rumoured that the tax man is not interested in wc but 18mths ago we were investigated and spent 3mths going thru hell only to find very little out of order
A friend of mine also a wc has not been so lucky they have got him for 6000
I for one could not sleep if things wern't straight

[rosskesava]

so far youve got people being self righteous preaching about paying taxes,

Strange comment? Having a social conscience is hardly a bad thing.

I pay taxes because I don't want to have the worry of wondering if, and when, I may get caught and I'd rather be legal anyway.

[bill_sykes]

true... but being smug is 

[rosskesava]

Hi Bill

I don't think you are a serious wind up merchant. I think you are generally polite but trying not to be so.

The two    give it away as does the picture you chose which I think took a lot of thought.

Also, your misuse of English is not consistant.

Cheers

Ross

[bill_sykes]

Patronizing  & Smug.True wot they say about short asre people your ego
is probably bigger than wot your are...I bet you
was that geeky little nerd at school,every school had one.still trying to fit in.Some people never change.

snow balls at ten paces.

cheers

Billy

[Stuart Webster]

I dont think Bill is a real Window Cleaner. His tag say's "jack of all trades". I think we all know where he is coming from!!

[windows_chepstow]

Patronizing  & Smug.(two spaces after a full stop)True wot ('wot' is spelt 'what') they say about short asre people (some puctuation is required here, ether a comma or a semi colon)your ego
is probably bigger than wot (ditto)your are ('you're', or 'you are', not 'your are')... (why did you put an elipsis here?  It indicates missing words)I bet you
was (were) that geeky little nerd at school,(one space after a comma) every school had one.(two spaces after a full stop)still (when starting a sentance, use a capital) trying to fit in.(ditto)Some people never change.

snow (capital required for a new sentance) balls at ten paces.

cheers

Billy

Rosswhatsit might have been that geeky nerd at school, but at least he did actually attend the place and take something in.  Unlike you 'm8'!

I notice you're from Ireland.  Need I say any more (for fear of Philip beating me again).

Bill, if you can't understand why some people who pay their taxes get upset about people who don't; don't waste you time coming on here with your childish playground taunts, spouting abuse with your Nokia keyboard.  Keep it for texting your other stupid mates.

Bloody Irish Chavs!  Go on, re-adjust your fake Burberry base ball cap to an acceptable angle of laughability, and tell me 'wot' a git I am!

[bill_sykes]

 

what a total waste of rosskesava's schooling to say
wev'e ended up as brother window cleaners.

windows_chepstow are you sure your not a women.you show all the signs of PMT,lighten up.

Thought this was a window cleaning forum with helpful advice & tips not apolitical & moral debating  forum
for people blowing their own trumpets and moaning how other people run their business.[taxes]

Before you ask ,yes i do pay tax using a simple formula
i think of a number double it take away the first number i thought of.