Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) exists to help solve disputes with HMRC, and is something you can use to help your clients during tax enquiries.
For the first time last year, I went through ADR, with a client with just over £1m of tax liability.
After £1,000s of pounds of my client’s money, many hours of their time, and our time, and much frustration, we got nowhere.
I was less than impressed.
But was my bad experience an exception?
I asked Barbara Bento, our expert guest for this episode, as I was keen to know.
She shares information about ADR, the process, her ADR experiences, and gives us advice to get the most out of ADR and best help our clients.
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Guest – Barbara Bento
Barbara is the Head of Tax Investigations and Dispute Resolution at Buzzacott. She resolves complex voluntary disclosures and tax investigations such COP9 and cross-tax enquiries.
Barbara is a fully accredited CEDR accredited mediator. She is one of a small handful of tax investigations specialists that has this!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-bento-86912114/
Website: https://www.buzzacott.co.uk/people/barbara-bento
Me – Jack Bonehill
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackbonehill94/
Email: jack@thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com
Timings
- A bit about Barbara
- (8:30) What is HMRC Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and what is classed as a ‘dispute’?
- (12:15) What does the ADR process look like from start to finish?
- (20:45) Any situations when ADR can’t be used?
- (26:00) Co-mediation in ADR by Barbara – what this means and the benefit
- (30:00) My (Jack Bonehill’s) bad experience with HMRC & what can be done to avoid
- (37:15) What is meant by partial settlement in ADR?
- (37:45) Is ADR worthwhile & if so, when?
- (42:45) What do you need to make ADR go well, be successful? Barbara’s advice
- (47:15) Barbara’s worst HMRC ADR experience
- (51:15) Is ADR remote or in person?
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