P35 - client doesn't know how much they've paid!

Monsoon

I have a few clients who just don't know how much of their PAYE bill they've paid so far (don't go there!).

I need to put something on the P35, and obviously the client needs to sign it to say it's correct.

What would you put? Zero? The full amount? Whatever estimate the client states? Whatever we put, HMRC always adjust the statement of account to be correct if the client has under/overpaid so it all comes out in the wash anyway.

Obviously in an ideal world we would put the right amount on there but with some clients that's just not possible....

BeccaLouJ9

Probably very obvious but is there no way to go back through the bank statements and find the HMRC payments they've made? Do they really have no record of what has been paid at all? Good Luck, I don't know what to suggest! All our payroll is done by us so we have the records.

x

T.C.

Great, sounds like a really organised client! Anyway, I would work out how much was due and put that amount in the relevant box. Then HMRC will surely adjust it up or down when they check the figures.

jilt

T.C. wrote: »

Great, sounds like a really organised client! Anyway, I would work out how much was due and put that amount in the relevant box. Then HMRC will surely adjust it up or down when they check the figures.

That's what I've done with a client before who had no idea what she'd paid them. She had problems getting a bank account and had made payments via her mum and gave her the cash to cover the cheques but neither of them kept a record!!

T.C.

Why can't they just fill in "the little yellow payslip book"????????????

jilt

It's obviously too much trouble!!!

deanshepherd

Just call up HMRC and ask.

groundy

I usually enter that it is fully paid but advise the client it is their responsibility to ensure all payments are made up to date. When they then receive the underpayment notice, they soon decide to check through their bank statements.

Monsoon

deanshepherd wrote: »

Just call up HMRC and ask.

Sometimes, I feel rather stupid.

Thanks all for the responses

deanshepherd

Monsoon wrote: »

Sometimes, I feel rather stupid.

You shouldn't!!

Well, not for this thread anyway..!

Sue

I have tried calling HMRC Accounts Office a couple of times in the last few weeks to ask this question for different clients.

I have given up both times as the wait was so long.

JodieR

I was surprisingly organised & phoned up for a client in Feb as I knew that they'd got in a bit of a muddle last year and HMRC did give me the list of payments which I wrote down but could I find it when I came to file the P35? not a chance, I think it got shredded I've just included what should have been paid on the P35 and warned the client that they'll probably get one of those blue slips with an adjustment. I know it's not miles out.

babsa

In theroy they should have paid it all the PAYE by now. Once the P35 is filed HMRC will send out under or over payment notices.

deanshepherd

Isn't theory a wonderful thing!

Monsoon

deanshepherd wrote: »

Isn't theory a wonderful thing!

Yep, it bears no resemblance to reality!