Cam phone pics as evidence to solve tax return problems

According to Accountancy Age, individuals in the UK may need to use hi-tech camera phones this year to record the delivery of tax returns.

"As the tax filing season approaches, a senior tax adviser has suggested using the phones to record the dropping off of returns, after HM Revenue & Customs recently said that it would no longer be issuing receipts for hand-delivered tax returns.

Mike Warburton, Senior tax partner at Grant Thornton, said: ‘Every year the revenue issue thousands of incorrect penalty notices. This particularly applies to hand delivered returns which can be delivered at any district.

‘In the past we have obtained a receipt which has enabled us to squash the penalty. The Revenue in their wisdom have decided to cease this helpful practice and suggest that we collect “other evidence”. ‘I was considering issuing staff with new 3G mobile phones so that we can take a photo of the return being delivered, a bit like a police line up photo.’

But Warburton was not entirely sure whether the evidence would be foolproof: ‘How do I prove the date?’

Some 3G phones allow users to record the date and time of a picture, but such evidence may not be acceptable for the tax authorities."

emily | 8:12 AM | How people and businesses are using cameraphones |
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