Laurence

Adriana Goldenberg was searching for an international accountant who also specialised in self-employment.  Not sure where to look, she began on Google to try and narrow down the field. This is where she came across Hodgens Global, which she was attracted to because of the personal service and vast experience we offer.  Having decided to get in touch with the team, Adriana was pleased with the immediacy of the initial response and the reassurance she received in our answers to her very complex questions. She felt super confident in the service we were offering and was eager to move forward with us. Adriana had never filed a self-assessment tax return in the UK, so she was a little daunted by the prospect of doing so. However, she had previously done so in the United States, which she said was chalk and cheese in comparison to the experience she had with Hodgens Global. So much so, that Adriana said she wouldn’t hesitate to use our services again in the future. When explaining the reasons why she loved using our service, Adriana said that the support she received was incredibly personal and the responses to any questions were first-class and informative. She was delighted with the amount of communication throughout the process from the team at Hodgens Global, elaborating that communication was a huge USP for the company and is what makes it stand out amongst the competition.  Throughout the process, she was very comfortable that her tax returns were being handled in the best possible way.  She also referenced how easy it was to use our service. When it came to accessing all of the necessary documentation and filling them out, the folder and file systems were easy to navigate. When any problems did arise, her questions were always answered immediately and a solution was quickly found. We are delighted to share that Adriana rated our service 10/10, which means the world to us here at Hodgens Global. Adriana was extremely grateful that we were able to resolve all of her issues and concerns, going above and beyond to deliver even more than what was initially set out in the original scope – at no extra cost. Not only was she happy with our support throughout the process, but was also surprised by how thorough and helpful we were after the work was completed.  We’re so thrilled that Adriana has already recommended us to some of her colleagues and continues to spread the word about the expert-driven professional service we offer.  For those reading this story, Adriana encourages you to get in touch with our team today and see how we can support you. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank Adriana for her kind words and can’t wait to work with her again in the future. 

Ben Ramdani got in touch with the team at Hodgens Global in order to receive assistance with his tax returns.  Having scoured the internet for a reliable company that helps expats and their finances, Ben was delighted that we were able to tick all of the right boxes and offer him the support he required. Having not had much luck with previous companies, Ben was pleased with the exceptional and unique service that Hodgens Global offers, describing us as warm, friendly and very personal. This included any dealings he had with Laurence Hodgens, founder of the company.  Throughout the whole process, everything was very straightforward and explained in a manageable and understandable way, meaning Ben was always kept up-to-date and in the loop. Thankfully, we managed to resolve all of Ben’s tax-related issues and concerns efficiently and proactively. One of the highlights of our service that Ben alluded to was the client experience, which he said was exceptional, one-of-a-kind and brilliant. He was also delighted with the aftercare he received once the work was complete, as we quickly responded to a follow-up query he had. Overall, Ben rated his experience with Hodgens Global very highly, stating that he doesn’t think there is anyone else in the industry that is able to provide this level of service and professionalism we do. A claim that we’re extremely proud of as a team. In fact, when we asked Ben if there were any improvements we could make to the service or any additional features we could introduce, his response was a firm no – reiterating how close to perfect his experience with us was.  At Hodgens Global, we’re thrilled with the feedback we received from Ben and that he rated our expat tax service so highly.  We’re pleased we were there for Ben during his time of need and we welcome him back at any time for more expert guidance.

Malcolm Ashcroft was living outside of the UK and wanted professional help with his UK tax returns.  Fortunately, Malcolm chose Hodgens Global – a decision that proved to be the start of a very successful working relationship. In short, Malcolm was impressed with how we helped to deal with the tax issues he had with his previous pension. We were able to resolve concerns with his past employer, while also ensuring a good understanding was maintained with HMRC. During this time, Malcolm found the service offered by Hodgens Global to be extremely professional, very responsive and well-mannered. Simplifying the process, we made complex, important documentation easy to understand and completed work quickly and efficiently – this included signing and returning documents, receipts of payment, copies of tax returns and much more. All for a very agreeable budget.  Overall, Malcolm was really impressed with the industry-leading client experience he received, right from the first moment he made contact with us.  Friendly, constructive and empathetic, we assessed what needed to happen in order for Malcolm to achieve an advantageous result. When handling sensitive data, Malcolm added that he always felt comfortable that the access to data was being professionally managed and felt in safe, reliable hands. Not only was Malcolm pleased with the service he received throughout the process, he was also very positive in his feedback about the support he received afterwards. Once the work was completed, Malcolm still had responses to his emails straight away and the team at Hodgens Global were always ready to help. We were delighted that Malcolm rated our service with an overall score of 10/10 and said he would undoubtedly recommend Hodgens Global to other people – which he has already done on several occasions.  Malcolm stressed that he’s aware of the fact that sometimes people aren’t willing to make the initial approach, so he has been trying to bridge the gap – ensuring people know about the great service offered at Hodgens Global.  Malcolm concluded his feedback by stating that he advises anyone reading this story to reach out to the Hodgens Global team and enquire about the services on offer.  In the meantime, we are delighted that Malcolm will continue to be a strong advocate for the hard work we do at Hodgens Global and share his excellent experience with his vast network of like-minded people from the expat community. Thanks, Malcolm.

Many clever expats arriving in the UK often make it a priority to learn and to update themselves on the tax regime of the country. This process gives them an advantage to learn of the tax incentives available. But even if you are British and not an expat, with the right approach, these same incentives remain available to you also. If you would like Hodgens Global to support you in these matters, you only need to ask. Many others do. For example:

In tax there are two concepts that determine the extent of your exposure to tax on your worldwide income, your capital gains and ultimately your accumulated wealth. These are known as domicile and residency. The concept of ‘domicile’ might best be simplified as the country where you are likely to return to after a period of absence, either at the end of your travels or your expat journey. Some expats might develop a view to never return to the country from where they originally came, such as the UK, but often their ties and links to their home country will lead to them being deemed to still be of UK domicile. In this case exposure to UK tax will remain and usually in the form of inheritance tax. The concept of ‘residency’ differs from domicile as this refers to the tax jurisdiction where you are often physically present other than for temporary or transitory purposes. Your exposure to income tax and capital gains is usually determined by where you reside. But for those foreigners resident in the UK, of a non-UK domicile, there is in some cases the opportunity for your worldwide income and gains to be assessed on a remittance-only basis rather than be obliged to declare the total earned. In terms of income derived from UK land and property, however, bear in mind that there will always be exposure to income tax and capital gains tax in the UK no matter where you reside. This is a compliance matter in UK tax law that is often overlooked by expats and can lead to a number of problems. Wherever you are on your expat journey, if you want to discuss these issues and more, schedule a free introductory consultation. It really is a pleasure to clarify these matters for you and to keep you up to date you with your compliance needs.

When HMRC allowed non-residents a maximum of up to 60 days in the UK for exceptional circumstances during lockdown, if borders were closed, it wasn’t entirely clear what conditions were attached to their use. These extra days would be allowed in addition to those normally permitted in accordance with their ties to the UK. Recently, HMRC have launched a campaign to ask taxpayers to reconsider the validity of their claim to exceptional circumstances in their 20/21 tax returns. Enquiries are now coming in from taxpayers who have received such a letter from HMRC and if you need to discuss this further get in touch. If amendments need to be made, this can be done and if support is required to liaise with HMRC, this too can be arranged.

It may have been discussed before in previous posts but it is a prevailing theme with enquiries received currently and if you are concerned about this don’t hesitate to get in touch. Many talks are arranged over Zoom and much guidance has been given only in the past few days, this month, to new clients from Japan, Australia, the US, Saudi Arabia and France needing help and guidance with clearing a backlog of tax returns as non-resident landlords. Rental income received from UK property needs to be declared on an annual basis via the self-assessment process. So far everything, with these enquiries, has gone smoothly (as expected with our efficient, digital,  processes and procedures) and the clients will be up to date in no time. Get in touch if you are a non-resident landlord and need support in declaring the income from your UK property to HMRC. Of course, if you have anything overdue to be filed with HMRC, and need guidance and support, no matter where in the world you are located, it would be a pleasure to support you.

Enquiries from Indian expats are often complex and from the outset it’s important to ask the right questions. Their circumstances can often be as elaborate as a Bollywood dance routine. While the Indian tax reporting system is lengthy and detailed, local rules allow for expats to have non-resident external (NRE) bank accounts in the country, where the interest earned is free of Indian tax. For the expat Indian living in the UK, however, such income must be reported to HMRC and, if certain conditions exist, the DTA between the two countries allows for foreign tax credit relief at the treaty rate of 15%, even though no tax has been paid in India. If you are concerned about your tax position as an Indian expat in the UK, get in touch. It would be a pleasure to guide you through the challenges and to, most importantly, help bring you up to date with your tax reporting obligations.

At this stage, you should be made aware that the UK government has plans to make it easier for individual taxpayers to validate their tax declarations and to manage the relevant data through a process called MTD – making tax digital. The aim is to transform the process to make it more effective, efficient and easier for taxpayers to ensure that their tax liability is correctly stated. MTD for Income Tax will commence from 6 April 2024 for those with income receipts above £10,000 per annum from either self-employment activities or property rental. The Income Tax (Digital Requirements) Regulations 2021 (SI 2021 No 1076) set out the digital requirements that relevant persons must comply with under MTD for Income Tax. Where applicable, therefore, this will necessitate the need to maintain all business and rental income records digitally and by submitting those details to HMRC on a quarterly basis via HMRC approved software. HMRC will then add these details to other available information held to produce a quarterly summary, which you will be able to amend via your personal tax account with HMRC, which will need to be created in advance. Please note in particular the following requirements: Later in in the year guidance will be published to explain how any accounting and tax adjustments may be made to reconcile the quarterly submissions to the final taxable profits for the year. Full details are not yet available advising of how this will work in practice. Hodgens Global intend to take part in pilot schemes with HMRC once the opportunity becomes available and may request your participation in the trial. We will keep you informed. In the meantime, please refer to the following links to read more of HMRC’s intentions with the MTD scheme: All you need to know about registering for MTD ITSA can be found on the gov.uk webpages below to start your MTD ITSA journey. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/sign-up-your-business-for-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax Also please see the link below for a list of all approved Software Developers as these are all recognised by HMRC as suitable for MTD purposes. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-software-thats-compatible-with-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax

Non-UK residents often enquire about UK inheritance tax on their worldwide estate. Often HMRC will assess tax based on your domicile. Trying to change from a domicile of origin to a domicile of choice can be difficult if it seems that there is a yearning to maintain a British identity/connection. In some historical cases, a Monaco resident was found by HMRC to not be happy in Monaco and spent most of his time in Paris often telling friends that he longed to return to England, and witnesses were called to testify. In another case, a well known Welsh actor, although living in Switzerland at the time, instructed he be buried in Wales draped in a Welsh flag. All enough for HMRC to win the argument. Some ties that bind you to the UK can be hard to break, through pride in your heritage or your roots. If the UK continues to provide you with a sense of connection, there may be tax to pay in the end. This could be less of a problem for those who seek to blend into another culture and let go of their Britishness. A small price to pay perhaps.