How much, and whether it’s more or less then the tax he doesn’t pay no one knows.
I’m just not letting my preconceived view of LH fit the evidence.

LOL. Its still preposterous to suggest he moved to a tax haven to give more money to charity and to then further suggest its more money than he saves from tax avoidance.
If you believe that is there any chance you can help out my Nigerian cousin. He is a prince and in a little bit of a pickle. He will make it worth your while.
Naive beyond words so have a picture

I may be naive but, unlike you, I can read.
I didn’t say he has moved to give more money to charity, I said no one, not even you, know.

Would you like to read my Nigerian cousins letter then? Its very plausible and we dont know whether that account is true either so you will happily assume it is then as it is also ludicrously implausible.

I can read but i can also laugh at your absence of critical thinking and naivety.
You have not even claimed it’s true either its a what if he did X without any evidence to support X and X is prima facie nonsense

Richmars, ok then, I stand by the fact he doesn’t give a damn, and it isn’t a specific comment about Lh but a concept in general.

I was specifically referring to him not giving a damn for the tax system in this country which is the way to put back into society fairly I.e. For the greater good by letting our elected government decide where to allocate funds. Whether we agree with where they spend them is irrelevant, but by him choosing to opt out of that system he doesn’t give a damn for people in need throughout our British society.

If he chooses to go off and put all his money into certain charities, which he is free to do and I would applaud that, it is fine but by virtue of his choice he is excluding people who are not benefited by his chosen charities.

My opinion is, you pay your dues by tax. You then do whatever you like with your money after that. If you think that concept is somehow flawed then please enlighten us with your solution.

The only fact is that LH has moved to abroad. Anything else is speculation. It may well be to save tax, but without knowing what he pays, to whom, on one knows for sure.
That may, in your view, show a lack of critical thinking on my part, but, do you think I care what you think of my reasoning?

Your defence is we dont know why the tax exile moved to a tax haven and it may be to give more money to charity ….its ludicrous.

Fair enough on that point but perhaps a bloke who’s work takes him all over the world chooses to live somewhere that is probably quite nice and warm along with paying his taxes there.

He also might just like hanging out with other famous sports people
http://blog.directly.me/30-celebrities-living-in-monte-carlo-how-to-contact-them/
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/feb/05/team-sky-hub-france-nice-monaco
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/wales/28869243

I was specifically referring to him not giving a damn for the tax system in this country which is the way to put back into society fairly I.e. For the greater good by letting our elected government decide where to allocate funds.

Funniest thing I’ve read on here for ages 😆

do you think I care what you think of my reasoning?

Why are you going to such lengths to defend it then ? 🙄
If you want to think he left to live in a tax haven not to avoid tax than that is your choice. Its still naive and ludicrous and my cousin is earnest to get in touch.

Shall we leave it there or shall we just repeat ourselves ?

Thanks woody!

You’ve taken that bit of of context though… I did caveat that worth the bit about not necessarily agreeing etc…!

Richmars, I do think there’s a flaw in your argument but discussion\disagreement is the point of a debate. Of course the whole scenario is speculation but aunty beebs journalist did call him a tax exile, would expect they checked that out before making such a specific statement.

Shall we leave it there or shall we just repeat ourselves ?

🙂

“Daddy, when I grown up I want to be a tax payer”

sas78,
I’m happy to accept that the most likely reason that LH has moved abroad is to save tax. As has been mentioned above, many high earners do.
I don’t agree that he doesn’t give a damn about the people he’s left behind. But this bit is all speculation and up to individuals views of LH.

Has anybody on this thread yet told us whether they have a CTW scheme bike?

Used to buy a 160mm bouncer !!!

So how much would someone have cost the country’s purse by the time they’re say 25 years old? Education, health, policing, all that sort of stuff. And how much would you need to have earned to pay for all of that in taxation and be free to clear off to live where the heck you like and pay all the tax they legally require of you without being scolded by a bunch of frustrated indignant keyboard warriors ?

aracer – Member
Has anybody on this thread yet told us whether they have a CTW scheme bike?

Holds up hand, used it when the scheme was quite new to buy a bike, to cycle to work on, not sure I actually saved anything, but seeing as it apparently makes me a “tax avoider” when should I book my flight to Monaco?

The sense of entitlement some people feel to other people’s money is always interesting. The poor guy has probably paid enough UK tax in his life to build a hospital wing and yet he’s somehow not pulling his weight.

Agreed. He’s already paid more tax than most of us will earn in our lifetime so I for one have absolutely no problem if he chooses to live elsewhere, for whatever reason.

Why pick on LH anway, it’s not like it is a new phenomenon as it has been common practice for as far back as I can remember for those in a position to do it. How about that rascal Mr Cavendish, how much tax does he pay?

Has anybody on this thread yet told us whether they have a CTW scheme bike?

I thought we covered that earlier. I dont have a bike on ctw but I do have an ISA. I would suggest that paying into an ISA or a pension is not tax avoidance as ISA’s are tax free and that is how the gov intended it. Does the gov intend for people to move to tax havens as soon as they can afford to?

Agreed. He’s already paid more tax than most of us will earn in our lifetime so I for one have absolutely no problem if he chooses to live elsewhere, for whatever reason.

I’m not surevyou understand hiw the tax system works (or doesnt work).

I’m fairly sure you didn’t get the point I was making 😉

Your ISA is still tax avoidance I’m afraid. People in glass houses etc.

I would suggest that paying into an ISA or a pension is not tax avoidance as ISA’s are tax free and that is how the gov intended it. Does the gov intend for people to move to tax havens as soon as they can afford to?

Moving abroad isn’t exactly exploiting a clever tax loophole*, or something the government actually has a policy on is it? The fundamental point though is that plenty of people on here seem to be suggesting that LH should choose to pay more tax.

*like getting a CTW bike which isn’t suitable for riding to work

Your ISA is still tax avoidance I’m afraid. People in glass houses etc.

Not according to the hmrc definition it isnt.

The fundamental point though is that plenty of people on here seem to be suggesting that LH should choose to pay more tax.

Correct, and suprise suprise some people have different views on this. Paying into an isa and moving abroad to save paying tax on your tens of millions wages are not in any sensible way comparable though.

The principle is the same, the only difference is scale. So at what point does it become morally reprehensible?

I dont think the principle is the same. Could you explain how they are.

The bike to work scheme thing would be the same in principle. ISA example is not, its likecsuggesting bikes dont pay road tax.

Moving abroad and paying local taxes instead of UK ones is a completely legal, and deliberately legal, way of avoiding tax, just like an ISA. It is not in any way a ‘loophole’. The major difference is the former is something other people do to get out of tax (morally reprehensible, how dare they), and the latter is something you do, which obviously makes it 100% ok then.

The fundamental point though is that plenty of people on here seem to be suggesting that LH should choose to pay more tax.

Correct, and suprise suprise some people have different views on this.[/quote]

Indeed – I don’t see any reason why you should choose to pay more tax by giving up your ISA.

Paying into an isa and moving abroad to save paying tax on your tens of millions wages are not in any sensible way comparable though.

So would you rather live in Slough or Monaco?

An isa is a small amount of tax saving, limited in scope and available to every UK tax payer. It’s aim is to encourage as many people as possible to have a small saving and investment pot. It is in absolutely in no way comparable to running away and hiding in a tax haven.

So would you rather live in Slough or Monaco?

There are hundreds upon hundreds of miles of Mediterranean coastline that are far far nicer than the concrete abomination that is Monaco. The reason for choosing Monaco is to avoid tax, not because it is a nice place.

So back to amount (£), scope and can everyone do it? Hmmm….

Well to make it fair lets just have everyone stop paying income tax, lets see how long F1 drivers and Mercedes last in that world.

I certainly wouldn’t mind not have that chunk of tax being taken out of my monthly pay packet. If I am really really lucky the world might not disintegrate so fast that I could get to enjoy it for a while.

Exactly, tax avoidance I’m in the position to do = fine. Tax avoidance I can’t = immoral.

I am not in a position take advantage of tax breaks for research and development, but I don’t think they are immoral.

I would consider it immoral to take advantage of UK government assistance for research and development, and afterwards ship out to a low tax state.

ISA’s are not a way of avoiding tax. There is no tax on ISA’s I’m struggling to see how people cannot understand this. Its like avoiding petrol tax by riding a bike.

Read the HRMC advice that you quoted, it explains things (although it makes no specific reference to the perfectly legal choice of residence.)

You are entitled to plan your tax affairs in a way that makes sure you do not pay more tax than you have to.

HRMC

You can out money into ISAs, use tax advantage of pensions or even move abroad – your choice.

I’m struggling to see how people cannot understand this

You’re not the only one . . .Government promoted savings scheme versus blatant tax dodging by relocating to another country.

If you’ve got a UK passport, then cough up your whack or hand over your passport.

Simple

If you’ve got a UK passport, then cough up your whack or hand over your passport.

But that is neither the law nor the intention of the law, so it is not avoidance in the sense defined by HMRC.

If you’ve got a UK passport, then cough up your whack or hand over your passport.

Does this also include all non-domiciled British passport holders who pay local taxes in the country they currently live in, or are you proposing that the vast majority of the British who live abroad (i.e. who are not LH rich) pay 2 sets of taxes?