[ben M]

Just a quick question....does anyone employ their wives? Has anyone had a problem with HMRC because of it or advised against it?
How many hours a week do you declare she works and what do you say she does?

I was informed it was too much of a risk as HMRC would want to see that she was doing practical work ie cleaning windows and the exact number of hours she works?

I'm very confused and would like to know what others think/do......
 
thanks

Ben

[ronnie paton]

get accountant

from what your saying your not actuallty employing her if you was you wouldnt be asking the question

there are lots of things a business need to do apart from clean windows

[ben M]

get accountant

from what your saying your not actuallty employing her if you was you wouldnt be asking the question

there are lots of things a business need to do apart from clean windows

Actually i am employing my wife to do secretary work but my accountant said i can't employ her because she is not a window cleaner! i find it weird !

[Ian Lancaster]

get accountant

from what your saying your not actuallty employing her if you was you wouldnt be asking the question

there are lots of things a business need to do apart from clean windows

Actually i am employing my wife to do secretary work but my accountant said i can't employ her because she is not a window cleaner! i find it weird !

I take it your "accountant" is a friend with a bit of accountancy knowledge?  No professional accountant would give advice like that

Try telling Mr Barratt of Barratt Homes he can't employ his wife because she isn't a builder

[James archell]

get accountant

from what your saying your not actuallty employing her if you was you wouldnt be asking the question

there are lots of things a business need to do apart from clean windows

Actually i am employing my wife to do secretary work but my accountant said i can't employ her because she is not a window cleaner! i find it weird !

You need a different accountant. You can employ your wife, she can clean windows or she can be employed in another role in the company, you do keep books and have various admin tasks that need doing I presume which you would otherwise lose time over if you did them yourself? So long as you pay her what is deemed to be the market rate for whatever it is she does then there's nothing wrong in submitting her wages in the books.

 

[ben M]

Does she needs to be in a partnership?

[mgba_78]

Does she needs to be in a partnership?

Nope, thats a different kettle of fish there. She can be a partner but why?
I presume youre looking at tax savings??

As said above you can employ her to do anything in your business, canvassing, collecting, booking jobs in, the list is endless, weather she actually does what she is employed for on paper is up to you.

[SunShineCleaning]

My wife is a partner.  If you employ your wife do you need employees liability?

[Ian Lancaster]

My wife is a partner.  If you employ your wife do you need employees liability?

Yes.

And if you are a Ltd Company and you and your wife are directors you are deemed to be employed by the company and so need to have Employers Liability insurance.

[Alex Wingrove]

Or get your wife to register for SA. And file the simple form online

[Dave Turley]

I employ my wife for paperwork, leafleting etc and my accountant is straight as a die

[paul marshall]

my public liabilaty is with gleaming and it covers close members of family such as partner, son etc at no extra cost , they dont work for me but i was told they would be covered , havnt got a clue about any of the other stuff though

[king marko]

Takes me back to when I was employed - my old boss had his dad, mum, wife & sister all on the books (I know this from when he went bankrupt) and all were taking a wage better than the workers -  I worked there for nearly ten years and saw them as often as Stevie wonder sees his tackle

Hmmmm.... 

[PAUL ERITH]

My wife will be working for me by next year doing admin, payment collecting ect

21 hrs at £7 per hr £147 per week 

Paul

[KS Cleaning]

Just a quick question....does anyone employ their wives? Has anyone had a problem with HMRC because of it or advised against it?
How many hours a week do you declare she works and what do you say she does?

I was informed it was too much of a risk as HMRC would want to see that she was doing practical work ie cleaning windows and the exact number of hours she works?

I'm very confused and would like to know what others think/do......
 
thanks

Ben

Time to get another accountant Ben as your present one is giving you bad advice.It was on my accountants advice that I employed my wife to save on NIC.

[steve rix]

Just a quick question....does anyone employ their wives? Has anyone had a problem with HMRC because of it or advised against it?
How many hours a week do you declare she works and what do you say she does?

I was informed it was too much of a risk as HMRC would want to see that she was doing practical work ie cleaning windows and the exact number of hours she works?

I'm very confused and would like to know what others think/do......
 
thanks

Ben

Time to get another accountant Ben as your present one is giving you bad advice.It was on my accountants advice that I employed my wife to save on NIC.

First correct post

[Window Washers]

I'm married to her , it didn't state on. That contract I had to employ her or I would opt for divorce , my wife is lady (fit i might ad) a window cleaner she's not, I would never want her to be a window cleaner either or I would have to be arrested

[SunShineCleaning]

Just a quick question....does anyone employ their wives? Has anyone had a problem with HMRC because of it or advised against it?
How many hours a week do you declare she works and what do you say she does?

I was informed it was too much of a risk as HMRC would want to see that she was doing practical work ie cleaning windows and the exact number of hours she works?

I'm very confused and would like to know what others think/do......
 
thanks

Ben

You are sort of correct, your wife can work for you but you have to be able to show that you are paying her in line with the amount of work bein done.

For example, you can pay her 4 hours a week if she answers the phone and banks. You would not be able to pay her 40 hours for taking 3 phone calls and banking twice a week.

The only benefit or paying a wife is if she has spare tax allowance.

If this is the case set up a partnership and your accountant can use her allowance to the full.

[Dick]

I employ my wife, I informed HMRC all they wanted to know was the amount I pay her, as this is below the personal allowance they just wanted to know if the situation changed which it won't. It's a good way to legitimately transfer some income and not pay tax on it as she doesn't work.
Tax avoidance is ok, evasion isn't.

[Dick]

You don't have to have employers liability if you employ members of your own family.