Small Stakeholder Pension Release of funds now HMRC chasing me

[mrdoublestandards]

Hi,

After some advice if anyone can help. It's very complicated - well, at least it is to me as I'm totally out of my depth! I'll try to be brief...

 

Back in 2013 I was on JSA and totally, brutally, skint. I had a small pension with Standard Life, the current value at the time was 10k. I received a cold-call from a company offering me a way to transfer my pension and release 20% of the value immediately.

 

I was 38 at the time and even I knew that this was probably a bit dodgy as 55 seemed to be the only age this was allowed. But because I was so poor I figured that £2k now and worry about the 18k in 17 years time! The fees they charged me were horrendous, but I got £1780 and to be honest it saved my life.

 

Fast forward two years and I had a phone call from a genuinely nice guy at HMRC asking me why I hadn't filed tax returns for my "company"!

 

Long story short, this pension release firm had set up a holding company for me and transferred my pension funds to it, they then bought £8k worth of shares in some crazy business - I had no knowledge about any of this.

 

The guy at HMRC basically said, "don't worry, we come across mug-punters like you all the time, your only crime is being a thick idiot, but we will come after you for 40% tax on the full 10k unless you transfer the funds into a proper SSCP" ?

 

I've got in contact with the original firm which handled the paperwork (interestingly it's not the same company which cold-called me - they were just acting as an introducer for their commission). Again, to be fair, this firm who handled the paperwork have got back to me and said there's still about £900 my "fictitious" (to me) holding company, and the 8k shares are real.

 

So, I've got the original share certificate coming from the business I "bought" 8k shares in, and the firm have promised to send me a check for the £900 once "they have concluded business with HMRC as they've deregulated your small stakeholder pension fund".

 

I hope the above makes sense, as it barely does to me. I guess my question is, IF I get sent a cheque for £900, and IF these shares turn out to be worth more than the paper they're written on and I sell them, then do I need to tell HMRC and pay 40% tax, or do I wait for them to ask for it in the fullness of time. I'm still on JSA.

 

Thanks if anyone takes the time to make sense of the above. And please feel free to ask me more questions - I'll answer to the best of my ability.

[unclebulgaria67]

Think you need to enquire about the company registration and whether these shares have any value.

 

Has the appearance of an elaborate fiddle. The company may be registered, but these shares may not be worth the paper they are written on. Sending you a cheque for £900 once they have concluded business with HMRC ?

 

Might be worth phoning Money Advice Service.