Husband not been paying tax for years

Honestly, I don't understand what people get out of posting fabricated threads. Do they like the drama? Are their lives so sad?...

Agree.its against their code of ethics.

i would be very careful about remortgaging because, if you do this jointly, you become directly liable for the debt - don’t put yourself at such risk! I’d be consulting a lawyer myself to ensure I wasn’t being dragged into his debts where I was otherwise not liable.

I’m sorry to hear about your problems. I would get a lawyer, get a divorce, he won’t stop lying ever, you cannot trust a word he says and he stole from your son, appalling and unforgivable. I know you said you are in your fifties but there are plenty of jobs out there you could do as a stop gap. Driving, supermarket, cleaning. With regards to trusting another man, you don’t have to, be single and independent. You don’t really have a loving relationship now do you?

There was a thread exactly like this not long back … don’t think that lasted long either 😉

How did you think your dh was able to afford these things? I think you are lying- either to yourself or to everyone here in a desperate attempt to avoid liability/ prison yourself, and you were absolutely complicit in the tax avoidance. You cannot possibly have thought an 8 bedroom house and a £100k super car was affordable on £130k income. Sell the house and car and pay your debts.

Sure, but my accountant would know whether I've paid or not and they wouldn't work for me again knowing I haven't paid HMRC for four of five years knowing that

My guess is he has unpaid debts in his own name too (and if you’re married you’re ’jointly and severally liable’ so you can also be chased)

This is NOT true. I worked in debt recovery for decades, and can categorically refute this. The Op cannot be pursued for any debts in the sole name of her husband, unless she is a Guarantor.

Op, I would check that your DH hasn't taken a second mortgage on your home. My Dad did this without my Mum knowing, as he forged her signature.

HMRC does not send debt collectors.
This is a load of bull.

This is a very odd thread. Asked MNHQ to take a look.

OP seems to be making up figures as she goes along.

Agree, Have reported.

This is very odd. Is it the business that owes tax or your DH. They are different legal entities. If it's the business then you just close the business. You can't legally trade if you are insolvent anyway.

I have only skim read, so apologies if I have missed something, but I am confused as to why debt collectors are at your home. Your husband owns a limited company - the benefit of this is that it limits the personal liability of Directors, so you can't lose your house for example, because the Company owes money.

Presumably it was corporation tax your DH wasn't paying? Was the Co already bankrupt? Is that why the tax money owed wasn't recouped when it was liquidated? Has he been accused of fraud? I think you need to start getting to the bottom of what has happened by understanding the structure of the Company, why the liquidation didn't end the debt issue and how you can both move forward.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/corporation-tax-penalties#penalties-for-not-telling-hmrc-your-company-is-liable-for-corporation-tax

https://www.ukstartcompany.com/2025/03/30/what-happens-if-a-company-in-the-uk-fails-to-pay-its-taxes/

Right, so going on your last update... (firmly resisting the strong urge to go WTAF?).

Sell the Porsche. They have strong resale values. Pay off some of the debt.

Downsize and pay off the rest.

Pay your son back. You are incredibly fortunate to have these options.

I'm wondering if your DH has been trying and failing to manage a very demanding home/work/lifestyle balance.

Why not give the £2000 to your son instead of your dh to get his watch back? Yoy don't seem to have much financial sense either OP. Do you own your home? 2hqts the equity in that?

When you say we drive porche, it’s you or your husband or both?

I am still waiting for you to tell what lifestyle you said you got used to.

Downsize your house and sell the porche. 130k is not a lot to support this lifestyle when you include taxes. Start living within means, that’s my first advice. And start working - job in charity shop or a small business or start selling on Amazon. Whatever you can, so you learn value of money.

A lot of this doesn't add up-literally!

What work does he do now?

What is an 8 apartment house?

Hi OP. Name changed for this as I still carry a lot of shame from this and never tell anyone, even thinking about it now makes me feel sick.
A few years ago I owed HMRC a large sum of money - not near £150k, but I also don't earn anywhere near what your husband earns.

I buried my head in the sand and honestly did not feel like living. My eldest was 3 weeks old when HMRC turned up on my doorstep. I told my husband that day. We weren't married at the time, and the flat was only in my name and the debt was from before we got together. I can see how you can feel betrayed in a way he didnt. But..

He was massively supportive. He said we can sort it, we can make a plan. And we did.
HMRC were happy to wait for the money until we sold the flat (it was quite a while) - but I actually had to communicate with them. We used equity from the flat (thankfully not all of it) and moved elsewhere.

We were planning on moving out of London anyway, so we didn't downsize, but it did impact the size of our mortgage.

If it's just this one thing, and your marriage is generally good, and he's a good man, then I hope you can find it in you to be as supportive of him as he has been of you.
Yes, he has fucked up. But let him know its OK and there is a future. Make a plan together.

He's still earning good money. How was you adjust your lifestyle to make repayments?
You'll have to spend less yourself too - any minimum wage part time job to start with will keep you busy and give you less time to spend.
How big is your house/mortgage? Can you downsize? Yes, you dont want to - but your husband may be genuinely suicidal about this, and what is worse?
What cars are you driving? Can you swap to cheaper run arounds?
What items of value do you have to sell? They are just things.

Has he got a good accountant and what's his plans to pay tax going forward?
Include in your plan paying back the money into your sons trust fund.

Good luck, and try not to panic. You will be OK.

Agree. I'm early 50s. I was one of 2 in my not group with my first who went back after ML bur by the time our children were at school everyone was back. I don't know anyone who is still a sahm with adult children or even kids at primary school.

I am 54. All my friends from university worked when they had kids. I have met a few sahm friends through school. But most of my friends kept their jobs and careers. We are not that old!

Im confused as to how your husband is earning £130k a year but he liquidated the company? Is he now in different employment?

Op, you need to log onto the Government Gateway and check how much you can expect to get from the state pension. Likely not much as you have barely worked.

You need to start working now, full time. Take control of your future.

Fine, so sell the car and sell the house. Simple. Frankly madness that you hung onto them after the first debt reared its head.

And again, nice though it is 130k is not Porsche lifestyle, nor eight apartment (if you mean bedroom?) house in a nice area. You've been living in a dream world, wilfully it seems.

???????????

What is a 8 apartment house?

Are you living in the UK ?

Porsche not relevant.