Business Tax Returns Privacy

Optimus10

I am a self employed managing director however my business has been practically dormant for 2 years due to personal ill health. I am currently seeking new employment and therefore winding-up my company. I want to hide my health issues so therefore I am planning to say to possible employers that my company was active in the last 2 years but to to challenging conditions I'm shutting it down. My concern is that I'm not sure how much information about my companies turnover can access be accessed by the public and what aspect of my tax returns might trip me up.
I have had a little misfortune but I'm seeking to turn things around, I have the education and experience to continue my career but I feel I need to tell a little white lie to get my foot on the ladder again. Any advice or shared knowledge would be greatly appreciated.

dbran

Hi

Your business' tax returns would not be in the public domain.

If they looked up the accounts of your company, they would see a copy of its annual returns that were filed. If abridged accounts were filed then the level of turnover would not be shown.

dbran

TimKelliherFCA

Hi,

Your company tax returns are not a matter of public record. I'm assuming your company has been filing abridged accounts with it's annual returns to the companies office over the years but these accounts would therefore only include a balance sheet and accompanying notes and not information relating to sales or activity. However, some one checking the companies could use the reserves figures on the balance sheet to gauge the level of earnings as this is effectively the movement on the profit and loss account for your company i.e. your company's after tax earnings. If your company was dormant for the last two years this figure would show little movement and would indicate to anyone reading them that there was either little activity in the period.

I hope the above is of help.

Tim Kelliher
Chartered Accountant