Telegraph Money 

The week's most important personal finance news, analysis and expert advice, from pensions and property to investment ideas and savings tips.

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By Sophie Christie personal finance reporter

This week, Telegraph Money's Sam Meadows has been relentless in exposing HM Revenue & Custom's tax avoidance crackdown on self-employed workers, which has resulted in it issuing crippling tax bills to 50,000 contractors dating back 20 years.

The contractors affected made use of complex arrangements that involved being paid via loans from an offshore trust that were theoretically tax-free. The schemes were widely understood to be legal at the time, but Parliament has now passed loan charge legislation allowing HMRC to levy tax in April as a loan charge.

However, it has been revealed that HMRC could be too late to force those facing the loan charge to settle, according to one of its own senior officials. In correspondence with the Treasury Committee, published last week, Jim Harra, the deputy chief executive at the tax office, admitted that the time limit to challenge schemes which were disclosed on taxpayers’ returns had passed in many cases.

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You have the last word...

India Bravo Terrathree said about smartphone Sabbath? I've done this my whole life – here's why you should too: "I completely agree. I grew up keeping Shabbat too, although I'm not Jewish. It is a blissful oasis from the daily grind, and now I'm grown up, I can completely understand the need for it. As a child, not so much. But I would be happy to reinstate the Sunday Trading laws, to give families time to be together with each other and renew the ties that bind."

Dennis Hyde said about a fond farewell to Jessica Gorst-Williams: "A wonderful lady who has helped me several times, although I live in Spain. Thank you, thank you. You will be sorely Missed. Enjoy your new life."

Barney Tobin said about the 300m car finance rip-off: "There is no good way of buying a car, just less bad ways. 50-60% depreciation in the first 3 years.. Buy a 3/4 year old low mileage with 5 year extended warranty. Or run a banger. Some great cars around a 1000 on ebay."

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