Colin Smith
Associate Director, Tax Investigations
Colin joined Independent Tax from the Tax Disputes team of a Big 4 accountancy firm. Colin has spent 12 years working in a variety of roles at HMRC, including presenting cases at Tribunal for HMRC, investigating offshore evasion, as a Case Director in the Affluent Team and as a Senior ADR facilitator (Colin is a CEDR-accredited mediator). Colin spent time both before and after his stint at HMRC at the same Big 4 accountancy firm, as well as shorter stints at Grant Thornton and BPP Professional Training.
Colin has spent most of his career immersed in HMRC investigations and associated issues (in all their forms – COP9, local office, large business, HNW, employer compliance, discovery assessments, penalties, avoidance). He has advised UHNW and large corporates, as well as partnerships (large and small) sole traders and employed individuals. He is able to flex his style and approach to whatever the problem is and has been involved in cases and enquiries across all the taxes that HMRC administer. He uses the inside knowledge gained from his years in HMRC to the best advantage of his clients.
Colin also uses his skills from teaching tax at BPP to help decipher the complexities of the taxes legislation for the benefit of clients.
Colin is hugely approachable and thrives on building trusted relationships with his clients. When not at work (and not ferrying his children about) he can be found wherever Sheffield Wednesday are playing or on the Moors with his dog or on the river bank with a fly fishing rod in his hand.
