‘Ludicrous’ UK Rules Require Lawyers to Register as Tax Advisers

Karen Dovaston is a solicitor who helps couples navigate the legal complexities of divorce and other family matters in the UK. She doesn’t give tax advice.

Yet under new regulations set to take effect in May, Dovaston is about to be classified as a tax adviser by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs—because she sometimes has to contact HMRC to work through details of asset transfers or get information required for financial disclosures. The new regime regards any professional, whether in the UK or abroad, who interacts with HMRC on behalf of a client as a tax adviser.

“It is ludicrous ...