2026–2027 Collective Agreement: calculations ready for participation in 6 out of 10 practices

That is why it is important to gauge how staff are feeling with just over a month to go until the deadline.

When it comes to the main advantage of the tax settlement, professionals have little doubt: 77.6 per cent cite the possibility of being taxed on an income lower than their actual earnings. A further 15 per cent appreciate the limits on tax audits, whilst a small proportion cite the ISA incentive scheme. Among other reasons given in the open-ended section, respondents mention ‘the ability to plan tax outgoings with precision’ and ‘the ability to plan business activities from a tax perspective’. It is clear, however, that the decisive factor is the discrepancy between the declared income and what the taxpayer expects to earn, perhaps because, after ten months, they already have a clear picture of the turnover for the entire two-year period.

Cost-effectiveness will be a decisive factor, not only for renewals but also in determining how many taxpayers will sign up for the first time by 2 November. More than 80 per cent of professionals say they have clients who meet the criteria. However, expecting a landslide would be overly optimistic: almost all survey respondents (over 96 per cent) believe that the proportion of those interested will not exceed 25 per cent.

It is true that the number of ISA taxpayers who have so far remained outside the scheme exceeds 2 million, but it seems clear that the bulk of the action will centre on renewals rather than new sign-ups. It is no coincidence that the opportunity to regularise the tax position for the years 2020–23 through the special voluntary disclosure scheme was granted by the Omnibus amending decree only to those renewing the 2024–25 two-year agreement. This is also because the amnesty extends up to the 2023 tax year, which is precisely the one used by the tax authorities as a reference for drawing up the 2024–25 proposal. Joining the scheme, therefore, also means closing the loop, except in cases of the most serious breaches.

The impression, however, is that the latest regulatory changes have not really sparked much enthusiasm amongst professionals. Seven out of ten firms believe that the changes have not made either renewal or initial enrolment any more attractive. If we then look at which measures are considered most useful, we find that the reduction in assessment times and the possibility of rectifying the forfeiture of rights by submitting a supplementary return are the ones that garner the most support (54 per cent and 44 per cent of participants, with multiple answers permitted). Meanwhile, the option to pay taxes in instalments without interest is supported by just 18 per cent.

All in all, the impact of the grounds for termination and forfeiture appears to be marginal: almost all professionals (97 per cent) have found that this has affected less than 5 per cent of their clients. The impact of the grounds for exclusion, on the other hand, is slightly higher; these affect those who – despite wishing to do so – are unable to renew their 2024–25 agreement.