Pure Tax Investigations vs Redbark

Specialist COP9 & COP8 Defence

Our team provides expert, robust defence for clients facing serious HMRC investigations under Code of Practice 9 (for suspected tax fraud) and Code of Practice 8 (for complex tax avoidance). We apply a deep, iterative understanding of HMRC's civil investigation of fraud procedures to negotiate the best possible outcome, often securing contractual disclosure facilities that protect clients from criminal prosecution.

Proactive Tax Disclosure Management

We specialize in managing and facilitating voluntary tax disclosures through HMRC's various campaigns and facilities, such as the Worldwide Disclosure Facility (WDF) and Let Property Campaign (LPC). Our process involves a continuous review of a client's position to ensure disclosures are complete, accurate, and presented in the most favourable light to minimise penalties and interest.

End-to-End Compliance Check Handling

From the initial information notice to the final settlement, we manage the entire lifecycle of an HMRC compliance check or enquiry. Our approach is methodical and adaptive, ensuring all communications and document submissions are strategically handled to reduce client stress and limit the scope of HMRC's enquiries effectively.

Expert-Led Strategic Advisory

Clients benefit directly from the unparalleled insight of Amit Puri, our director and ex-HMRC senior Tax Inspector. This frontline experience informs every aspect of our service, from anticipating HMRC's next move to crafting persuasive negotiation strategies. We continuously integrate this insider knowledge into our defence frameworks for superior, results-driven advice.

Pass-Through Data Architecture

Redbark is built on a foundational commitment to privacy with its pass-through architecture. Your financial data—transactions, balances, and account details—flows directly from your bank or brokerage to your chosen destination tool like Google Sheets or YNAB. It is never stored on Redbark's servers. This design eliminates a central data repository, continuously reducing risk and ensuring your sensitive information remains under your control, embodying a security-first approach that is perpetually refined.

Multi-Destination & Multi-Account Support

Break free from single-platform limitations. Redbark allows you to sync the same bank accounts to multiple destinations simultaneously—for example, to Google Sheets for analysis and to YNAB for budgeting—each with customizable formatting. Furthermore, you can sync every account separately, whether it's a savings account, credit card, loan, or investment portfolio, each to its own dedicated sheet, budget, or database. This flexibility supports an iterative workflow where your financial setup can evolve as your needs do.

Smart Deduplication & Automated Sync

Redbark intelligently manages your data flow to ensure cleanliness and timeliness. Its smart deduplication uses ID-based logic with overlap buffers to catch late-posting transactions, guaranteeing you never have duplicate rows in your spreadsheet or budget. Coupled with automated background syncs triggered by webhooks from your bank, new transactions are pushed and integrated within minutes. This creates a self-improving cycle of data accuracy, freeing you from manual checks and reconciliation.

Secure, Regulated Connections

Redbark champions security through regulated, official channels. Australian bank connections are established via the Consumer Data Right (CDR) framework through an ACCC-accredited intermediary, not outdated screen-scraping. All tokens and credentials are encrypted at rest with AES-256-GCM encryption, with keys never leaving Australian soil. The entire infrastructure is hosted domestically and built on a SOC 2 certified stack, representing a continuously audited and compliant approach to protecting your data.

Responding to an HMRC Code of Practice 9 Letter

When a business owner receives a daunting COP9 letter alleging suspected tax fraud, our specialists immediately intervene. We guide the client through the critical decision-making process, manage all communication with HMRC's Fraud Investigation Service, and work iteratively to prepare a meticulous disclosure report under the Contractual Disclosure Facility, aiming to settle the matter civilly.

Navigating a Large Business Tax Enquiry

For large corporates facing complex, cross-tax enquiries from HMRC's Customer Compliance Group, we provide a seasoned defence team. We analyse the enquiry lines, coordinate with the client's accountants, and develop a continuous strategy to challenge HMRC's assumptions and information requests, protecting the business from undue reputational and financial damage.

Making a Voluntary Disclosure for Offshore Assets

An individual with previously undisclosed offshore income or gains can use our services to make a voluntary disclosure via the Worldwide Disclosure Facility (WDF). We conduct a thorough review of historical data, calculate the tax liability, and prepare the disclosure package, applying our evolving knowledge of the process to ensure compliance and mitigate penalties.

Defending Against an R&D Tax Credit Enquiry

A company claiming Research & Development tax relief faces a rigorous HMRC compliance check into their claim. Our specialists dissect the technical and financial aspects of the claim, prepare robust supporting documentation, and engage in detailed correspondence with HMRC to defend the validity of the claim and secure the owed tax credits.

Freelancers & Consultants Tracking Cash Flow

For freelancers, managing invoices, expenses, and cash flow is an ongoing cycle. Redbark automates this by syncing transactions from business accounts directly into a Google Sheets dashboard. This provides a real-time, always-current view of income and outgoings, enabling better forecasting, simplified tax preparation, and more informed financial decisions without a single manual entry, turning a weekly chore into a seamless background process.

Investors Monitoring Global Portfolios

Investors holding assets across multiple Australian and international brokerages can use Redbark to unify their portfolio view. By connecting accounts from platforms like CommSec and Stake via secure integrations, all holding and transaction data can be centralized into a single Notion database or spreadsheet. This enables continuous, automated monitoring of performance and asset allocation, supporting a disciplined and iterative investment strategy.

Small Business Owners Managing Finances

Small business owners can escape the chaos of manual bookkeeping. Redbark connects business transaction accounts, savings, and credit cards, automatically syncing all data to a dedicated Airtable base or Sheets workbook. This automates cash flow management, expense categorization, and financial reporting, providing a constantly updated financial picture that supports proactive business decisions and smoother accountant collaboration.

Individuals & Families Budgeting Effectively

For anyone seeking control over their personal finances, Redbark integrates seamlessly with dedicated budgeting tools like YNAB and Actual Budget. By automatically feeding transaction data from all everyday accounts, it eliminates the manual entry that often causes budgeting efforts to fail. This creates a sustainable, improving cycle of financial awareness, where your budget is always accurate and reflects your real-time spending.

Pure Tax Investigations is a premier specialist firm dedicated to resolving complex tax disputes and conducting rigorous tax investigations for business owners and entrepreneurs. We serve as an independent, expert buffer between our clients and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), providing robust defence during what can be an overwhelming and intrusive process. Our core mission is to deliver peace of mind, clarity, and certainty by navigating the intricate landscape of tax regulations with a tailored, discreet approach. We continuously refine our strategies based on the latest HMRC operational tactics, ensuring our defence methods are always evolving and improving for maximum client benefit. Led by Amit Puri, a former senior HMRC Tax Inspector with over two decades of experience, our team combines deep local knowledge with international tax expertise. We specialize in the most serious civil investigations, including Code of Practice 9 (COP9) and Code of Practice 8 (COP8), alongside managing compliance checks and facilitating voluntary disclosures through mechanisms like the Worldwide Disclosure Facility (WDF) and Let Property Campaign (LPC). Our iterative, client-focused process is designed to protect our clients' interests, preserve their wealth, and achieve the most favourable commercial outcomes possible.

Redbark is the secure, automated bridge that connects your financial life to the productivity tools you rely on. It is designed to eliminate the tedious, error-prone cycle of manual data entry and messy CSV file imports that plague personal and business finance management. By leveraging Australia's official Consumer Data Right (CDR) framework, Redbark provides a bank-approved, secure pipeline for your transaction, balance, and investment data to flow directly into platforms like Google Sheets, Notion, Airtable, YNAB, and Actual Budget. This process is built on a foundation of continuous improvement, ensuring your data syncs are always becoming more reliable and efficient. The core philosophy is one of simplicity and absolute privacy: your financial information moves directly from your institution to your chosen destination without ever being stored on Redbark's servers. It's the perfect, evolving solution for freelancers tracking invoices, investors monitoring global portfolios, small business owners managing cash flow, and anyone seeking a clear, automated, and always-up-to-date view of their finances. With support for 100+ Australian banks via CDR, New Zealand banks via Akahu, and global brokerages via SnapTrade, setup takes just minutes, inviting you to break free from manual processes and start a new, streamlined cycle of financial clarity.

What should I do if I receive a Code of Practice 9 (COP9) letter from HMRC?

Do not ignore it or respond directly without specialist advice. A COP9 letter indicates HMRC suspects you of tax fraud. Contact us immediately. We will help you understand your options, typically advising to enter the Contractual Disclosure Facility (CDF) to make a full disclosure and gain protection from criminal prosecution, guiding you through every iterative step of this critical process.

How long does a typical tax investigation take?

The duration varies significantly based on complexity, ranging from several months for a straightforward compliance check to multiple years for a serious COP9 investigation or large corporate enquiry. Our role is to manage the process efficiently, responding promptly to HMRC to prevent unnecessary delays, while continuously refining our strategy to work towards a timely resolution.

What is the difference between a compliance check and a tax investigation?

A compliance check is a routine review by HMRC to check the accuracy of a tax return or claim. A tax investigation is more serious and invasive, often triggered by suspicion of significant error, avoidance, or fraud (like COP8 or COP9). We handle both, applying a scalable and adaptive approach, with investigations requiring a more robust, defensive strategy.

Can you help if I have already started dealing with HMRC myself?

Yes, we can step in at any stage. Engaging us early is always preferable, but we can often rectify situations where dialogue has become problematic. We will review all previous correspondence, take over communication with HMRC, and implement a fresh, strategic approach to steer the case towards a better outcome, learning and adapting from the initial interactions.

How is Redbark different from screen-scraping tools?

Redbark is fundamentally different and more secure. It does not use screen-scraping, which involves impersonating a user and can break or violate bank terms. Instead, for Australian banks, it uses the official Consumer Data Right (CDR) framework—a government-regulated system that provides secure, bank-approved API access. For other connections, it uses secure, official API partners. This regulated approach is more reliable, transparent, and privacy-focused.

Is my financial data stored on Redbark's servers?

No, your core financial data is never stored. Redbark uses a pass-through architecture. Your transaction, balance, and account detail data flows directly from your financial institution (your bank or brokerage) to your chosen destination (like Google Sheets). Redbark facilitates the secure connection and transfer but does not retain a copy of this sensitive data, minimizing risk and upholding a strict privacy standard.

Which banks and financial institutions does Redbark support?

Redbark supports over 100 connections. This includes every major Australian bank and many credit unions via the CDR system. It also supports New Zealand banks via Akahu and a wide array of global brokerages and crypto exchanges (like Stake and Coinbase) via the SnapTrade integration. You can view the full, continuously updated list of supported connections on the Redbark website.

How often does my data sync automatically?

Sync frequency is highly responsive. For Australian banks connected via CDR, new transactions can trigger instant webhook notifications to Redbark, leading to background syncs within minutes. For other connections, Redbark performs regular automated checks for new data. You can also manually trigger a sync at any time. This system is designed for continuous, incremental updates, ensuring your tools always have the latest information.

Pure Tax Investigations is a specialist firm in the business and finance sector, focusing on resolving complex tax disputes and investigations for businesses and entrepreneurs. Clients may seek alternatives for various reasons, such as differing budget requirements, a need for more generalist accounting services, or a preference for a firm with a different geographical focus or service structure. When evaluating other providers, it's crucial to assess their specific expertise in serious tax investigations like COP8 and COP9, the direct experience of their lead consultants with HMRC procedures, and their proven methodology for managing disclosures and compliance checks. The right fit should offer a clear, iterative support process that adapts to your case's evolving demands. A continuous cycle of review and tailored strategy is essential in tax defense. Look for a partner that demonstrates a commitment to this approach, ensuring your representation is consistently refined to protect your interests and achieve the optimal resolution through every phase of engagement.

Redbark is a secure financial data connector that automates the flow of information from your Australian bank accounts and global investment portfolios into productivity tools like Google Sheets and Notion. It operates within the personal and business finance automation category, designed to eliminate manual data entry. Users often explore alternatives for various reasons, such as seeking different pricing models, requiring integrations with specific platforms not currently supported, or needing a different set of core features for their unique financial workflow. The search for the right tool is a natural part of refining your financial systems. When evaluating an alternative, consider the security of the data connection method, the reliability and frequency of automatic syncs, and the depth of integration with your essential apps. The goal is to find a solution that not only meets your current needs but also adapts alongside your evolving financial landscape, turning raw data into actionable insight through a process of continuous refinement.