1st annual report COP...

tealover

Registered User
Sep 8, 2011
168
0
.......and it is driving me mad!! I have added up everything meticulously and I still can't get the damn thing to balance. All my information is from Mum's bank statements, and all corresponds entirely with receipts etc......but I keep not balancing, I have done it a hundred different ways.....been at this since 3pm today with only a break for tea.

Any tips please? Back at Work at the weekend so wanted to get this part of it boxed off before I go back to work,

many thanks
X
 

Saffie

Registered User
Mar 26, 2011
22,513
0
Near Southampton
O dear Tealover, that form drove me mad and took me weeks to get right even though I had spreadsheets of income and expenditure with each category separated for all through the year.

Last year I tried to get it all worked out well before the due date, using a photocopied form from the previous year and eventually was only pennies out. Still annoying though. I thought it odd that the form hadn't arrived as early a usual and then my husband died a few days before the actual date and when I rang the OPG to inform them of this, it turned out that, as his capital had reduced so much, I no longer had to complete the form at all. They hadn't thought to tell me though so all the finite detailed accounting throughout that year was wasted. I told the chap at the OPG that I wasn't happy!

I honestly don't have much advice to give except to say that if the imbalance isn't a lot then I think it will be ok. They might want to see relevant paperwork but I assume you have relevant accounts to send if they ask for them. They do say that more is needed that the bank statements but I was never asked for anything so can't say exactly what.

If you can't trace the discrepancy then just explain that in the place where you are asked to explain any imbalance. It's all you can do if you can't find it. I couldn't leave it alone though and had to go over and over it - drove me mad! I never did find the missing pence last year either!

I wonder though if we worry too much about this as it's not as if it's a massive amount and we can't all be accountants, just honest people doing our best to fulfill a duty.
I found the whole thing so onerous. Best of luck - I'm sure it will be fine.
 
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Delphie

Registered User
Dec 14, 2011
1,268
0
Hi tealover :)

I've done several of these now and I never get things to balance the first time, or the second time. I've even gone through statements ticking off items in red pen as I input them into a spreadsheet, and have still managed to be out.

Now, if I don't nail it after a couple of attempts, I get my husband to have a look because it's always down to me doing something stupid like taking £47.58 from a bank statement and writing down £47.85, and I tell you from (bitter :D) experience that I can check and re-check until the cows come home but I never spot my own errors. I think it's quite common and probably the reason proof readers exist.

So my advice is do what you can and then get someone else to check it. If you're still out and it's a relatively small amount I really wouldn't worry. Everyone makes mistakes, including the OPG, and no one will seriously think that a Deputy is trying to defraud someone to the tune of a few pence or pounds.

Good luck! :)
 

tealover

Registered User
Sep 8, 2011
168
0
Thank you all for your comments.......I really thought I had lost the plot with this.

So I left it at around 1am, got up at 7 and started totally fresh with it, from scratch and have got it all balanced out to the penny!!!

Tra-laaaaaa!!!! :D

Totally exasperated tho!

xx