Small businesses / 217 posts found
Using the IHT gift exemptions
As Benjamin Franklin observed in 1789 'In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.' More than two centuries on, this statement still rings true! These days however, inheritance tax is often referred to as a voluntary tax, because there are various ways to minimise liability to it, or even avoid it all together. PETS Any assets (cash or otherwise) that a person gives away during their lifetime, that do not fall under the exempt transfer rules, such as transfers between spouses and civil partners and gifts to charities, may escape inheritance tax as a [...]
December 2017 Q&A
Q. My wife and I jointly owned a property that we originally lived in for many years, although it has been rented out for the last 10 years. My wife has recently died and I am now the sole owner of that property. I intend to sell it and give the proceeds to my two children (both aged in their 40's). Will there be capital gains tax on the sale proceeds? A. If a residence is transferred between a husband and wife who are living together (or between civil partners), of each other who are living together, whether by sale or by [...]
OTS outlines future work plans
The Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) has published a paper outlining its future works programme, identifying areas of interest that the office will be looking at in the next twelve months and beyond. The OTS is currently working on a review of VAT, and expects to publish its report in October or November 2017. Work has also commenced on a high-level paper on the business lifecycle which looks at key events and the various taxes which apply at these points. The Government has requested a review of capital allowances and the possibility of using instead the depreciation charged in the [...]
All change for termination payments
As confirmed in the 2017 Spring Budget, the tax rules governing termination payments will change from 6 April 2018. The term 'termination payment' is typically used as a generic summary for a lump sum payment, which is normally (but not always) made to an employee at the time the employment comes to an end. The current rules governing the taxation of termination payments are complex and over recent years, have been subject to manipulation by some employers seeking to minimise income tax and NIC liabilities. The forthcoming changes seek to clarify the rules, particularly in relation to the existing £30,000 tax-free exemption [...]
HMRC launch new business support service
HMRC have launched a new service designed to directly help mid-sized businesses as they expand and grow. The new Growth Support Service (GSS) will be open to some 170,000 mid-sized businesses registered in the UK who are undergoing significant growth, and who either have a turnover of more than £10 million, or more than 20 employees. Broadly, a business will be eligible under the 'significant growth' criteria if its turnover increased by 20% or more in the last twelve months, where this increase is at least £1 million. HMRC's GSS tax experts will offer dedicated support, tailored to the customer's needs. It [...]
November 2017 Q&A
Q. My wife and I are directors of a small company. Our two children also work for the company. Is there any advantage to the company paying for all our mobile phones? A. The tax legislation provides exemptions from tax, and often National Insurance Contributions, for certain benefits-in-kind - mobile phones being one of them. Making use of the exemptions generally offers an opportunity to extract funds from a family company without triggering a tax or NIC charge. Providing the benefit rather than the funds with which to buy the benefit saves tax. The costs are also deductible in computing the company's [...]
HMRC launch further Help-to-Save consultation
Following an earlier period of consultation, HMRC have published draft legislation along- side a further technical consultation document, setting out proposals for the main features, processes and requirements of the new Help-to-Save accounts scheme, which is set to commence in 2018. Help-to-Save will be targeted at working families on low incomes to help them build up their savings. The scheme will be open to around 4 million individuals who either receive universal credit and have minimum weekly household earnings equivalent to 16 hours at the national living wage, or receive Working Tax Credit (WTC). Help-to-Save will work by providing a [...]
Getting ready for GDPR
The new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which will replace the existing Data Protection Act (DPA), takes effect from 25 May 2018. UK organisations that process the personal data of EU residents need to ensure systems are in place by then to enable compliance with new requirements. The GDPR is more extensive in scope and application than the current DPA. The Regulation extends the data rights of individuals, and requires organisations to develop clear policies and procedures to protect personal data, and adopt appropriate technical and organisational measures. The GDPR introduces a number of key changes for organisations including: the [...]
MTD VAT regulations to be available by April 2018
The government has confirmed plans to publish and consult on draft VAT regulations for Making Tax Digital (MTD), with the aim to have the regulations in place by April 2018 to give businesses and software developers at least twelve months to prepare. In July 2017 the Government announced that MTD is being delayed. MTD will be not be mandatory until April 2019, and then only for VAT. From that date, businesses with a turnover above the VAT threshold (currently £85,000) will be required to keep digital records for VAT purposes. The VAT regulations will specify the information a business needs [...]
October 2017 Q&A
Q. My mother gave my daughter £5,000 on 1 May 2013. She had not made any other gifts in previous years. Unfortunately my mother passed away on 1 September 2017. How much of the gift she gave to her granddaughter is chargeable to inheritance tax? A. Since your mother did not make any other gifts, the gift she made to your daughter will be covered by inheritance tax annual exemptions - £3,000 for 2013/14 plus her unused exemption brought forward from 2012/13 (£3,000 available). Q. I am a self-employed builder. I carried out a job for a customer and invoiced him for £750. [...]