Tax

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February Q&A

1st February 2020
Can I change my mind about a dividend? Q. In 2019 my company paid me cash adding up to over £25,000. This was charged to my director’s loan account (DLA), and at the company’s year end (31 December 2019) I still owed the money. My accountant says because of this the company will have to...

December Q&A

27th November 2019
Q. My parents stay in and pay the mortgage on my house, is this classed as rental income? I have owned a house for 12 years which I don’t currently live in. My parents live in the house and they pay me just enough money each month to cover the mortgage payments. Should I pay...

What’s new with company cars in 2020

22nd November 2019
If you have use of a company car for private travel you’ll have to pay tax for the privilege. Plus, there’s a further tax bill if the business pays for your fuel for private journeys. What’s changing with these tax charges in April 2020? Brona MacDougall finds out. Cars and car fuel Company cars are...

Are pre-start up expenses tax deductible?

18th November 2019
Jane has decided to turn her hobby into a business which she’ll run though a company. She bought stock and equipment for her hobby which will now be used for the business instead. Can it claim tax deductions for these costs? Brona MacDougall provides the answers. Pre-trading expenses You may already be aware that tax...

NOVEMBER Q&A

31st October 2019
Claim VAT on a new house build? Q. My wife and I have just bought a plot of land. We intend to build a new house on the land and sell it. Can we register for VAT and claim input tax on our building costs? A. The answer is yes, but there are two important...

Does giving children shares now save you tax in the long term?

28th October 2019
Your long-term plan is for your children to take over the family company but they are far too young at the moment. Nevertheless, is it worth giving them shares in the business now as a tax-saving measure? Brona MacDougall advises. For almost as long as income tax has existed, parents have tried different ways to...

Selling your business – how to avoid tax traps

25th October 2019
You’re selling your business and as part of the deal you’ll stay on in a managerial role for three years. You’ll then be paid an additional sum based on the profits made over that period. How should you structure the payment to avoid tax traps? Our Senior Tax Manager Brona MacDougall provides advice on the...

October Q&A

1st October 2019
Is hiring golf clubs to a non-resident taxable? Q. We hire golf clubs to private individuals. A customer came into our shop last week and insisted that the fee for hiring a set of golf clubs for a week should not be subject to VAT because he is a US resident. He produced evidence of...

Tax breaks for holiday lets

30th September 2019
Last tax year you started letting a property as a holiday let. The trouble is that to qualify for the special tax breaks it must be let for 105 days in the tax year and you didn’t reach this figure. Is there a way around this rule? Brona MacDougall takes a closer look. You may...

How to claim the new Structures and Buildings Allowance

26th September 2019
HMRC has recently published new guidance on the Structures and Buildings Allowance (SBA) following changes to the rules. This includes important information about how to claim it. What’s involved? John Craig discusses below. The 2018 Budget announced that businesses would be entitled to a new tax relief, the Structures and Buildings Allowance (SBA) would apply...