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...

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...

You are registered for VAT as a sole trader and have decided to earn extra money by renting out a bedroom in your home via Airbnb. But is this income subject to VAT and, if so, is there a way around it?  John Craig looks at this futher. It is often forgotten that there is...

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...

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...

  Hi folks Well here I am back at work and settled in to the old routine again. Just thought I’d let you know…. we did it !  It still doesn’t seem real but I attach photo’s taken at the beginning, middle (highest point of the trail) and end (x2) of our trek, as proof....

Your business has agreed that some employees will become homeworkers and has provided laptops to assist them. What VAT issues must you consider with these laptops? John Craig discusses the implications. Homeworking If you provide your employees with a computer and there is no business use, the tax you pay to the supplier is not...

You’ve engaged the services of a non-executive director (NED) to bring specialist expertise to your company. She says she’s freelance and has asked for her fees to be paid free of tax and NI. Is that OK or do you run the risk of trouble with HMRC? Joanne Gibson looks at the implications. The role...

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...

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...