Accelerate tax deductions for equipment

25th November 2014

Currently, businesses can claim tax deductions in the year of purchase for the full cost of equipment up to £500,000. However, this figure drops to £25,000 after the end of 2015. But there are still opportunities to accelerate tax relief; what are they?

Defer a gain and reduce your tax

14th May 2013

You can defer tax payable on capital gains by investing in certain types of company. But how can you turn this timing advantage into a real tax saving?

Choosing when to claim a capital loss

5th April 2013

Where you own shares in a company, whether it's a plc or a family run business, and it hits hard times, these might have little or no value. In this case you can claim a loss against any capital gains you've made. But can you allocate it to whichever year you like?

Income tax v Capital Gains Tax

20th February 2013

Even though the top rate of Capital Gains Tax was raised to 28% a couple of years ago, this is preferable to paying income tax at up to 50%. What are your options for converting income into capital gains and taking advantage of the tax rate differential?

Capital losses - tax planning for married couples

3rd December 2012

Capital losses brought forward from earlier years must be set against the next taxable gain you make. But where this is chargeable at a lower Capital Gains Tax rate this might not be tax efficient. What can you do to improve this situation?

Shifting assets to a former spouse

22nd May 2012

The last thing on your mind when you're going through a divorce will be tax, but ignoring this can be costly, particularly when it comes to transferring assets to your ex. But get the timing right and you can easily avoid potential tax bills.

Two properties, two gains, no tax

24th April 2012

There's a lot of talk about the longstanding Capital Gains Tax exemption for private homes being restricted. This could see second homes not already within the exemption become taxable. What can you do to make sure you're covered?

What CGT planning should you be doing now?

13th March 2012

The end of the 2011/12 tax year is nearly upon us. If you have investments potentially liable to Capital Gains Tax (CGT) you should be thinking about tax planning. Can giving investments to other members of your family play a part?

The Taxman's new task forces

24th January 2012

HMRC has launched five new investigation task forces with more to follow. They will carry out targeted tax enquiries. Who are these aimed at and how do they differ from normal investigations?

Small gains mean zero tax

10th January 2012

Where your company sells some land it owns, you would expect tax to be payable on any gain it makes from the deal. However, in some cases you can cut the tax out of the equation. How is this possible?