New Tax Rules Starting April 2017!

New Rules For IR35 Workers In The Public Sector Start  6 April 2017

There are significant changes that commence on 6 April 2017 for workers in the public sector supplying their services via their own personal service companies or other intermediaries.

From 6 April 2017 the public sector employer or agency that engages the worker will have to review the employment status of the worker and decide whether or not to deduct tax and national insurance from payments to the worker even though he or she invoices for the services through their own company.

An online tool called “The Employment Status Service” is expected to be made available by the end of February 2017 and can help them make that decision. The tool can be used if the worker uses either an employment agency, or other third-party to get work.

These changes come on top of the restrictions on the tax deductibility of travelling expenses for IR35 workers that came into effect on 6 April 2016.

Please contact us if you want to discuss whether or not these rules affect you or your organisation.

Making Tax Digital To Start In April 2018 

Legislation to introduce Making Tax Digital (MTD) will be included in the Finance Bill 2017 and despite many objections that it was too soon, the new system of quarterly reporting will commence in April 2018 for the self-employed and property landlords.

There were 1200 responses to the consultation documents issued in summer 2016 and a number of changes have been made to the original proposals.

Much of the detail will be introduced by secondary legislation and there will be further consultation on a number of measures but the key proposals are:

Businesses will be allowed to use spreadsheets to keep their accounting records.

Businesses eligible for three line accounts will be able to submit a quarterly update with only three lines of data (income, expenses and profit).

Free software will be available to businesses with more straightforward affairs.

Businesses will not have to make and store invoices and receipts digitally.

There will be no late filing penalties in the  first year of the new system.

The deadline for finalising taxable profit for a period will be the earlier of:

• 10 months after the last day of the period of account, or
• 31 January following the year of assessment in which the profits for that period of account are chargeable

Businesses and property landlords with a turnover up to £150,000 will be able to prepare accounts on a cash basis

Digital quarterly reporting for companies and larger partnerships will not be introduced until April 2020. These changes will have a significant impact on how you keep your business accounts and communicate with HMRC. Please contact us to discuss the impact of these changes on the way that you keep your accounts.

New Company Loss Relief Rules Start On 1 April 2017

New rules that will allow greater flexibility in the way that companies obtain relief for losses will apply to losses incurred from 1 April 2017 onwards.

These rules have been introduced to encourage  companies to diversify as the losses may be available to offset against profits of another activity in a future period and even those of a company in the same group.

The proposed new rules were consulted on last summer and are included in the latest Finance Bill.

Although there will be greater flexibility for “new” losses arising after 1 April 2017, “old” trading losses incurred prior to that date  will continue to be restricted and will only be available to be offset against future profits from that same trade. The new rules are very complicated and we will of course work with you to ensure that your company obtains relief for  losses in the most advantageous way.

Buying A Company With Losses 

The new flexible loss relief rules coming into effect from 1 April 2017, will make the purchase of a loss-making company attractive. For many years there has been anti-avoidance to block the use of such losses and it is proposed that these rules will continue to apply.

The draft clauses in Finance Bill 2017 will continue to block such losses where within a five year period there is both a change in the ownership of the company and a major change in the nature or  conduct of the trade carried on by the acquired company.

Don’t Lose Your Personal Allowance!

For every £2 that your adjusted net income exceeds £100,000, the £11,000 personal allowance is reduced by £1. Pension contributions and Gift Aid can help to reduce adjusted net income and save tax at an effective rate of 60%.

The restriction applies between £100,000 and £122,000 adjusted net income. Another way that you could avoid this trap would be to agree with your employer to sacrifice some of your salary in exchange for a tax free benefit in kind. These rules are changing from 6 April 2017 but employer pension contributions and childcare vouchers will continue to be effective.

Preparing for Tax Season UK 2017?

Tax season is to start. Be prepared in advance to save money on Tax using these tips below:

Have You Used Your 2016/17 ISA Allowance?

Your maximum annual investment in ISAs for 2016/17is  £15,240.  Your investment needs to be made before 6 April 2017.  In addition, have you thought about investing for your children or grandchildren by setting up a Junior ISA? In the 2016/17 tax year, you can invest £4,080 into a Junior ISA for any child under 18.

Consider Other Tax Efficient Investments

If you are looking for investment opportunities, have you considered the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS)? These investments in certain qualifying companies allow you to set off 30% of the amount invested against your tax bill as well as capital gains tax (CGT) deferral.  An even more generous tax break is available for investment in a qualifying Seed EIS company where income tax relief at 50 per cent is available. In addition, it is possible to obtain relief against your 2016/17 capital gains. Both EIS and Seed EIS also provide a CGT exemption when the shares themselves are sold after 3 years.  Note however that qualifying  EIS and Seed EIS companies tend to be risky investments so professional advice should be taken. A 30% income tax break is also available by investing in a Venture Capital Trust.

Year End Capital Tax Planning

Have you used your 2016/17 £11,100 annual capital gains exemption?  Consider selling shares where the gain is less than £11,100 before 6 April 2017. Also, if you have any worthless shares, consider a negligible value claim to establish a capital loss. You may even be able to set off that capital loss against your income under certain circumstances.

As far as inheritance tax (IHT) planning is concerned, all individuals have a £3,000 annual allowance which means that gifts up to that amount each year are exempt from IHT. If you haven’t used your £3,000 allowance from 2015/16 you can make gifts of up to £6,000 without the gift being liable to IHT.

Also, consider making regular gifts out of your income to minimise the growth of your estate that will be liable to IHT. Gifts out of your surplus income are not subject to IHT if properly structured.

Buy New Equipment Before 6 April?

If you are running a business and making up accounts to 5 April, consider buying plant and machinery to take advantage of the Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) of £200,000.  The AIA provides a 100% tax write off for equipment used in your business. This tax relief extends to fixtures and fittings within business premises such as electrical, water and heating systems. There is also 100% tax relief if you buy a new car that emits no more than 95g CO2 per kilometre and an increasing number of cars now fall below that limit.

Contact us if you have any questions or need business help:
PJ | ☎ 020 89310165 | ☏ 07900537459 | ✉ info@apjaccountancy.com

New Tax Rules Starting April 2017!

New Rules For IR35 Workers In The Public Sector Start  6 April 2017

There are significant changes that commence on 6 April 2017 for workers in the public sector supplying their services via their own personal service companies or other intermediaries.

From 6 April 2017 the public sector employer or agency that engages the worker will have to review the employment status of the worker and decide whether or not to deduct tax and national insurance from payments to the worker even though he or she invoices for the services through their own company.

An online tool called “The Employment Status Service” is expected to be made available by the end of February 2017 and can help them make that decision. The tool can be used if the worker uses either an employment agency, or other third-party to get work.

These changes come on top of the restrictions on the tax deductibility of travelling expenses for IR35 workers that came into effect on 6 April 2016.

Please contact us if you want to discuss whether or not these rules affect you or your organisation.

Making Tax Digital To Start In April 2018 

Legislation to introduce Making Tax Digital (MTD) will be included in the Finance Bill 2017 and despite many objections that it was too soon, the new system of quarterly reporting will commence in April 2018 for the self-employed and property landlords.

There were 1200 responses to the consultation documents issued in summer 2016 and a number of changes have been made to the original proposals.

Much of the detail will be introduced by secondary legislation and there will be further consultation on a number of measures but the key proposals are:

Businesses will be allowed to use spreadsheets to keep their accounting records.

Businesses eligible for three line accounts will be able to submit a quarterly update with only three lines of data (income, expenses and profit).

Free software will be available to businesses with more straightforward affairs.

Businesses will not have to make and store invoices and receipts digitally.

There will be no late filing penalties in the  first year of the new system.

The deadline for finalising taxable profit for a period will be the earlier of:

• 10 months after the last day of the period of account, or
• 31 January following the year of assessment in which the profits for that period of account are chargeable

Businesses and property landlords with a turnover up to £150,000 will be able to prepare accounts on a cash basis

Digital quarterly reporting for companies and larger partnerships will not be introduced until April 2020. These changes will have a significant impact on how you keep your business accounts and communicate with HMRC. Please contact us to discuss the impact of these changes on the way that you keep your accounts.

New Company Loss Relief Rules Start On 1 April 2017

New rules that will allow greater flexibility in the way that companies obtain relief for losses will apply to losses incurred from 1 April 2017 onwards.

These rules have been introduced to encourage  companies to diversify as the losses may be available to offset against profits of another activity in a future period and even those of a company in the same group.

The proposed new rules were consulted on last summer and are included in the latest Finance Bill.

Although there will be greater flexibility for “new” losses arising after 1 April 2017, “old” trading losses incurred prior to that date  will continue to be restricted and will only be available to be offset against future profits from that same trade. The new rules are very complicated and we will of course work with you to ensure that your company obtains relief for  losses in the most advantageous way.

Buying A Company With Losses 

The new flexible loss relief rules coming into effect from 1 April 2017, will make the purchase of a loss-making company attractive. For many years there has been anti-avoidance to block the use of such losses and it is proposed that these rules will continue to apply.

The draft clauses in Finance Bill 2017 will continue to block such losses where within a five year period there is both a change in the ownership of the company and a major change in the nature or  conduct of the trade carried on by the acquired company.

Don’t Lose Your Personal Allowance!

For every £2 that your adjusted net income exceeds £100,000, the £11,000 personal allowance is reduced by £1. Pension contributions and Gift Aid can help to reduce adjusted net income and save tax at an effective rate of 60%.

The restriction applies between £100,000 and £122,000 adjusted net income. Another way that you could avoid this trap would be to agree with your employer to sacrifice some of your salary in exchange for a tax free benefit in kind. These rules are changing from 6 April 2017 but employer pension contributions and childcare vouchers will continue to be effective.

Don’t Miss Out On Tax Relief On R&D

The government is concerned that many small companies are missing out on generous R&D tax credits.  For the last year HMRC have been offering companies an advance assurance scheme to check whether or not their activities qualify before they make a claim. So far over 200 applications for advance assurance have been made.

There is a general misconception that R&D involves scientists in white coats but it should be remembered that R&D may be necessary to resolve a problem with a product or a process.

So some of the work by your engineers or technical staff may qualify as R&D. For Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) the tax credit is 230% of the expenditure on qualifying R&D, and where the company incurs a trading loss, HMRC will provide an immediate cash refund rather than waiting until there is a profit in a future period.

By applying for advance assurance the company’s R&D claim will not be subject to an HMRC enquiry and HMRC will then accept the first three years of claims.

Companies eligible to apply for advance assurance:
• turnover below £2m
• fewer than 50 employees
• no previous R&D claims
Then claim “patent box” in respect of your innovation

If the R&D results in a product or process that can be patented there is a further tax break available. The “Patent Box”, introduced in 2013, will provide a 10% rate of tax on profits derived from that product or process.

Please contact us if you would like to discuss whether these generous tax breaks could be available to your company: 
APJ Accountancy | ☎ 020 89310165 | ☏ 07900537459 | ✉ info@apjaccountancy.com

Christmas is Coming - New Rules for Gifts to Staff!

From 6 April 2016 new rules were introduced to allow employers to provide their directors and employees with certain “trivial” benefits in kind, tax-free.

The new rules are a simplification measure so that certain benefits in kind will not need to be reported to HMRC, as well as being tax free for the employee. There are of course a number of conditions that need to be satisfied to qualify for the exemption.

Conditions for the exemption to apply:
• the cost of providing the benefit does not exceed £50
• the benefit is not cash or a cash voucher
• the employee is not entitled to the benefit as part of any contractual obligation such as a salary sacrifice scheme
• the benefit is not provided in recognition of particular services performed by the employee as part of their employment duties (or in anticipation of such services)

So this exemption will generally apply to small gifts to staff at Christmas or on their birthday.
Prior to this change in the rules, the benefit in kind would have had to be reported on the employee’s P11D form at the end of the year, or alternatively the employer would have dealt with the tax and national insurance under a PAYE settlement agreement. Under such an arrangement a £50 Christmas turkey to a higher rate taxpayer could end up costing the employer nearly £95!

Note that where the employer is a “close” company and the benefit is provided to an individual who is a director or other office holder of the company, the exemption is capped at a total cost of £300 in the tax year.

Please feel free to contact us if you are considering taking advantage of this new exemption.

-PJ 
☎ 020 89310165 | ☏ 07900537459 | ✉ info@apjaccountancy.com

UK Tax Changes: October-November 2016!

Changes To Farmers Averaging:

From 2016/17 onwards farmers now have the option to smooth out their profits over two or five tax years as the result of a change in Finance Act 2016.

Farmers’ and market gardeners’ profits often fluctuate wildly from one year to the next and the tax rules for many years have allowed them to average their profits in order to smooth out those fluctuations.

It is expected that there could be even greater fluctuations as the result of changes to subsidies and support payments following Britain’s exit from the EU so 2 or 5-year averaging will need to be carefully considered. We can of course assist you in this decision process.

Paying 20% Instead Of 28% On The Sale Of Property:

The latest Finance Act has retained the 28% CGT rate for sales of residential property, whereas the general rate was reduced to 20% for higher rate taxpayers.

It has been suggested that it is possible to reduce the rate from 28% to 20% by deferring the gain temporarily into qualifying EIS company shares.

The tax planning opportunity arises because reinvesting the property gain in Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) company shares defers the gain until the shares are sold when the gain comes back into charge at the general rate of CGT, currently 20% for a higher rate taxpayer.

There is no minimum holding period for EIS deferral relief, however where the investor is seeking income tax relief and CGT exemption on the sale of the shares they need to be an unconnected investor and retain the EIS shares for at least 3 years.

The reinvestment in EIS shares must take place during the period of 12 months before to 36 months after the date of disposal of the property.

Shares in EIS qualifying companies are risky investments and specialist investment advice should be taken. There is also a chance that HMRC may block this tax planning strategy in the future.

Advisory Fuel Rate For Company Cars:

These are the suggested reimbursement rates for employees' private mileage using their company car from 1 September 2016. Where there has been a change the previous rate is shown in brackets.

Engine Size	Petrol	Diesel	LPG
1400cc or less	10p		7p
1600cc or less		9p (8p)
1401cc to 2000cc	13p (12p)		9p (8p)
1601 to 2000cc		10p
Over 2000cc	20p (19p)	12p (11p)	13p

You can continue to use the previous rates for up to 1 month from the date the new rates apply.

VAT Implications of Employee Mileage Claims:

Note that where employers reimburse their employees 45p per mile for using their own cars they are able to reclaim input VAT based on the amounts shown in the table. 

In the case of a 1600cc diesel car that would be 1.5 pence per mile.  (9p x 20/120). Such a claim needs to be supported by a receipt from the filling station.

Contact us if you need business help:
PJ | ☎ 020 89310165 | ☏ 07900537459 | ✉ info@apjaccountancy.com

Seed EIS Relief Denied

The Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and the recently introduced Seed EIS provide generous tax breaks for investors who subscribe for shares in qualifying companies provided the correct procedures, and in particular the correct forms, are used to claim tax relief.

Seed EIS provides income tax relief of 50% of the amount invested and EIS 30% relief, both given by way of a deduction from the investor’s income tax liability. Furthermore there is an exemption from capital gains tax when the shares are sold after 3 years.

In a recent case before the Tax Tribunal, tax relief for Seed EIS investors was denied by HMRC and the Tribunal as the directors had filled in the wrong HMRC forms! They tried to save costs by not using professional advisers - a very costly mistake!

Contact us for all your accounting and taxation needs:
APJ Accountancy | ☎ 020 89310165 | ☏ 07900537459 | ✉ info@apjaccountancy.com

New Rules For Buy-To Let Landlords - August 2016!

The 2016 Finance Bill sees the introduction of important tax changes for property investors that were originally announced in the 2015 Budget.

From 6 April 2016 onwards, there are important tax changes affecting the replacement of furnishings for buy to let landlords. 6 April 2017 will see the start of mortgage interest being restricted to basic rate only.

Wear and tear allowance abolished

Until 5 April 2016 landlords who were letting residential property on a fully furnished basis were able to claim a 10% "wear and tear” allowance towards the cost of the depreciation of furnishings. This simple allowance was an alternative to claiming a deduction for the actual cost of replacing furnishings which was a concession that applied up until April 2013.

So for example, where the gross annual rent was £9,000 there would have been an allowable deduction of £900.

This change seems to be inconsistent with the government's stated desire to simplify the tax system.

The new relief for replacement of furnishings in property businesses

Up until April 2013 it used to be the case that where furnishings were replaced in a property rental business there was deduction for the cost of the replacement items in arriving at rental profits.

This was never a statutory deduction and was accepted by HM Revenue and Customs on a concessionary basis. That concession was controversially withdrawn at relatively short notice in 2013 so for a three year period, unless landlords were eligible for the "wear And tear" allowance there was no relief for furnishings.

As the result of extensive lobbying by the accounting profession, and the residential landlords association, the relief has been restored on a statutory basis from 6 April 2016 by the latest Finance Bill.

The new relief provides a deduction for the actual cost of replacing furniture, furnishings, appliances and kitchenware for the use of the tenant in the let property.

Note that there is no allowable deduction for the initial fitting out of the rental property, just the cost of replacement Items. Furthermore the allowable tax deduction applies on a like for like basis so if there is any significant Improvement then the tax relief will be restricted. So, for example, where a washing machine is replaced with a washer/dryer costing £600, tax relief would only be available for the cost of the equivalent washing machine costing say £400.

No renewals relief for other businesses

Although the renewals basis has been reintroduced for rental businesses from April 2016, it has been withdrawn for other trading business. This relief was previously referred to as the "loose tools" deduction.

Consequently there is no longer relief for the replacement or alteration tooling. In future HMRC would expect such expenditure to be dealt with through the capital allowances rules, most likely by making a short life asset claim.

No change for Furnished Holiday Lettings

The above changes to the renewals basis do not apply where the property rental business falls within the definition of a qualifying furnished holiday lettings (FHL) business.

Such businesses continue to qualify for capital allowances when plant and machinery used In the course of that business is acquired and would benefit from the100% write off under the Annual Investment Allowance rules.

There are strict conditions for the property business to qualify as FHL, the most important condition being that the property is let for at least 105 days (15 weeks) in the tax year, and comprises a series of short term lets.

Note that under the capital allowances rules, relief is not just available for replacing assets but also for the initial furnishing of the holiday property.

Interest relief restriction starts 6 April 2017

As previously announced the current deduction available for mortgage interest and other finance costs starts to be phased out from 6 April 2017.  In 2017/18 only 75% of finance costs will be deductible in arriving at rental profits, the remaining 25% will only qualify for basic rate tax relief.

In 2020/21 there will be no deduction against rental profits for finance costs, just a basic rate tax reduction. This will not only affect higher rate taxpayers but will also have the effect of pushing some landlords into higher rates of tax.

Currently where a buy to let landlord has £10,000 a year net rental profits after deducting £30,000 mortgage interest, in  2020/21 his rental profits would increase to £40,000.

If his other income is £25,000 a year, the rents would currently be taxed at basic rate 20%. Assuming his other income stays the same, his taxable income would increase to £65,000 with a significant portion being taxed at the 40% higher rate. The £30,000 mortgage interest would only qualify for a £6,000 (20%) set off against the 2020/21 tax liability.

Note again that the restrictions do not apply to any part of the amount borrowed for the commercial letting of furnished holiday accommodation. Furthermore, the restriction does not apply to loans for property development trades, or loans secured on a let dwelling house which are applied for the purposes of a trade.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us: 
APJ Accountancy | ☎ 020 89310165 | ☏ 07900537459 | ✉ info@apjaccountancy.com

VAT Flat Rate Scheme for your Small Business!

Should I Use The VAT Flat Rate Scheme For My Small Business?

The VAT Flat Rate Scheme is intended to simplify VAT accounting and reporting for small businesses, and some may even find that they pay less VAT than using normal VAT accounting.

To join the scheme your VAT turnover must be £150,000 or less (excluding VAT), and you must apply to HMRC to use the scheme. You can remain in the scheme until your turnover including VAT exceeds £230,000. 

With the Flat Rate Scheme you pay a fixed rate of VAT to HMRC depending on your business category and you keep the difference between what you charge your customers and pay to HMRC. However, you can’t reclaim the VAT on your purchases, except for certain capital assets over £2,000.

HMRC have recently revised their guidance on different business categories. 

For example not all consultants should use the 14% flat rate applicable to management consultants and should instead use the 12% rate for ‘business services not listed elsewhere’. That would result in them paying over 2% less of their takings to HMRC. On £150,000 a year that would be a £3,000 VAT saving. There is a further 1% reduction in the first year that the business is VAT registered.

To sum it up, with the Flat Rate Scheme:

• you pay a fixed rate of VAT to HMRC
• you keep the difference between what you charge your customers and pay to HMRC
• you can’t reclaim the VAT on your purchases - except for certain capital assets over £2,000
• To join the scheme your VAT turnover must be £150,000 or less (excluding VAT), and you must apply to HMRC.

If you want to know more or advice on whether the Flat Rate Scheme is right for you, contact us.

PJ - APJ Accountancy

☎ 020 89310165

☏ 07900537459

✉ info@apjaccountancy.com

Employment Allowance: April 2016

Employment Allowance Is Now £3,000 But Not Single Director Companies.

You could get up to £3,000 a year off your National Insurance bill if you’re an employer.

The allowance will reduce your employers’ (secondary) Class 1 National Insurance each time you run your payroll until the £3,000 has gone or the tax year ends (whichever is sooner).

You can only claim against Class 1 National Insurance you’ve paid, up to a maximum of £3,000 each tax year. You can still claim the allowance if you pay less than £3,000 a year.

For the last two years there has been a £2,000 allowance available to employers to set against their employers National Insurance liability for the year. This increased to £3,000 from 6 April 2016 and no action is required if you claimed the allowance for 2015/16. However, from 6 April 2016, limited companies where the director is the only employee paid earnings above the Secondary Threshold for Class 1 National Insurance Contributions (£156 a week) will no longer be entitled to claim the Allowance.

HMRC guidance states that if more than one employee or director earns above the Secondary Threshold, the company will continue to be eligible for Employment Allowance for the whole tax year. This other employee could be the director’s spouse or partner. The HMRC guidance is not consistent with the legislation however and we hope to clarify the matter so that you don’t miss out.

More information at https://www.gov.uk/claim-employment-allowance!

Contact us via:
☎ 020 89310165 | ☏ 07900537459 | ✉ info@apjaccountancy.com 

Last minute Tax Saving and Planning!

It is always best to plan your tax starting early in the year.  Though, it's never too late than never. Here are some last minute tax savings tips. 

Don’t Lose Your Personal Allowance

For £2 that your adjusted net income exceeds £100,000, the £10,600 personal allowance is reduced by £1. Pension contributions and Gift Aid can help to reduce adjusted net income and save tax at an effective rate of 60%.

Year End Pension Planning

Take advantage of the pension carry forward rules in order to benefit from any unused allowances from the previous three tax years.  This is generally the difference between the old £50,000 annual pension allowance and your pension input that year and can be added to your relief for 2015/16.

Note that the annual pension allowance is £40,000 for 2015/16 and 2016/17, although those individuals with income over £150,000 will have their annual pension allowance reduced by £1 for every £2 over £150,000.

To avoid losing pension relief brought forward from 2012/13 which lapses 5 April 2016, consider making an additional pension payment before 5 April 2016.  If your pension input was £24,000 in 2012/13 then there is £26,000 unused relief available to add to your 2015/16 allowance. You would need to make gross pension contributions of at least £66,000 (£40,000 plus £26,000) to avoid losing this generous relief.

Will Pension Tax Relief Change Again On Budget Day?

There has been a lot of speculation that the Chancellor may announce further major changes to tax relief on pension contributions in his March Budget, based on consultations with the pensions industry.

Under the current rules an individual’s contributions can save them tax at their highest marginal rate and also help them avoid losing their personal allowance (see above). So a £8,000 pension contribution by a higher rate taxpayer results in £2,000 (20%) being added to their fund by HMRC = £10,000 gross. The £10,000 gross contribution would then save a further £2,000 in tax, so the net cost would be just £6,000 if they are a higher rate tax payer.

It is understood that the Government is considering introducing a flat rate of pension tax relief of between 25% and 33%, which would be good news for basic rate taxpayers, but higher rate taxpayers would lose out. If say a 30% rate of relief was to be introduced, a £7,000 contribution would be topped up to £10,000 with no further relief. It has also been suggested that it may not be possible in future to agree with your employer to sacrifice part of your salary in exchange for an additional tax free employer pension contribution. The starting date of these possible changes is uncertain but they may be effective from Budget Day!

Make Charitable Payments Under Gift Aid To Save More Tax

Higher rate taxpayers should make any charitable payments under Gift Aid so that they obtain additional tax relief. The charity will also be able to reclaim the basic rate tax from HMRC making it even better.

Year End Capital Gains Tax Planning

Have you used your 2015/16 £11,100 annual exemption?  Consider selling shares where the gain is less than £11,100 before 6 April 2016. Also, if you have any worthless shares, consider a negligible value claim to establish a capital loss. You may even be able to set off that capital loss against your income under certain circumstances.

Used Your 2015/16 ISA Allowance? 

Your maximum annual investment in ISAs for 2015/16 is £15,240.  Your investment needs to be made before 6 April 2016.  In addition, have you thought about investing for your children or grandchildren by setting up a Junior ISA? In the 2015/16 tax year, you can invest £4,080 into a Junior ISA for any child under 18.

Other Tax Efficient Investments

If you are looking for investment opportunities, have you considered the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS)? These investments in certain qualifying companies allow you to set off 30% of the amount invested against your tax bill as well as capital gains tax (CGT) deferral.  An even more generous tax break is available for investment in a qualifying Seed EIS company where income tax relief at 50 per cent is available and in addition it is possible to obtain relief against your 2015/16 capital gains. Both EIS and Seed EIS also provide a CGT exemption when the shares themselves are sold after 3 years.  Note however that qualifying EIS companies tend to be risky investments so professional advice should be taken.

A 30% income tax break is also available by investing in a Venture Capital Trust.

Inheritance Tax Planning Before 6 April 2016

Have you made use of your annual Inheritance Tax (IHT) exemptions? The annual exemption is £3,000 per donor (plus last year’s £3,000 exemption if you did not use it). Also consider making regular gifts out of your income to minimise the growth of your estate that will be liable to IHT. Gifts out of your surplus income are not subject to IHT if properly structured.
Buy New Machinery Before 6 April?
Those running a business and making up accounts to 5 April should consider buying plant and machinery to take advantage of the Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) of £200,000.  The AIA provides a 100% tax write off for equipment used in your business. This tax relief extends to fixtures and fittings within business premises such as electrical, water and heating systems. There is also 100% tax relief if you buy a new car that emits no more than 95g CO2 per kilometer and an increasing number of cars now fall below that limit.

Note that 5 April is not relevant if your business makes up accounts to a date other than 5 April. If your business year end is say 30 June, then you would need to acquire the equipment before that date to get the 100% tax relief.

Consider Paying Dividends Before 6 April 2016

Something that we have mentioned in previous newsletters for those running their own companies is to consider paying dividends before 6 April 2016 when the new system of dividend taxation starts.  Although the first £5,000 of dividends will be taxed at 0% from 2016/17, once that has been used up there will be a 7.5% across the board increase in the rate of tax on dividends. Please contact us to arrange a meeting to discuss this further.

But Delay Replacing Furniture In Buy To Lets Until After 6 April 2016?

Tax relief for the replacement of furniture, including white goods, is being reinstated where the expenditure is incurred on or after 6 April 2016.  This is good news for those landlords renting out properties unfurnished but providing white goods where the tax relief had been withdrawn in 2013.

If you have any questions, please contact us at:
☎ 020 89310165 | ☏ 07900537459 | ✉ info@apjaccountancy.com 

The Key Points From Budget 2016!

One of the main themes of the Chancellor’s March 2016 Budget was to ensure that the next generation inherits a strong economy, is better educated, and grow up fit and healthy. His proposed “sugar tax” on the soft drinks industry will be used to fund longer school days for those that want to offer their pupils a wider range of activities, including extra sport.

He again stressed his prudence in concentrating on debt repayment and the importance of “mending the roof while the sun shines”, although he acknowledged that there were numerous factors that could impact on his “bullish” growth forecasts and promises of future budget surpluses.

There will be further changes affecting savers and he hinted that there could be yet further changes to pensions, but not for the time being.

PERSONAL ALLOWANCES

As already announced, the basic personal allowance for 2016/17 will be £11,000. The March Budget announced that this will increase to £11,500 for 2017/18. Remember that if your adjusted net income exceeds £100,000 the personal allowance is reduced by £1 for every £2 over £100,000 giving an effective rate of 60% on income between £100,000 and £122,000 for 2016/17. Contact us for advice on planning to avoid this 60% rate.

INCOME TAX BANDS

The 20% basic rate band for 2016/17 will be £32,000 and for 2017/18 it was announced that this will be £33,500. This means that you will pay 40% tax if your taxable income exceeds £43,000 for 2016/17 and the threshold will be £45,000 for 2017/18. The 45% top rate continues to apply to taxable income over £150,000 for 2016/17.

FURTHER CHANGES TO ISAs

The current £15,240 ISA limit is frozen for 2016/17. The Junior ISA limit remains at £4,080 for 2016/17.

The Chancellor announced that the ISA allowance will increase to £20,000 from 6 April 2017 and that from the same date there will be a new “Lifetime ISA” account where investors aged between 18 and 40 who save up to £4,000 a year will have 25% (up to £1,000) added by the government. Those who have been saving in the new “Help to Buy” ISA will be able to transfer their savings to this new account and use the savings to help them buy their first home or use them to provide an additional pension. These may in future replace traditional pension saving schemes.

PENSION ALLOWANCES REDUCED

There was much speculation about further major changes to pensions such as taxing the lump sum and limiting tax relief, but these did not materialise.

From 6 April 2016 the pension fund lifetime allowance will be reduced from £1.25million to £1million. Transitional protection for pension rights already over £1million will be introduced alongside this reduction to ensure the change is not retrospective.

As already announced, those with income in excess of £150,000 will have the normal £40,000 annual allowance reduced by £1 for every £2 over £150,000.

£1,000 SAVINGS INCOME TAX FREE 2016/17

From April 2016, a tax-free allowance of £1,000 (or £500 for higher rate taxpayers) will be introduced for the interest that people earn on savings. If they are a basic rate taxpayer and have a total income up to £43,000 a year, they will be eligible for the £1,000 tax-free savings allowance.

If they are a higher rate taxpayer and earn between £43,000 and £150,000, they will be eligible for a £500 tax-free savings allowance, but those with income in excess of £150,000 a year will be taxed in full on their interest income.
As a result of these changes banks and building societies will pay interest gross from 6 April 2016.

NEW DIVIDEND RULES START 6 APRIL 2016

It was announced in the Summer 2015 Budget that there would be a £5,000 tax free dividend allowance from 6 April 2016 and that once used the rate of tax on dividend income would increase by 7.5%. This means that basic rate taxpayers will pay 7.5% tax on dividend income, higher rate taxpayers 32.5% and additional rate taxpayers 38.1%. Note that from 6 April 2016 dividends will no longer carry with them a 10% notional credit. This is the reason why dividends received by basic rate taxpayers were effectively tax free up to 5 April 2016.

32.5% TAX ON LOANS TO PARTICIPATORS FROM 6 APRIL 2016

Where a “close” company controlled by 5 or fewer shareholders (participators) makes a loan to one of those persons the company is required to pay tax to HM Revenue and Customs. The rate of tax increases from 25% to 32.5% from 6 April 2016 in line with the dividend rate for higher rate taxpayers. This tax is not payable if the loan is cleared within 9 months of the end of the accounting period and will continue to be repaid to the company if the loan is repaid or written off after the 9 month period.

CAPITAL TAX RATES

An unexpected announcement was a reduction in the rate of capital gain tax from 6 April 2016 down from 18% to 10% for basic rate taxpayers and 28% down to 20% for higher rate taxpayers. The 18% and 28% rates remain for disposals of residential property.

There has been no change in the inheritance tax nil rate band which remains at £325,000 until 2020 although an additional nil band will be available from 6 April 2017 where the main residence or assets of an equivalent value are left to direct descendants. This additional relief will be protected where the person downsizes to a less valuable property from 8 July 2015 onwards. Please contact us if you would like to discuss inheritance tax planning.

FURTHER CHANGES TO CGT ENTREPRENEURS’ RELIEF

Entrepreneurs’ relief (ER) will be extended to external investors in unlisted trading companies. This new investors’ relief will apply a 10% rate of CGT to gains accruing on the disposal of ordinary shares held by individuals. These shares must be subscribed for by the claimant and acquired for new consideration on or after 17 March 2016. The shares must have been held for a period of at least three years starting from 6 April 2016 and there will be a lifetime cap of £10 million.

In the 2014 Autumn Statement it was announced that it is no longer possible to claim CGT entrepreneurs’ relief against the gains arising on the sale on or after 3 December 2014 of goodwill by a sole trader or partnership to a limited company in which they have a controlling interest. That restriction was then legislated in Finance Act 2015. It has now been announced that the relief will still be available provided that the transferor does not receive more than 5% of share capital or voting rights in the acquiring company.

LOWER CORPORATION TAX RATES

A single corporation tax rate of 20% has applied since 1 April 2015 regardless of the level of the company’s profits. In the Summer 2015 Budget it was announced that this would reduce to 19% in April 2017. The Chancellor has now announced that this will now be reduced to 17% from 1 April 2020.

£1,000 TAX FREE FOR “MICRO -ENTREPRENEURS”

From April 2017, the government will introduce new allowances for the first £1,000 of trading income and the first £1,000 of property income. Those with income below this level will no longer need to declare or pay income tax on that income. Those with income above the allowance will also benefit by deducting the relevant allowance from their gross income. This appears to be aimed at people starting small businesses on E-Bay and renting on air B&B.

NEW CORPORATE TAX LOSS RULES

There will be fundamental changes to the rules for setting off corporate tax losses starting on 1 April 2017. For losses incurred on or after 1 April 2017, companies will be able to use carried forward losses against profits from other income streams or from other companies within a group. However, large companies with profits in excess of £5m will only be allowed to offset brought forward losses against 50% of the amount of profit in each future period.

INTEREST RELIEF RESTRICTED FOR MULTI- NATIONAL COMPANIES

From 1 April 2017, to restrict profit shifting by multi-nationals, the UK will be introducing a Fixed Ratio Rule limiting corporation tax deductions for net interest expense to 30% of a group’s UK earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA). This is in line with the rules that exist in several other countries and will address profit-shifting through interest charges. Note that this restriction will not apply where the net UK interest expense is less than £2 million.

SDLT CHANGES

The rules for calculating the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) charged on purchases of non-residential properties and transactions involving a mixture of residential and non-residential properties changed with effect from Budget Day to bring them more into line with the mechanism for charging SDLT on residential property. On and after 17 March 2016, SDLT will be charged at each rate on the portion of the purchase price which falls within each rate band. The new rates and thresholds for freehold purchases and leases premiums are:

Purchase price	SDLT rate,  cumulative
Up to £150,000	NIL                        NIL
£150,001 - £250,000	2%                   £2,000
£250,001 and over	5%       (no maximum)

Note also that the additional 3% SDLT charge on additional residences commences on 1 April 2016.

TAX RELIEF ON SMALL DONATIONS TO CHARITY INCREASED TO £8,000

The Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS) allows charities to treat small donations such as those in collecting boxes as if Gift Aided.

With effect from 6 April 2016 the maximum annual donation amount which can be claimed through GASDS will be increased from £5,000 to £8,000 allowing charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs to claim Gift Aid style top-up payments of up to £2,000 a year.

VAT REGISTRATION LIMIT £83,000

The VAT registration limit has been increased by £1,000 to £83,000 from 1 April 2016. The de-registration limit also increased by £1,000 to £81,000.

If you have any questions, please contact us at:
☎ 020 89310165 | ☏ 07900537459 | ✉ info@apjaccountancy.com 

Tax Charge On Annuity Sales!

The Government has confirmed that from 6 April 2017, tax restrictions for people looking to sell annuities will be removed, giving those with existing annuity, and anyone who purchases an annuity in the future, the freedom to sell their right to future income streams for an upfront cash sum.

Currently, people wishing to sell their annuity income face a 55% tax charge, or up to 70% in some cases. This charge is to be removed, so that people will only be taxed at their marginal rate.

Under the new changes, retirees will be able to take the annuity as a lump sum, or access the new flexible draw down products introduced in April 2015.

The Government is working with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to develop appropriate steps to regulate the market. The FCA will consult in 2016 on proposed rules for the secondary annuities market.

To know on how the new secondary annuity market will work, requirement to seek financial advice, & Further information at HMRC Announcements

Collection Of Unpaid Tax Through Your Tax Code!

Remember that HM Revenue and Customs can collect tax debts by adjusting your Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax code. HMRC refers to this as ‘coding out’. The effect of this is to recover the tax debt from your pay or pension, by increasing the amount deducted during the tax year. This applies if you have a debt with HMRC and:

• are an employee paying tax through (PAYE) and/or
• receive a taxable UK-based private pension.

This facility is available if your annual earnings are £30,000 or more. To do this, HMRC apply a sliding scale to your main PAYE income. The maximum amount that can be coded out is £17,000 where your earnings exceed £90,000 a year. These changes will only apply to underpaid Self-Assessment and Class 2 National Insurance debts and Tax Credit overpayments. Changes will then be reflected in your 2016/17 tax code.

Coding out the unpaid 2014/15 tax is only possible if you submitted your paper tax return by 31 October 2015 or file your tax return online by 30 December 2015. If you would like your outstanding tax collected through PAYE please ensure that we receive your tax information in good time to meet the 30 December deadline!


Contact us for all your Tax & Accounting needs!
☎ 020 89310165 | ☏ 07900537459 | ✉ info@apjaccountancy.com 
 
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Downsize (or Upsize) to Save Inheritance Tax?

From 6 April 2017 an additional Inheritance Tax (IHT) Residence Nil Rate Band (RNRB) starts being phased in to enable individuals to pass on their family home to direct descendants. The additional nil rate band starts at £100,000 and rises to £175,000 for deaths after 6 April 2010. When fully phased in the additional nil band will enable a married couple to pass on a family home valued up to £1 million free of IHT, although the additional relief is restricted if they have assets worth more than £2 million.  The proposed new legislation, if enacted, will provide relief even if the individual downsizes to a smaller property where the downsizing takes place after 8 July 2015. Like the £325,000 IHT nil rate band, the unused residence nil band can be transferred to the surviving spouse and used on the second death.


Example:

A widow sells a home worth £400,000 in August 2020 for cash and moves to a home worth £210,000. At the time of the sale the available RNRB is £350,000 as, had she died at that time, her executors would be able to make a claim to transfer all the unused RNRB from her late husband. The new downsizing relief will entitle her to an additional £140,000 (£350,000 - £210,000) nil rate band. This would be added to her nil rate band (up to £650,000 (2 x £325,000) and can be set against any of her assets including cash and investments.

If the replacement property was worth £225,000 on her death then the additional nil band would be reduced to £125,000 if the allowance remains at £350,000.  The new inheritance rules are complicated so please get in touch if the changes impact on your family’s tax position. It may even be worth considering upsizing before you downsize to maximise this new relief!

New Tax Relief For Investment In Social Enterprise!

HMRC's Social Investment Tax Relief scheme (SITR) introduced this year helps individuals support social enterprises, giving these enterprises access to new sources of finance.

SITR helps social enterprises raise finance by offering tax relief to individual investors.

The new relief provides the investor with a deduction from their tax liability, equal to 30% of the amount invested. A £10,000 loan to a qualifying social enterprise would therefore allow an individual to reduce his income tax liability by £3,000.

The relief is available for qualifying investments made on or after 6 April 2014. A social enterprise is a commercial business that helps people or communities. It may be a charity or community interest company.

The social enterprise can make sure they (and the proposed investments) qualify by sending an advance assurance application to HMRC.

Resources about SITR from HMRC:

Guidance for social enterprises
Eligibility and the conditions social enterprises must meet so investors can claim SITR

Guidance for investors
Conditions investors must meet before claiming SITR

Get approval if you're a social enterprise
What social enterprises need to do to get approval from HMRC

How to claim tax relief if you're an investor
What investors need to do and when to claim SITR

Form: SITR Compliance Statement
Social enterprises must use this form to request authority to issue Compliance Certificates to investors

Policy on Social Investment Tax Relief (Opens new window)
How SITR will help grow the social investment market

Post your questions on SITR or other Tax Relief options and we'll help you.