What is a lifetime ISA? A lifetime ISA is a tax-free savings account that can be used to buy your first home costing up to £450,000 (please note that other conditions apply) or as retirement money once you are more than 60 years old. You must be aged 18 or over but under 40 when…Read More
Capital gains tax is the tax on any wealth (money/property) that is then used to make additional wealth or increase the value of that current wealth. For example, this could be through making capital improvements to your property to increase the value of this property. Everyone has an allowance of £6,000 annually that would enable…Read More
If you have acquired some valuable antiques or artefacts or have inherited some bespoke Jewellery and wish to sell it on, you may be subject to capital gains tax. The rates for capital gains tax are at 10% for basic rate taxpayer and 20% for higher rate taxpayers. These items are known as non-wasting Chattels…Read More
Salary sacrifice is a scheme that allows employees to exchange part of their salary in favour of savings for the future. The savings can take many non-cash benefit forms such as pension contributions. As employees are giving up a portion of their salary in favour of pension contributions their gross pay will decrease. Therefore, the…Read More
You may wish to know about increasing your tax relief for rental income. Whether you are an individual, in a partnership or part of a company, if you let properties, you can benefit from a tax deduction from rental income for replacing DOMESTIC ITEMS such as moveable furniture, household appliances, kitchen utensils and TV’s, etc.…Read More
Inheritance Tax is the levy placed by the government on the possessions left over by a deceased individual. This is a controversial topic of discussion politically, due to the rate and nature of the tax, and it can become rather complex due to the number of rules in place. However, there are several ways to…Read More
According to HMRC, millions of pounds of higher and additional rate tax relief goes unclaimed every year because individuals either don’t realise they are entitled to it, or they fail to identify their gift aid payments made. If you make a gift aid donation or a donation to a community amateur sports club (CASC), this…Read More
Gifting property is where the ownership of the property is transferred without compensation. However, when gifting a property, there are many rules when it comes to taxes making the matter more complex. In particular, the concept of “gifts with reservation” has significant implications for both the donor and the recipient. Understanding these implications is crucial…Read More
In recent months, we’ve seen the base rate steadily increase by the Bank of England. Despite this making it more difficult for those on the housing market, this rate increase should only have a minimal effect on the benefits of investing in property. As interest rates increase, property prices should fall alongside them. This will…Read More
Gifting a property can be an attractive option for transferring ownership in the UK. However, it’s crucial to understand the tax implications and regulations surrounding property gifting. In this blog, we will address two common questions: whether capital gains tax (CGT) applies to gifted properties and whether it is possible to gift a property under…Read More
Much like your main residence, your rental property will need more touching up than others. Some years you may need to replace a few more items than you would hope and ultimately you may end up spending more on the property than you receive in rental income. Perhaps you’ve stopped renting your property for a…Read More
If you are a private landlord owning multiple properties, you will be paying tax via your self-assessment tax return at your marginal rate of tax, this could be up to 45% if you’re an additional rate taxpayer. This tax is due on your profits (income minus expenses), and mortgage interest is not an allowable expense,…Read More
As a UK accountant, one of the questions we often receive from clients is whether a loss from previous years can be used to offset capital gains tax on a new sale. The short answer is yes, it is possible to use losses from previous years to reduce capital gains tax on a new sale.…Read More
When gifting property, this is subject to capital gains tax (CGT). If you are the person gifting this property, then it would be yourself that’s liable to pay the CGT rather than the receiver of the gift. If the property gifted is your main residence, then you will be able to avoid paying CGT as…Read More
Private residence relief (PPR) applies to the sale of a residence that has been an individual’s only or principal residence for the period of time they have owned it. If you sell a property, once rented out, you will have to pay Capital Gains Tax within 60 days of selling the property. This tax is…Read More
I have no use for bodyguards, but I have very specific use for two highly trained certified public accountants.
Elvis Presley
