Wokingham Accountants
A new penalty regime was introduced for VAT from 1 January 2023. The new regime comprises late submission penalties and late payment penalties. Here we look at the penalty regime for late returns. Late VAT returns The late submission penalty regime kicks in whenever a VAT return is filed late. It applies regardless of whether … Read more
Most people do not want to give money to the taxman when they die. However, while it is said that inheritance tax (IHT) is a voluntary tax that can be avoided by giving away money during your lifetime, there is the practical issue that people need money to live on while they are alive. This … Read more
Employees often need to incur expenses when undertaking their jobs. The nature of the expense may vary depending on the job, but typical expenses include travel and subsistence expenses and fees and subscriptions. It will often be the case that the employee initially incurs the expense and then reclaims the cost from their employer via … Read more
Changing personal circumstances may mean that individuals who were previously taxpayers find that they are now non-taxpayers. If they are in the habit of making charitable donations under gift aid, they need to tread carefully to avoid an unwanted bill from HMRC. Nature of gift aid Donations made by individuals to charities or to community … Read more
The super-deduction, which allowed companies to claim an immediate deduction of 130% of their qualifying expenditure, came to an end on 31 March 2023. It was replaced with full expensing. As with the super-deduction, unincorporated businesses cannot benefit from full expensing (although the Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) will secure a 100% deduction for qualifying expenditure … Read more
If you incur expenses in doing your job, you may be able to claim tax relief. While the rules governing the availability of relief are strict, the process for claiming relief where it is available is relatively straightforward. Availability of tax relief Expenses that may qualify for tax relief include travel expenses incurred in relation … Read more
Trivial benefits have their own tax exemption, which if used wisely can be used to treat employees. The exemption can also be used by personal and family companies as part of a tax-efficient profit extraction strategy. Nature of the exemption The exemption applies if all of the following conditions are met: Where the benefit is … Read more
If you have a personal or family company, taking dividends is a popular and tax-efficient way to extract profits. However, while they remain tax efficient, recent tax changes have eroded some of the advantages. What do you need to know when planning your dividend extraction strategy for 2023/24? Impact of corporation tax changes From 1 … Read more
If you have paid too much tax, you will be able to get a refund from HMRC. The mechanics for obtaining your refund depending on how the overpayment arose. Claims must be made within four years from the end of the tax year to which the refund relates. Self-assessment overpayment If you pay tax under … Read more
For a brief period it seemed that the days were numbered for the additional rate of tax following the announcement in the ill-fated mini Budget that it was to be scrapped. Like much of the mini Budget, its planned abolition was swiftly reversed. However, this was not the end of the additional rate tax saga; … Read more
