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As we have outlined in recent posts, change is upon us and come the end of March next year, the combination of Brexit and the advent of Making Tax Digital (MTD) will change much that we have taken for granted. Apart from the cross-border considerations (import VAT, customs duties and the like) MTD will require…

Up to £20 million is being made available to increase productivity and sustainability in crop and ruminant agriculture systems through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund. Innovate UK are looking for projects that improve productivity and sustainability in crop and ruminant agriculture. There is £20 million to be shared across 2 types of project: productivity solutions,…

The gradual restriction of tax relief for buy-to-let mortgage interest has received much publicity since the process commenced 5 April 2017. From that date, tax relief is converted from a straight forward deduction against business profits into a basic rate tax deduction. If you continue to be a basic rate taxpayer as these changes roll-out,…

If a business owner makes a loss as a self-employed person, they can set off the losses against any other earnings of the same year. In effect, the business losses are moved side-ways against other earnings. However, in order for loss relief to be allowed, the loss making business must be able to demonstrate that…

A government think-tank, the Office for Tax Simplification (OTS), was briefed to consider a non-tax issue, a restricted form of limited liability for sole traders. At present, a sole trader’s personal assets (including their home) are vulnerable to a claim by business creditors if the sole trader business becomes insolvent. The principle behind this Sole…

Last week we posted an article advising businesses that trade with the EU of guidance that HMRC have issued in the event that we do not reach an accommodation with the EU when we leave March 2019. This week we are paraphrasing, from HMRC’s guidance announcements, the likely changes to customs procedures if the so-called…

Making Tax Digital (MTD) is HMRC’s long running intention to make an electronic link with the accounting data of UK businesses. The idea is to draw in the data they need directly from your computers using links provided by your software developers for this purpose. Which is fine if you are using accounts software that…

Businesses that buy goods from the EU or export goods to the EU would be advised to read the recent guidance from HMRC that is published under the title: "VAT for businesses if there is no Brexit deal" The stated purpose of the document is reproduced below. The full text can be read online at …

None of us relish the thought of our own demise which probably explains why approximately 70% of us have not made a Will. With no direction, who will inherit your worldly goods if you die without making a Will? The legal jargon is dying 'intestate'. Consider Louis, 75 years old and deeply into avoidance when it…

In a recent tax case, Pallister v Revenue & Customs, Pallister’s son (PJ) was left a share in his deceased parent’s investment property in June 2012. A local surveyor valued the property at £1.2m and this was the figure used to determine the deceased parent’s inheritance tax bill.   Subsequently, the property was sold in…