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VAT Place of Supply Rules

16

March 2024

16

March 2024

VAT Place of Supply Rules

The rules that determine whether and how much VAT is chargeable on services sold to, and received from, abroad come from knowing what the place of supply of services for VAT purposes is. These rules are detailed, complex and extensive and this note merely provides an introduction and outlines the basics. More of the detail where necessary may be found in the individual VAT notices for which links have been provided at the end of this article.

Dividends and How they Work

26

February 2024

26

February 2024

Dividends and How they Work

Much of the law on dividend payments is contained in part 23 of the Companies Act 2006 and is complex and therefore easy for directors to make mistakes around. It is therefore important for shareholders and directors alike to ensure that they stay on the right side of the law by knowing the answers to common questions that arise when taking money out of their limited companies and to know where to look for additional information where more complex questions arise.

All Change at Companies House

21

February 2024

21

February 2024

All Change at Companies House

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill received royal assent on 26th October 2023, becoming the Economic Crime and Corporate Act 2023 (ECCTA). ECCTA contains a range of measures to tackle economic crime and improve corporate transparency. While parts of the Act deal with wider aspects of economic crime including enforcement over cryptoassets, money laundering and a failure to prevent fraud, much of ECCTA is concerned with the oversight and transparency of corporate structures in the UK and includes a significant overhaul of Companies House and the way it works.

National Insurance Explained

2

December 2022

7

December 2022

National Insurance Explained

National Insurance is a complicated subject (some might say unnecessarily so) and is often misunderstood by taxpayers,. This brief post sets out some basic principles on how the system works.

Reporting Gains on UK Property Disposals

5

July 2022

5

July 2022

Reporting Gains on UK Property Disposals

Where an individual sells a property in the UK, there may be capital gains tax to pay on any profits realised. However, the way in which the gain gets reported to HMRC is accompanied by a less than straightforward process which depends upon whether the property being sold is residential or commercial and whether the seller is UK resident or overseas resident. This guide helps to provide clarity on what the reporting rules are and is focused on gains made after the 6th April 2020. The rule for gains arising before that are a little different and aren't covered here.

Tax Codes and What they Mean

19

June 2022

19

June 2022

Tax Codes and What they Mean

Have you ever looked at your payslip or notice of coding from HMRC and wondered just what your tax code actually means ? It’s quite possible that like a lot of people, you find it all a little mystifying and bit above your head – if that’s you, this short article should help to unpack what your tax code is telling you and make better sense of your payslip next time you look at it in detail.

Taxing Overseas Earnings

8

June 2022

8

June 2022

Taxing Overseas Earnings

The UK tax system is relatively straightforward if during your time in this country, you only have income and gains from UK sources. However, if you work abroad or have income from assets overseas, understanding the implications for your tax position in the UK can be a minefield with so many rules and regulations to consider, both here in the UK and abroad. Whilst a full consideration of the various regimes abroad is a matter for locally based specialists, this article aims to give you an overview of some of the rules that apply in the UK and provide you with some pointers for additional research.

Pay and Leave During Maternity – How Does it Work?

5

June 2022

5

June 2022

Pay and Leave During Maternity – How Does it Work?

The impending arrival of a new addition to the family should be an exciting and wonderful experience, but what does this mean for our rights and entitlements as employees and what duties does it impose upon employers? This article explores some of the main issues arising from both perspectives.

Incorporating A Property Business – Is It Worth It?

7

May 2021

11

November 2021

Incorporating A Property Business – Is It Worth It?

It is quite often the case that when individuals invest in second properties, at least part of the purchase price is raised through a mortgage. As a result, obtaining tax relief for the interest costs of the mortgage tends to be a key part of the financial equation for these investors. Of all the taxation changes in recent years, the phased introduction of finance costs relief restriction in 2017 has been the most worrying for private residential landlords. Some highly geared property businesses that are currently healthy and profitable could suffer tax charges in excess of their profits once the restrictions are fully operational from April 2020 onwards.

The VAT Domestic Reverse Charge

4

May 2021

9

November 2021

The VAT Domestic Reverse Charge

The beginning of March saw a major change in the way VAT is handled by contractors and sub-contractors in the construction industry with the introduction of the VAT domestic reverse charge (VDRC).

Why Your Small Business Needs An Accountant

10

April 2021

9

November 2021

Why Your Small Business Needs An Accountant

If like many new business owners, you find yourselves thinking that as a small business, you are able to manage your own accounting and bookkeeping, this may be for you.

Pickpockets At The Treasury?

5

April 2021

9

November 2021

Pickpockets At The Treasury?

When the Chancellor announced his budget measures last month, much was made of the increases in Corporation Tax and the maintenance of the headline rates of Income Tax and National Insurance. However, little was said about the freezing of the personal tax allowances and tax thresholds other than to describe it in some quarters as a “stealth tax”

Getting Incorporated

19

March 2021

9

November 2021

Getting Incorporated

If you are starting out in business and thinking about how you would like to set yourself up, the idea of having your own limited company probably feels quite attractive. But if you’ve never owned or run your own company before, how easy is it to set one up?

Gov’t Coronavirus Schemes To Be Extended Beyond Lockdown

17

March 2021

9

November 2021

Gov’t Coronavirus Schemes To Be Extended Beyond Lockdown

The government’s coronavirus support schemes will be extended beyond the timetable for opening up the economy, to help recovery. ICAEW’s Tax Faculty highlights the main Budget announcements. The wide range of support announced includes extensions to the two major income support schemes alongside extensions of financial assistance in other areas, such as universal credit, tax credits and stamp duty land tax.

Cash Management In A Pandemic

10

March 2021

9

November 2021

Cash Management In A Pandemic

The phrase “Turnover is vanity, profit is sanity but cash is king” was coined for a reason. Few things are more important to any business than cash flow, as with a healthy cash flow, you can pay your debts on time, sustain your operations and expand your business. Without it, you’re only a few missteps away from financial ruin.

Chancellor Freezes Tax Allowances

5

March 2021

9

November 2021

Chancellor Freezes Tax Allowances

The income tax personal allowance and higher rate threshold will be frozen from 6 April 2022 until 5 April 2026. The capital gains tax annual exempt amount, the pensions lifetime allowance and the IHT and residence nil rate bands, meanwhile, will be frozen at their current rates.

Choosing A Business Bank Account

3

March 2021

9

November 2021

Choosing A Business Bank Account

Choosing and setting up a business bank account is an important first step when setting up your business, so it pays to take care when deciding which bank to go with and the kind of account to open. With a plethora of on-line and high street banks now out there, it can be time consuming to research and make sense of what is on offer from the various different providers

To Incorporate or Not To Incorporate?

1

March 2021

9

November 2021

To Incorporate or Not To Incorporate?

The question of whether a business should incorporate or not crops up often and for small businesses, is potentially very important as there are a number of tax and regulatory considerations which need to be taken into account.

Deferred Your VAT Bill From Last Year ?

18

February 2021

9

November 2021

Deferred Your VAT Bill From Last Year ?

Having to pay your tax bill is never an inviting prospect but if you are amongst those who deferred paying their VAT last year because of the Covid crisis, the VAT deferred will soon become due for payment. However, if times are still hard or if you continue to worry about your cash flow, there are options for you.