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Summary Tax Tips for Individuals Small Companies Tax Tips for Businesses
SUMMARY
Tax Tips for Individuals1. Make sure you claim the children’s tax credit. 2. Consider taking a salary increase instead of the company car, then using your own car for business and claiming mileage. 3. If your employer is not paying you the full 40p per mile, then claim the difference on your tax return. 4. If you don’t like paperwork, then go to www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk and register to prepare your own tax return using the internet service or contact an accountant who is registered for agent efiling. Tax Tips for Businesses1. If you are not already benefiting from the low corporation tax rates, then consider forming your own limited company now. Trading through a limited company could still save you over £3,000 per year. This is true even after the new taxes on dividends introduced in Budget 2004. Small Businesses 2. If you spend more than £25,000 a year on research and development, then make sure you or your accountant are claiming the research and development tax credit. 3. If you don’t like paperwork, then look into the VAT Flat Rate Scheme. The incentives have recently been increased, particularly for businesses in their first year of VAT registration. 4. If your profits are under £50,000 a year then pay dividends before 1 April 2004 to avoid the new tax rules. 5. If you are planning to buy any computer equipment, then buy it before 31 March 2004, while the 100% capital allowances are still in available for small companies investing in IT.
SMALL COMPANIES
New Corporation Tax RulesAll dividends paid on or after 1 April 2004 must be paid out of profits on which corporation tax has been paid at 19%. This will not affect companies with profits over £50,000, because they are already paying corporation tax at 19%.
BUSINESSES
Research & Development Tax Credits
Since April 2000, small and medium sized companies spending over £25,000 on research & development (r&d) have been able to claim tax credits on most of their r&d expenditure. In some cases a tax refund of 24% of r&d spending can be obtained. Qualifying expenditure is salary costs, consumable stores and 65% of payments for sub-contracted r&d work. This scheme has now been extended to large companies. Subsidised Bus Travel
Where an employer
pays a subsidy to a local bus company, employees can be carried free or pay
reduced fares without creating a tax and national insurance contributions (NICs)
liability. With this exemption
and the new company car tax regime, some companies may start offering bus passes
instead of company cars. Limits for operating PAYEThe threshold for tax and National Insurance has been increased from £89 per week to £91 per week (or from £384 to £395 per month).
Incentives for E-filing PAYE ReturnsSmall business that file their 2004/05 PAYE returns electronically will be given a £250 incentive.
VAT Flat Rate SchemeThe scheme is now available to businesses with taxable turnover of up to £150,000 per annum. The flat rates have been reduced and their is an extra 1% reduction on the rates for business in their first year of VAT registration. Under the scheme, a business completes its VAT Returns by taking turnover and multiplying by an agreed percentage and that’s it. Details of the flat rates for particular businesses can be found at www.hmce.gov.uk No analysis of VAT on purchases is required. Enhanced Capital Allowances for Energy Efficient Equipment100% capital allowances are available for certain items of plant and machinery, including cars with fuel emissions of not more than 120gm/km CO2. The scheme is being expanded See www.eca.gov.uk for details. INDIVIDUALS
Tax Rates and Allowances
The personal allowance is increased from £4,615 in 2003/04 to £4,745 for 2004/05. The 10% band is increased from £1,960 to £2,020. The starting point for the 40% band is increased from £30,500 to £31,400. Gift AidFrom 2003/04 gift aid donations made up to the time that you file your tax return can be carried back into the previous tax year. Gift Aid is being extended to cover donations to amateur sports clubs. THIRD WORLD ISSUESBribesIn February it became a criminal offence for a UK citizen to bribe a foreign official. From 1 April 2002 bribes are not tax deductible. Drug Research Into Third World DiseasesExpenditure on research into TB, malaria, HIV and AIDS qualifies for an extra 50% deduction for corporation tax purposes. Corporate Donations of Medical Supplies & EquipmentThe new relief will enable companies to donate medical
supplies or medical equipment for humanitarian purposes to recipients that are
not UK charities without incurring a charge to tax. Companies will also be
entitled to deduct the cost of transporting, delivering or distributing goods
donated for humanitarian purposes within or outside the UK. |
Send mail to enquiries@achillesaccountancy.co.uk with questions or comments about this web site.Last modified: November 30, 2008 |