Knowledge Bank

Tax Zone: Overview

The tax centre/knowledge bank contains a huge range of briefings and articles on tax and related subjects covering many of the areas that business owners, managers and private investors should find helpful in understanding the impact of the tax system on them.

The aim of these papers is to provide a rapid access resource for clients. Of course, you depend on us to provide you with good tax advice that is both practical and dependable. But it can also be very helpful to you to develop a working knowledge of some of the key tax subjects that affect you. You have to administer some aspects of your tax position – claiming expenses, calculating and collecting VAT and PAYE.

You also want to think about your business and personal financial plans and you may find that in some cases, your knowledge of tax and other technical subjects will help you make the most of our advice and formulate plans that reflect your aims more effectively.

Business tax

As a business owner, there are a number of serious issues to consider: how to motivate staff, how to extract profits and minimize taxes, and possible expansion. Planning for every eventuality makes good sense, allowing your business to run smoothly, whatever happens. Our PDF guides cover a number of essential areas to consider, including the pitfalls of corporation tax and IR35, buying and selling your business and the tax regimes for incorporation and partnerships.

PDF guides:
PDF icon    Incorporation
PDF icon    Corporation tax - the key features
PDF icon    How partnerships are taxed
PDF icon    Buying and selling a business
PDF icon    Starting an unincorporated business
PDF icon    Personal service companies, IR35 and the pitfalls

Estate planning

Do you know who will benefit after your death? As your circumstances and the tax rules change, it is important to keep your estate planning under review. Our PDF guides explain the perils of inheritance tax and why everyone should make a will. The earlier you start planning, the easier it may be to achieve your objectives.

PDF guides:
PDF icon    Tax aspects of administering an estate
PDF icon    Inheritance tax – the key features
PDF icon    Intestacy rules

Investment tax

Investment can be an uncertain business – how much are you willing to risk when it comes to investment, and how will your returns be taxed? Investment planning can help you to establish your goals and maximise your returns. Our PDF guides explain the most common investment choices, giving you a complete overview of the structure and tax treatment of each type.

PDF guides:
PDF icon    OEICs, unit trusts and investment trusts
PDF icon    ISAs and PEPs
PDF icon    VCTs and EISs
PDF icon    National Savings

Pensions

Preparing for retirement can seem a daunting task, and for most of us building up a pension fund has never been more important. Recent changes to the taxation of pensions aimed to simplify the system, but how do they affect you? Our PDF guides cover the new rules and explain the range of financial options you may face at retirement. Assess your pension arrangements and plan for the future.

PDF guides:
PDF icon    Pensions - the new tax rules

Personal tax and financial planning

Tax is a complex area, and could be one of your biggest single costs. Effective tax planning can help to reduce your liability. Our PDF guides provide essential information on the taxation of earnings and investments, and cover a wide range of important issues, including income tax, residence and domicile, national insurance contributions and capital gains tax.

PDF guides:
PDF icon    How income tax is calculated
PDF icon    Main types of income and how they are taxed
PDF icon    Self-assessment
PDF icon    Capital gains tax – the key rules
PDF icon    Capital gains tax and your investments
PDF icon    Capital gains tax for business owners
PDF icon    Year end tax planning
PDF icon    What is your residence and domicile?
PDF icon    How residence and domicile affect your tax
PDF icon    Trusts and their uses
PDF icon    The taxation of trusts
PDF icon    Child and working tax credits

Taxation of pay

The taxation of pay can affect both you and your employees, but you can avoid many of the difficulties associated with travelling and other expenses simply by understanding the rules and keeping good records. Our PDF guides explain these issues, as well as the various methods of rewarding employees in a tax-efficient way.

PDF guides:
PDF icon    Employee share schemes
PDF icon    Enterprise Management Incentive share option schemes
PDF icon    How your benefits in kind are taxed
PDF icon    Employee travel and subsistence rules
PDF icon    The taxation of company cars