New calculations issued alongside the Spring Budget show just how higher rate taxpaying status is becoming ever more common. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) received plenty of attention leading up to the Budget. It…
Buy-to-let owners selling up
While the higher rate of capital gains tax (CGT) on residential property disposals has dropped by 4%, from 28% to 24%, from 6 April 2024, the vast majority of landlords who sell up are facing…
How much does retirement cost?
New research has put some surprising numbers on the income needed in retirement. Each year since 2019, the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) has set about answering the question of how much retirement costs…
The increasing cost of incorporating a company
Perhaps not as widely known as the much publicised changes to company law is the fact that due to an increase in charges levied by Companies House, fees associated with incorporating and maintaining a company…
HMRC ramps up its checks and investigations
There’s no respite for HMRC with inheritance tax (IHT) accounts, undeclared dividend income and gains from share disposals to scrutinise. HMRC is currently busy with several ongoing checks. They are looking at IHT accounts, targeting…
Spring Budget: a pre-election balancing act
What was almost certainly the last Budget before the election was a serving of the widely expected, sprinkled with a handful of small surprises. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, delivered the Spring Budget…
How to navigate the £500 trust income exemption
The introduction of a £500 income exemption from 6 April 2024 will impact many trusts. It comes with various complications, especially as income within the £500 exemption will still be taxable in the hands of…
Spring Budget: a pre-election balancing act
What was almost certainly the last Budget before the election was a serving of the widely expected, sprinkled with a handful of small surprises. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, delivered the Spring Budget…
Moving to Scotland – the cost in tax
There are many benefits to moving to Scotland for work or retirement, especially the stunning scenery. However, anyone contemplating a move should consider the tax cost of relocating from elsewhere in the UK. The Scottish…
Another lesson learned in equal pay
Having already paid out over £1 billion in equal pay claims, and now facing claims for further millions, Birmingham City Council’s financial crisis is a stark reminder of why it is so important to get…