Are you a connected party?

It’s all about control

The best definition I found is this one

Corporation Tax Act 2010

1122 “Connected” persons
(1)This section has effect for the purposes of the provisions of the Corporation Tax Acts which apply this section (or to which this section is applied).
(2)A company is connected with another company if—
(a)the same person has control of both companies,
(b)a person (“A”) has control of one company and persons connected with A have control of the other company,
(c)A has control of one company and A together with persons connected with A have control of the other company, or
(d)a group of two or more persons has control of both companies and the groups either consist of the same persons or could be so regarded if (in one or more cases) a member of either group were replaced by a person with whom the member is connected.
(3)A company is connected with another person (“A”) if—
(a)A has control of the company, or
(b)A together with persons connected with A have control of the company.
(4)In relation to a company, any two or more persons acting together to secure or exercise control of the company are connected with—
(a)one another, and
(b)any person acting on the directions of any of them to secure or exercise control of the company.
(5)An individual (“A”) is connected with another individual (“B”) if—
(a)A is B’s spouse or civil partner,
(b)A is a relative of B,
(c)A is the spouse or civil partner of a relative of B,
(d)A is a relative of B’s spouse or civil partner, or
(e)A is the spouse or civil partner of a relative of B’s spouse or civil partner.
(6)A person, in the capacity as trustee of a settlement, is connected with—
(a)any individual who is a settlor in relation to the settlement,
(b)any person connected with such an individual,
(c)any close company whose participators include the trustees of the settlement,
(d)any non-UK resident company which, if it were UK resident, would be a close company whose participators include the trustees of the settlement,
(e)any body corporate controlled (within the meaning of section 1124) by a company within paragraph (c) or (d),
(f)if the settlement is the principal settlement in relation to one or more sub-fund settlements, a person in the capacity as trustee of such a sub-fund settlement, and
(g)if the settlement is a sub-fund settlement in relation to a principal settlement, a person in the capacity as trustee of any other sub-fund settlements in relation to the principal settlement.
(7)A person who is a partner in a partnership is connected with—
(a)any partner in the partnership,
(b)the spouse or civil partner of any individual who is a partner in the partnership, and
(c)a relative of any individual who is a partner in the partnership.
(8)But subsection (7) does not apply in relation to acquisitions or disposals of assets of the partnership pursuant to genuine commercial arrangements.

steve@bicknells.net

Did you know …. you can lend money to your own pension

Pension background concept

If you have a SSAS or a SIPP Pension you will probably want to invest some of your funds in Commercial Property – Shops, Office, Industrial Units. Pension funds can borrow money and with the current interest rates low and yields as high as 10%, you can increase your return and use less cash by borrowing.

But one thing you may not know is that connected parties can lend to the fund…

Trustees of registered pension schemes may sometimes wish to borrow funds, for example to enable them to purchase an asset. There is no objection to a registered pension scheme borrowing funds for any purpose providing that the scheme administrator/trustees are satisfied that the borrowing will benefit the scheme and that the borrowing is within the rules laid down by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

A registered pension scheme is treated as borrowing or having a liability of an amount, if that amount is to be repaid or met from cash or assets held for the purposes of the pension scheme.

A registered pension scheme may borrow funds from any individual, company or financial institution whether or not they are connected to the scheme, but any borrowing from a connected party which is not made on commercial terms will be subject to a tax charge – see RPSM04104020 .

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/rpsmmanual/rpsm07104010.htm

This is useful where you have paid in the maximum allowed pension contributions but you still have cash, so you could lend to your pension to buy a property.

steve@bicknells.net