Tag: Directors

Do Directors need to list directorships where they had no income? Self Assessment Returns

This question comes up every year.

“I am a director of lots of companies but only get paid by one company, do I need to list them all?”

Some people make up dummy Payroll Numbers and list directorships, some people list them in the notes, some don’t list them at all, what is the right thing to do?

The answer has to be to follow the HMRC Guidance

 

Click to access SA150_2019.pdf

As you can see its says

‘received income as a company director’

‘held an office, such as chairperson, secretary or treasurer and received income for that work‘

If you didn’t receive income you don’t need to report it as it will not affect your tax.

steve@bicknells.net

 

 

Do Directors really have to do self assessment returns? read What happened to a Property Company Director

The official guidance for Directors is…

As a director of a limited company, you must:

You don’t need to register for Self Assessment or send a tax return if your company is a non-profit organisation (for example, a charity) and you didn’t get any pay or benefits, like a company car.

https://www.gov.uk/running-a-limited-company

https://www.gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returns/who-must-send-a-tax-return

So, basically, if you are a director you must register!

Many accountants think that this one size fits all approach is a little over the top and returns for salaried directors are unnecessary in some cases but the rules are absolutely clear, Directors must register!

So the latest case involving a property company came as a surprise to many accountants

Click to access TC05929.pdf

Mohammed Salem Kadhem (case TC05929) became a director of a property company on 21 May 2014. He received no pay or dividends from that company and didn’t register for self-assessment.

It was reported in full at http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/tax/hmrc-policy/tribunal-company-directors-dont-have-to-submit-tax-returns?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=AWUKPOW210617&utm_content=AWUKPOW210617+CID_b1f3f98189c6021fa5eaf5a489ca5e3d&utm_source=internal_cm&utm_term=Company%20directors%20dont%20have%20to%20submit%20tax%20returns

Basically HMRC made mistakes in their approach to the case basically arguing that a notice to file had been sent but were unable to prove the notice was sent and Mohammed Salem Kadhem won.

The tribunal accepted that he had a reasonable excuse for filing a late return and all the penalties were quashed.

This doesn’t change the fact that all directors must register and a file self assessment returns. Don’t risk it, its better to file returns!

steve@bicknells.net

What are tax implications if a company pays a Directors personal expenses?

Businessman struggling with large Expenses

It’s not uncommon for Directors personal expenses to get mixed up with business expenses, for example the director is out buying things for the company and picks up some items for themselves at the same time and it goes on the same bill.

In a perfect world the Director would just repay the cost of personal purchases to the company, but we don’t live in  perfect world, so what are the options?

Directors Loan Account

You could post the cost to the Directors Loan Account. These accounts are normally repaid when the Director is paid either salary or dividends.

If the loan is not cleared by year end then the company will have to pay a temporary corporation tax charge of 25% and reclaim the tax when the loan is repaid using form L2P

There may also be a notional amount of interest (4%) charged as a benefit in kind on the loan.

Benefit In Kind

You could have the expenses as a benefit in kind, some benefits may even be tax free, here is a list of my favourite tax free benefits

  1. Pensions – Up to £40k can be paid in to you pension scheme by your employer (2015/16)  and you can use carry forward to pay in even more
  2. Childcare – Up to £55 per week but check the rules to makesure your childcare complies (HMRC Leaflet IR115) – new rules coming soon
  3. Mobile Phone – One per employee
  4. Lunch – Tax Free Lunch Blog
  5. Cycle Schemes – Cycle to Work Blog
  6. Fitness – Fitness Blog
  7. Parties and Gifts – Christmas Blog
  8. Parking – Parking Blog
  9. Business Mileage Allowance – 45p for the first 10,000 miles then 25p
  10. Long Service Award – A bit restrictive as you need 20 years service, the tax free amount is £50 x the number of years
  11. Eye Tests and Spectacles – The Eye Test must be needed under the Health & Safety at Work Act
  12. Suggestion Schemes – Suggestion Scheme Blog
  13. Insurance such and Death in Service and Income Protection – Medical Insurance Blog
  14. Travel Expenses – Travel Blog
  15. Working From Home – Working from Home Blog

Private Use of Company Assets

It may also be worth considering private use of company assets.

  • The cost of the asset is allowed against Corporation Tax and you can claim Capital Allowances and the Annual Investment Allowance.
  • The Assets could be purchased from the Director but they must be transferred at Market Value.
  • The Benefit In Kind is generally 20% of the market value

steve@bicknells.net

Contact Us

 

 

Companies House reports are now Free!

Happy businessman with case.

We all like getting something for free, well now you can get free access to 170 million company records.

In line with the government’s commitment to free data, Companies House announced on 22nd June 2015 that all public digital data held on the UK register of companies is now accessible free of charge, on its new public beta search service.

This provides access to over 170 million digital records on companies and directors including financial accounts, company filings and details on directors and secretaries throughout the life of the company.

As a result, it will be easier for businesses and members of the public to research and scrutinise the activities and ownership of companies and connected individuals. Last year (2013/14), customers searching the Companies House website spent £8.7 million accessing company information on the register.

steve@bicknells.net

Goodbye to Corporate Directors….

dreamstimefree_75244

Corporate Directors have been particularly useful to Groups, its easier and more flexible to show the parent company as the director than to name a specific person, but as a result of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015, companies will no longer be allowed to have corporate directors.

The ban will come into effect in October 2015 and companies that have Corporate Directors have until October 2016 to remove their corporate directors.

However, the government may have a change of heart following its consultation on whether Corporate Directors could be allowed if the Corporate Director Company has a board of fully disclosed individual directors.

steve@bicknells.net

What are Directors Emoluments?

Businessman With Gold Bar

The reporting requirements are set out in The Large and Medium Sized Companies and Groups (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008, obviously emoluments include:

  1. Salary
  2. Bonuses
  3. Compensation for Loss of Office
  4. Benefits
  5. Share Options
  6. Long Term incentives
  7. Pensions

But it can also include payments made via other companies for ‘Qualifying Services’, these are payments paid in relation to the Directors services as a Director of the reporting company (Section 8, Part4, Paragraph 17).

In many cases this could be obvious for example if the Director used a Personal Service Company (PSC) or if the director invoices the company for management services or for management charges. But often invoices relate to the supply of products and services which don’t fall within qualifying services.

Its worth noting that unquoted companies with less than £200k for Directors Emoluments are not required to report details of the highest paid director.

Its also worth remembering that any related party transactions should be fully disclosed in the related party note, so is further clarification of what should be emoluments needed?

steve@bicknells.net

 

 

Budget 2013 – Directors and Staff Loans

Bank loan

Good news, the exemption threshold for employment-related loans has been increased for 2014/15 from £5,000 to £10,000, as long as the balance is below this level there is no tax charge for employees or employers.

But there could be bad news for participators (Directors/Shareholders) who have been using one of these techniques to avoid the 25% temporary Corporation Tax charge:

1. Using a Partnership or LLP where the company is a partner or member as a way to get loans

2. Making arrangements that did not qualify as loans but the where value ended up in the hands on a participator

3. Making loans repaying them within 9 months and getting a new loan, the Bed and Breakfast approach

4. Transfers of assets

5. Loans channelled through third parties

New anti avoidance rules are coming, a consultation paper  is planned for later this year aimed at minimising the scope for abuse and there will be new legislation in the Finance Bill 2014 and Finance Bill 2015.

Be warned!

steve@bicknells.net