Tag: entrepreneurs tax relief

Is Striking Off a company the best solution?

 

Closing down stamp

Companies House guidance states…
A company may apply to the registrar to be struck off the register and dissolved. The company can do this if it is no longer needed. For example, the directors may wish to retire and there is no one to take over from them; or
it is a subsidiary whose name is no longer needed; or it was set up to exploit an idea that turned out not to be feasible. Some companies who are dormant or non trading choose to apply for strike off. If you have
decided that you no longer want to retain your company and wish to have it struck off, the registrar will not normally pursue any outstanding late filing penalties unless you restore the company to the register at a later stage.
Form DS01 is used to apply for striking off and guidance GP4
An alternative, if the business has assets is to use an Members Voluntary Liquidation (MVL).
  1. The Insolvency Practitioner will ask your Accountant to confirm that the clients tax affairs are inorder and that appropriate advice has been given
  2. Final Accounts will need to be prepared and creditors paid
  3. A Declaration of Insolvency will be signed – The declaration of insolvency demonstrates that the company will be able to settle or secure liabilities and the costs of liquidation within 12 months
  4. A meeting of Shareholders will appoint the Insolvency Practitioner
  5. Notices will be posted at Companies House and in the London Gazzette
  6. Then the MVL can be a carried out and funds distributed
  7. Arrangements can be put in place to allow the directors access to funds during the process

Here are my top 5 reasons why an MVL might be a good choice:

  1. The change in 2012 capped capital distributions on striking off at £25,000 but this cap does not apply to liquidations
  2. You want to retire and close your business and extract the net worth
  3. You created a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for a specific project and the company is no longer needed
  4. Companies that are stuck off can be re-instated but that’s not the case with liquidated companies
  5. Entrepreneurs Tax Relief may be applicable meaning the capital distribution is taxed at 10%
You may also consider disincorporation.
steve@bicknells.net

 

Sole Traders lose Goodwill Tax Relief

Branding

Since 6th April 2008 and until 3rd December 2014 Sole Traders and Parternships were able to claim Entrepreneurs Tax Relief on Goodwill when becoming a Limited Company.

Until the 3rd December 2014 they would claim there Capital Gains Allowance

Period Tax-free allowance
5 April 2013 to 6 April 2014 £10,900
5 April 2014 to 6 April 2015 £11,000

Then claim ER which reduced the rate of tax to 10% on the gain.

But from the 3rd December they will now pay Capital Gains at the normal rates of CGT which are 18% or 28% (for Higher Rate Income Tax Payers).

They also lose the Corporation Tax Relief see Section 849C CTA2009

Also see this blog..

The tax benefits of goodwill on incorporation?

steve@bicknells.net

 

Share Buy Back Multiple Completion Checklist

Young woman with checklist over shoulder shot

Exit planning is critical if you want to save tax.

Typically when a shareholder wants to leave a business, the company will buy back the shares, but often the company wants to pay in stages to ease the cashflow.

The problem is that buy back in stages generally means that Entrepreneurs Tax Relief can’t be used and to make things worse the buybacks will be tax as a distribution.

The Companies Act prohibits buy back by instalment, however HMRC Tax Bulletin 21 says…

The Board can only consider a request relating to a transaction which appears to be a valid PoS. The Companies Act 1985 lays down certain procedural rules which must be followed. Also, the consideration for the shares must be paid immediately and must be paid in money. The first of these requirements means that payment by instalments is not possible. It is, however, possible to make a contract under which successive tranches of shares are to be purchased on specified dates.

So here is checklist of things to consider to create a multiple completion:

  1. Ask HMRC for advance clearance – the buy back will be treated as a single event and subject to Entrepreneurs Tax Relief on the whole amount on day one
  2. Make sure your solicitor draws up an agreement that transfers beneficial interest on day one whilst retaining a legal interest
  3. Whilst the shares still exist beneficial interest has been disposed of
  4. Voting rights can no longer be exercised
  5. The creditor for deferred completion must not be loan capital

Clearly you will need professional advice from your solicitor and accountant to create a multiple completion contract.

steve@bicknells.net

Loan Notes – A Seller’s Dilemma

Retro Drama Woman

When you sell your company your buyer may wish to pay part in cash and part in loan notes to be paid off from future profits. The Loan Notes are known as Qualifying Corporate Bonds (QCB’s), the dilemma is whether to claim Entrepreneurs Tax at 10% now or pay full Capital Gains Tax later.

To obtain Entrepreneurs’ Relief on a disposal of the shares (the “old asset”) at the time of the exchange, the individual may make an election for the gain not to be deferred by TCGA92/S116 (10). The effect of an election is that the gain is brought into charge at the time of the exchange so that Entrepreneurs’ Relief can be claimed in order to benefit from the 10% rate – TCGA92/S169R (2).

In the absence of an election the gain is deferred and will be charged to CGT when it accrues under TCGA92/S116 (10) (b). It would be unusual for the qualifying conditions for Entrepreneurs’ Relief to be met at the later date when the gain comes into charge.

An election under this section, like the claim for Entrepreneurs’ Relief, must be made on or before the first anniversary of the 31 January following the tax year in which the relevant transaction takes place – TCGA92/S169R (4).

So would you claim the Entrepreneurs Tax Relief and pay 10% now or possibly pay 28% later?

You could try selling your shares in stages but that might not suit either you or your buyer?

steve@bicknells.net

 

5 Pitfalls to avoid with Entrepreneurs Tax Relief

with computer

If you sell or close your business, you may be able to claim Entrepreneurs’ Relief – this means that you only pay 10% Capital Gains Tax on any qualifying profits.

There’s no limit to how many times you can claim Entrepreneurs’ Relief, and you can claim up to £10 million of relief in total during your lifetime.

Companies

To claim Entrepreneurs’ Relief you must:

  • own at least 5% of the shares in the business for a year
  • be a director, partner or employee of the business

Sole traders

To claim Entrepreneurs’ Relief you must have been trading for at least a year.

Full details are on the HMRC Helpsheet HS275

But here are some pitfalls to avoid…….

  1. Entrepreneurs Tax Relief is not available to companies, so if your company sold the part of its business then that won’t qualify, it’s common for a buyer to want to buy the assets into a New Co but ask that the old company remains alive in case of future claim.
  2. Significant Non Trading Activity could be a problem too, some business contain investments and if these were more than 20% in terms of turnover, net assets, time spent by directors or profit it could mean that your business is not counted as a trading business
  3. Less than 5% share ownership this can be an issue where share options are granted and exercised before a sale
  4. Voting rights of classes of shares or when at an AGM votes are based on a show of hands
  5. Shares transferred to a non working spouse prior to sale to save tax – to qualify you have to be an employee/officer and hold the shares for a year

steve@bicknells.net