Did you issue shares to Employees or Directors? Form 42 due 6th July

HMRC F0rm 42 – Employment-related securities – covers most situation where you issue shares to employees or directors, however, you may not need to complete the form in some circumstances:

  1. On Company Formation
  2. Allotment of shares prior to starting to trade
  3. Shares issued to Directors before the company starts to trade
  4. Transfers of shares in the normal course of the domestic, family or personal relationships
  5. Flat Management Companies
  6. Members’ clubs (formed as companies)
  7. Share for share exchange
  8. Rights Issues
  9. Bonus Issues
  10. Scrip Dividends
  11. Dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPs)
  12. Shares acquired independently by employees

Examples of what you must report:

  • The gift or purchase of shares by employees or directors.
  • The grant or exercise of options granted to employees or directors.
  • Anything that changes the value of the shares held by employees or directors.
  • The sale of employees’ or directors’ shares for more than their market value.
  • Cash cancellation payments to employees or directors.

Penalties

Penalties are not imposed automatically, the company is warned of their failure to make a report on a minimum of two occasions before the case is referred to the tribunal. The penalties can be £300 per responsible person and £60 per day outstanding.

Here is a link to the 2012 Form 42 http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/shareschemes/form42-2012.pdf

 

steve@bicknells.net

How to Issue and Transfer Shares in an SME

When you first form a limited company, the formation agent will arrange the issue of the Subscriber Shares.

Following that you can allocate new shares using Form 88(2)

http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/forms/generalForms/882Revised2005.pdf

Before the Companies Act 2006 companies had authorised share capital so before issuing shares:

  1. Check the Memorandum and Articles
  2. Check any Shareholder agreements

As your company grows, the shareholders may need to transfer shares to new shareholders. To do this you need to:

  • Inform Companies House on the next Annual Return (you can only tell companies house who the shareholders are on an annual return so it could be a while before companies house get to know the the shareholders have changed)
  • Your Bank and Professional Advisers will need information on changes to Shareholders

Your shareholders need to be aware that if they give away shares or make a gain from selling shares they may be liable for Capital Gains Tax, however, they may be entitled to tax relief like the Entrepreneurs Tax Relief and that each year there is an exempt amount of capital gains for individuals.

steve@bicknells.net