Journal · Tax
Tax writing for owner managed companies
Tax is where most of our questions start, and where the cost of a late answer is highest. The pieces here cover the decisions a director actually faces: how to take money out, what the company can and cannot claim, which reliefs are worth the paperwork, and what changes each April. Where a post states a rate, a threshold or a deadline, it shows the date that figure was last checked against GOV.UK. If you are relying on a number for a decision, check the date first and then ring us.
14 pieces in this category. See everything.
TaxSpanish property tax: what UK owners need to know
Owning a Spanish property brings Spanish tax obligations separate from the UK. UK owners must file an annual Modelo 210 return whether or not the property is let, and there is IBI, possibly wealth tax, and capital gains tax on sale. Here is what to file and how it meets UK tax.
TaxBudget 2026: could capital gains tax rise for business owners?
Economists expect tax rises in the 28 October 2026 Budget, and the change that matters most for business owners is aligning capital gains tax with income tax rates. Here is what an equalised CGT could mean for a company sale, and how to plan for it.
TaxCutting your losses - how to get a tax refund on a failed investment
A negligible value claim crystallises a loss on worthless shares without selling them, and it can be backdated up to two tax years to offset an earlier gain.
TaxHMRC toughens its stance on tax debts
HMRC has restarted direct recovery of tax debts from bank accounts, with a wider rollout from April 2026. Engaging early is the reliable protection.
TaxThe pension planning perk that HMRC actually wants you to use
An employer can pay up to £500 a person each tax year for pensions advice with no income tax, no national insurance and full corporation tax relief.
TaxStuck in the past - the UK tax reliefs that time forgot
Several UK tax allowances have been frozen for decades, from £5,000 wedding gifts since 1975 to the £150 staff party limit. The all or nothing ones cost most.
TaxUnpaid customer invoices - don’t forget to reclaim the VAT
You can reclaim VAT paid on an unpaid invoice through VAT Bad Debt Relief once the debt is six months overdue and written off. The claim window is four years.
TaxMileage allowance increase from April 2026
From 6 April 2026 the approved mileage rate rises from 45p to 55p for the first 10,000 business miles, the first rise since 2011. Above that it stays at 25p.
TaxIR35 and the football referees case
HMRC lost its eight year, £584,000 IR35 case over Premier League referees. Employment status turns on how the relationship works, not what the contract says.
TaxHow to reward staff ideas without tax or NI
HMRC's employee suggestion scheme lets you reward a good idea with up to £25 tax free, or up to £5,000 where it saves or makes money, with no tax or NI due.
TaxFree childcare for company owners
Working parents in England can claim 30 hours of free childcare a week if each earns at least £10,159 from salary or self-employment. Dividends do not count.
TaxWhy directors should use an independent travel agent
Only wholly business travel is an allowable company expense. Ask an independent travel agent to invoice the business and personal parts of a trip separately.
TaxHMRC subsistence rules – a guide for directors and employees
HMRC benchmark scale rates let you claim subsistence without receipts: £5 over five hours away, £10 over ten hours and £25 over fifteen hours away from work.
TaxThe Budget Analysis
The Budget confirmed a five year corporate tax roadmap, holding corporation tax at 19 per cent on the first £50,000 and 25 per cent above £250,000 of profit.
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