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Trusts are often mis-trusted (excuse the pun!); they are seen as being vehicles of fraud, dodgy dealings and generally something to be avoided. 

Chris Thorpe looks at how trusts could potentially be used for tax and general purposes.

It is not unusual for small company directors, their family members, or other business partners to have interests in multiple companies. 

Jennifer Adams considers the tax implications of companies becoming 'associated'.

Many businesses give gifts to customers and staff, or to promote their business. The rule relating to free gifts not only relates to promotional items and Christmas gifts but also (among others) to:
•    ‘executive presents’;
•    long service awards;
•    retirement gifts;
•    items distributed to trade customers;
•    prizes from amusement machines, etc.;
•    prizes in betting gaming and lotteries; 
•    Christmas gifts; and
•    goods supplied to employees under attendance or safety at work schemes.

Andrew Needham looks at the VAT recovery rules for business gifts and when output tax is due.

There are 30.4 million payrolled employees in the UK, paying tax through the pay as you earn (PAYE) system. 

Tristan Noyes outlines an aspect of the PAYE system and considers when ‘emergency tax’ can cause problems. 

Let me take you back to March 2016, which seems like a lifetime ago in political and economic terms. George Osborne announced that the dividend tax credit system was being abolished from 6 April 2016. This change was also going to put up effective dividend tax rates by about 7.5 percentage points; for an additional rate taxpayer, it was rising from 30.56% to 38.1%.

Kevin Read looks at a tax planning strategy recently upheld in an Upper Tribunal case.

For many years, unlike normal rented properties, the rent from a furnished holiday letting (FHL) was treated as trading rather than investment income, which had several tax benefits. 

Richard Curtis warns that owners of furnished holiday lettings should be aware of recent tax changes.

The inheritance tax (IHT) annual exemption is often overlooked. This is probably because the exempt amount is a relatively modest £3,000 (for 2025/26). However, as the well-known slogan from the popular supermarket goes, ‘every little helps’!

Mark McLaughlin considers that the inheritance tax annual exemption should not be overlooked or underestimated. 

The employment-related securities legislation deals with arrangements involving shares and securities provided by reason of employment where the full value of the employment reward provided to the employee is not included in the salary package and is charged to tax.  

Jennifer Adams considers the tax implications of shares in a family company being awarded or gifted to family members of employees. 

A sole trader looking to expand their business might be weighing up the ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ of a partnership or a limited company. They are very different, with not only very different tax consequences, but functions as well. 

Chris Thorpe looks at partnerships and companies and considers which business model might be best.  

Under the loan relationships rules for companies, debits on loan arrangements are not deductible for corporation tax purposes in some circumstances.

Kevin Read highlights a recent case concerning the loan relationship rules for companies. 

When HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) opens a tax return enquiry, the natural reaction of most taxpayers is to speculate about the reason why their tax return has been selected. In fact, HMRC does not need an excuse to open a tax return enquiry; a small proportion of tax returns are simply selected at random. . 

Mark McLaughlin looks at whether a taxpayer can find out if an HMRC enquiry has been opened as the result of an accusation made by a third party. 

When considering the tricky matter of remuneration planning, there are two things to consider; the amount of remuneration, and what form it takes. 

Chris Thorpe looks at what to watch out for with regard to paying employees and directors.

Despite the reduction in National Insurance contributions (NICs) in Spring Budget 2024, more employees are paying tax at higher rates on their earnings due to the freezing of tax thresholds. Some may find that any pay rise or bonus attracts additional tax and NICs such that the net pay increase is minimal.  

Jennifer Adams looks at some alternatives to rewarding an employee with a pay rise or a bonus. 

Mark McLaughlin looks at company purchases of own shares and warns not to become too focused on the more difficult rules for capital treatment. 

A company purchase of its own shares from a shareholder is a popular ‘exit’ strategy when an individual shareholder is retiring, or a dissenting shareholder is departing.