1 - Income Tax Flashcards
What are the different types of Income that attract different tax rules?
Trading Income Employment Income Property Income Investment Income Other Income
If a self employed person’s accounting period year does not align with HMRC, how are they taxed in the first year of trading?
It would be based on the profits for the tax year, meaning only part of the profit would be taxed in the first year
How would a self employed person be taxed in the second year if the accounting period does not align with HMRC?
It is based on the first 12 months of profit, relief may be given if there is a period of overlap that result in a period being taxed twice
How much is the annual trading allowance and who does it apply to?
£1000
For businesses that have a trading income of less than £1000
If the trading income is over £1000 this can be claimed as against income instead of expenses, so is only relevant to very small businesses
When is income from overseas property taxable?
When the property business is carried on by a UK resident
What is the income limit for property letting businesses to use the simplified cash basis for accounting?
£150,000 - however if less, the landlord can opt to use the accruals basis
What are allowable expenses for property letting businesses?
Maintenance and repairs
Rates and Rents
Replacing furniture, furnishings, appliances and kitchenware
Any other expense wholly and exclusively incurred in the course of letting
How much can be claimed for rent a room relief?
£7,500
What does savings income consist of?
Interest
Purchased life annuity payments
Gains from life assurance contracts
What does dividend income consist of?
Stock and share dividends within the UK and overseas
What elements might be included within other income?
Receipts from intellectual property, beneficiaries income from estates in administration, income taxed under the settlements and anti-avoidance rules and all other income not otherwise charged
What are the two general factors used by the HMRC to determine self employment or employment?
Whether the arrangement is
A contract of service - employee
A contract for services - self employed
What are the two main factors that make self employment preferable to employment?
The treatment of expenses
The lower level of NIC’s
What are some of the indications of employment under the test of status?
Degree of control that the employer exercises over the worker
Contract of service or contract for services
Set hours, holiday pay, overtime pay and supervision
Master/servant or superior/subordinate relationships
Long engagement of working for the same person
Single employer
Right to suspend or dismiss
What are some of the indications of self employment under the test of status?
Agreement for a specific amount of money or commission for the work to be done
Freedom to accept or refuse work
Worker can sub-contract
Takes business risks but can profit from greater efficiency
Work without supervision
Provide own equipment/major capital items
What conditions would a person need to make if they were a salaried member of a LLP to demonstrate they are self employed?
More than 20% of the members remuneration based on profitability of the LLP as a whole
Has a significant say in the running of the business as a whole
Made a significant capital contribution to the LLP - at least 25% of their expected income in a particular year
What type of investments pay interest distributions gross?
Bank and building societies
Unit trusts
OEIC’s
Investment trusts
What type of investments and annuities pay interest/income net of 20% tax?
Investments
A company or a partnership of a company
A partnership of a non UK company
Rewards paid by banks and building societies - as they are not treated as savings income
Annuities
Where an annuity is not paid wholly out of profits or gains subject to income tax
Purchased rate annuities
What items are given tax relief by deductions from income?
Qualifying interest payments
Allowable business losses
Gifts to charities of shares and securities
Qualifying contributions to occupational pension schemes and retirement annuity plans (where there is no relief at source)
Why type of interest payments are allowable deductions from total income?
Purchase of shares in the borrowers company or to finance loans to the company
Investment in a partnership
Buy plant and machinery for use in a partnership
Payment of IHT
What is the cap for interest plus allowable business losses?
£50,000 or 25% of adjusted total income, whichever is the higher
What is the relief available for share purchase and loans to companies?
Relief is available if the borrower has more than 5% of the shares, or if they work for the greater part of their time in the management or conduct of the business
Relief if at the borrowers top rate of tax, subject to a cap of £50,000 or 25%of total income
(no relief if available if the loan is used to buy shares on which EIS relief is claimed)
In order to qualify for tax relief to pay IHT, what must the borrower be in relation to the estate?
The personal representative of the deceased
Why should non-tax payers avoid using gift aid?
As the payment increases the tax bands for contributors therefore giving them a higher amount of relief. If they do not pay tax, they will need to repay the automatic deduction given to the charity to the HMRC
What limit must a donor to charity consider on an annual basis if they are making multiple donations?
£2500 maximum per year
How would a donation of £4000 be treated by: The charity? The donor ( if he is an additional rate tax payer)
Charity - As if it were a donation of £5000 - the charity will reclaim £1000 back from the HMRC.
Donor - Would receive tax relief of an extra £5000 to his basic rate and higher rate limit, effectively meaning he would receive £1000 + £1250 (45% relief)
How are donations via payroll giving made?
They are deducted from the employees salary before tax and therefore no other action is needed. This gives tax relief at the highest rate to the individual.
What type of assets can be donated to charity & therefore benefit from full tax relief?
Listed shares and securities
Unlisted shares and securities on a recognised exchange such as AIM
Unit trusts/Oeic’s
Foreign collective schemes
Freehold or leasehold property (all interest given)
Pre-eminent objects of the nation
Do you need relevant earnings to be able to contribute to a pension scheme?
No
What are the types of relevant UK earnings?
Self employed/partnership profits
UK employment
Certain overseas crown employments (subject to UK tax)
How much can a person contribute to a pension if they have no relevant UK earnings?
How can they receive relief?
£3600 per year
Can only claim relief if the pension scheme operates relief at source
What is the criteria to be a UK relevant individual?
Relevant Uk earnings
Are resident at some time in the tax year
Were resident in the UK at some time during the previous 5 tax years & resident when they joined the scheme
What is the annual allowance for pension contributions?
£40,000
What are the implications for those earning over £240,000 per year?
The allowance is tapered down to a minimum amount of £4,000 by £1 for every £2 earned