Capital Gains Tax Flashcards
What is capital gains tax?
A tax paid by UK resident individuals and UK resident trustees/PRs on gains made of disposals of certain assets.
Companies pay corporation tax rather than CGT
What is the change in ruling that has come in on 6th April 2015 regarding UK residential property and a non UK resident?
If they sell any UK residential property after this date and they are non UK resident then CGT is payable
What are the 4 definitions of disposal?
- Sale/surrender of an asset
- Gift of an asset ( during a donor’s lifetime)
- Transfer or assets from a trust to a beneficiary
- Destruction of an asset where the money received from an insurance claim or compensation will be the disposal proceeds. [Where no monies are received then this will be classed as a loss for CGT purposes
How does HMRC decide whether someone is trading and therefore whether the asset is making a regular profit and should be taxed as income tax or this is a one off transaction which CGT should be paid?
They review 9 badges of trade - not every badge needs to be present as the court looks at the overall position:-
- Is there a profit seeking motive
- The number of transactions
- The nature of the asset
- Evidence of similar transactions
- Changes to the asset - has it been repaired to sell on
- Way the sale was carried out
- Source of the finance
- Interval of time between purchase and sale - trade is usually sold quickly
- Method of acquisition
Name some of the assets that are exempt? - (16)
- Bank/building society accounts
- Gilts and qualifying corporate bonds
- Principle private residence
- Decorations for valour
- Private motor vehicles
- Foreign currency for expenditure abroad
- Gaming winnings
- Shares in VCTs
- Shares in EISs and SEISs
- Shares in an approved incentive plan
- Woodlands
- Pension funds
- Life assurance
- Non wasting chattels if deposit value is less than £6000
- Wasting chattels ( with a useful life of less than 50 years eg race horse, fine wine
- ISAs, Junior ISAs and CTFs
Name 4 assets that are not exempt?
- Property that is not a main residence
- Non qualifying corporate bonds
- Second hand insurance polices
- Unit trusts/OEICS investing in gilts and qualifying corporate bonds
What is the principle private residence relief (PPR)
Where a private residence is exempt from CGT
If a portion of the property has not always been part of the main residence then you apply a formula to see if there is some CGT that would need paying:-
Period of ownership
What absences are allowed in respect to private residence?
- One year between taking residence and acquisition
- Last 18 months ownership
- where someone is absent as they have been living in job-related accommodation
- Any 4 year period if caused by employment elsewhere in the UK, provided that the individual resided there before and after the absence and no other residence was exempt
- Any 3 year period provided that the individual resided there before and after the absence and no other residence was exempt
- Any period if caused by overseas employment, provided that the individual resided there before and after the absence and no other residence was exempt
What must an individual do if they have two residences?
They must notify HMRC as to which one is the main residence and which one is not. The notice must be given after 2 years after acquisition of the second property
What is the rule around non wasting chattels?
Exempt if disposal value is £6000 or less. If a set ie 2 vases then the £6000 is the set.
What happens with a chattel where it is worth more than £6000?
Chargeable gain is the lower of:-
- the actual gain
- 5/3 of the excess of the proceeds over £6000
What is the ruling around disposals between spouses and civil partners?
No disposal is classed as having taken place so no CGT
On the end disposal the acquisition cost of the first spouse is used
What is the rules around CGT transfers to spouses where they have separated?
In the first year the transfer is not subject to CGT.
On the next year there will be CGT payable and this is calculated on market value on the date of transfer as they would be classed as connected people
Is a transfer to a HMRC registered charity or national institution exempt?
Yes
Can you transfer the annual CGT exemption?
No
Is the date of the transfer of the asset or the date or payment or the date of disposal the date of the contract and from when CGT is payable?
Date of disposal
What is deferred consideration in respect to CGT?
Where there is a delay in payment and the amount of consideration is ascertainable, this means that CGT becomes payable by the seller before payment has been received