Fundamental Points Flashcards
What are the 3 methods of operating a business?
Sole trader
Partnership
Limited company
What is income?
Receipt that is expected to recur
Eg trading income.
What is a gain?
A one off profit on the disposal of an asset
What must individuals in sole traders and partnerships pay?
Income tax on trading income
Class 2 and class 4 national insurance
Capital gains tax on disposal of assets
What does statute law consist of?
Acts of parliament and statutory instruments
What is an act of parliament?
Tax legislation created directly by the government that is amended annually by the finance act for the year.
What are statutory instruments?
Detailed rules created on behalf of the government and civil servant s to amend or alter an act without going through parliament.
What is tax evasion and what are the penalties?
When people or business deliberately do not declare and account for the taxes that they owe. It can lead to fines and imprisonment
What is tax avoidance?
Bending the rules of the tax system to try and gain a tax advantage.
What are the steps for reporting tax evasion?
Accountant must ask the client to correct the misstatement.
If client refuses to act, the accountant must cease working for the client.
Then inform HMRC, and MLRO for their company (NCA of self employed)
Do not ‘tip off’ the client to the report
What does the tax computation start with?
Adjustment of profits.
What is the trading allowance for a sole trader?
£1000
Does a sole trader always use the £1000 allowance?
If expenses are less than 1000, they should use the allowance.
If greater than £1000, they should use actual expenses to adjust profit.
What do you add back to net profit before tax?
Depreciation
Goods taken by owner for use
Items charged in accounts but not deductible from trading profit
Income taxable as trading profits what have not been included in accounts
What should be deducted from net profit before tax?
Profit / loss of disposal of fixed assets
Capital allowances
Expenses that have not been charged in the accounts but are deductible from trading profits.
Is capital expenditure allowable?
No
Is revenue expenditure allowable?
Yes - usually
Is repairs to maintain the condition of an asset allowable?
Yes
Are repairs to improve an asset allowable?
No
Is bringing an asset up to date with what would be considered industry norm allowable or not?
Yes
Are repairs to make the asset useable allowable?
No
Are repairs to merely improve the appearance allowable?
Yes
Are doubtful debts allowable?
Only irrecoverable debts incurred wholly and exclusively for the purposes of trade
Are increased and decreases in general provisions allowable?
No an adjustment must be made.
Are specific provisions allowable?
Yes
Are fines and penalties allowable for disallowed?
Disallowed except for parking fines in the employees car while the employee is on business.
Are the costs of registering trade marks and Patents allowable?
Yes
Are incidental costs of obtaining loan finance allowable?
Yes
Is depreciation / amortisation allowable?
No
Are salaries / interest paid to the partner or sole trader allowable?
No
Are private expenses for sole trader / partner allowable?
No
Are irrecoverable debts and specific provisions allowable?
Yes
Are general provisions allowable?
No
Are parent and copyright royalties allowable?
Yea
Is staff entertaining allowable?
Yes
Is not staff entertaining allowable?
No
Are gifts to employees allowable?
Yes
Are gifts to customers allowable?
Only if the 3 below criteria are met:
Cost no more than 50 per diner per year
Carey as conspicuous advert for the business
Are not food, drink, tobacco or vouchers exchangeable for such goods
Are professional / trade subscriptions allowable?
Yes
Are policial donations allowable?
No
Are legal and professional charges that directly relate to trade allowable!
Yes
Are legal and professional
Fees relating to capital items, leases or breaches of laws and regs allowable?
No
Is specialist constultancy work allowable?
No
Is interest in trade loans allowable?
Yes
Is interest on overdue tax allowable?
No
Are the costs of secondments to charities and education allowable?
Yes
Is expenditure incurred in the 7 yrs prior to commencement of trade allowable?
Yes
are removal expenses to new business premises allowable?
Yes
Are travel expenses allowable?
Yes but NOT COMMUTING.
Are redundancy payments allowable?
Yes limit is 3x statutory amount
What goes into the general pool / main pool?
Most expenditure in plant and machinery including cars with CO2 emissions of 50g/kg or less
What’s the maximum AIA limit for a 12 month period?
£1million
Is AIA available on cars?
NO.
Is AIA pro-rated?
Yes
What is a FYA?
Special allowances given in addition to the AIA
What is FYA available on?
Zero emission cars
What % is FYA?
100% ALWAYS
Do you time apportion / prorate FYAs?
NO
What is the writing down allowance % on the main pool?
18%
Do you prorate the written down allowance?
Yes
N/12 x 18%
What is the small pool limit for a 12 month period?
£1000 instead of the 18% a year
What value are disposals valued at?
Lower of:
Cost at purchase
Proceeds from sale
Which schemes can be pro rated?
AIA and WDA
Is FYA ever adjusted?
No
What schemes can be used when a business ceases to trade?
None. No AIA, no FYA and no WDAs
Upon cessation, what happens if assets are not sold?
Deemed to be disposed of on the final day of trading for their market value.
What is a balancing allowance?
When there is a positive balance left in the pool after removing qualifying expenditure. Basically a CA
What is a balancing charge?
When the balance remaining in the pool is negative, the balancing charge increases taxable trading profits (opposite of CAs)
What assets are not included in the general pool?
Cars with CO2 emissions greater than 50g/kg
Assets not wholly used for business purposes in a unincorporated business
What pool do cars with emissions in excess of 50g/kg?
Special rate pool of 6%
How to treat a private use asset?
Asset put in a separate column
TWDV is reduced by the full amount of AIA / FYA / WDA calculated as normal
A balancing allowance or charge will arise at date of disposal.
ONLY the business proportion is transferred to the allowances column.
Is there ever any provide use adjustments on companies?
No Never
Do you calculate private use assets for employees?
NO, sole traders or partners only.
What are the enhanced capital allowances?
Available to companies only
Available only on new plant and machinery
Not available on cars
What rate is enhanced capital allowances for companies paid at?
130%