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Will HMRC treat late processed invoices as errors?
Your business processes invoices when they have been approved by budget holders, so some will be processed a month late, delaying your input tax claim. How might HMRC’s updated guidance help here?
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Are redundancy payments tax deductible?
A seemingly simple question we’re often asked is how much tax relief a business is entitled to for redundancy payments. The answer is that it depends on the situation. How might the circumstances of a redundancy affect the tax deduction?
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Tapering IHT on gifts
You want to make some large cash gifts to your children but you’re worried about the inheritance tax (IHT) implications. ChatGPT says the rate of tax is reduced if you survive more than three years, but you’ve also read that you need to survive seven years. Which is it?
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Free childcare for company owners?
You’re an owner manager and your daughter is due to start nursery. You understand that working parents can get free childcare but a friend said this isn’t available if you only pay yourself dividends. Is this true and what can you do to qualify?
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Salary v dividends in 2026/27
Dividend tax rates have increased by 2% for 2026/27. Add that on to the other recent tax hikes and it starts to look very expensive to run a company. Is the combination of a low salary topped up with dividends still tax efficient?
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Could HMRC recategorise your subcontractors?
You use subcontractors for all your building projects and almost always the same individuals. You’ve heard that this could increase the risk of HMRC recategorising them as employees. What steps can you take to counter this?
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First year discount: can you make a belated claim?
Your business has used the flat rate scheme since you registered for VAT three years ago. A colleague says that you should have reduced your relevant percentage by 1% in the first year. Is this correct and is it too late to claim the discount?
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Can you beat the bonus tax trap?
A fellow director has asked whether his bonus payment can be delayed until after 5 April 2026 to reduce his personal tax bill. Does his plan work and, if so, how does it impact the company’s tax position?
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Clear loan accounts before tax hike
The end of the tax year means one thing - finalising your profit extraction plan. Your director’s loan account is overdrawn but you know you have several months to pay it off. Can you save money by paying it now?