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Personal and trust taxation

Income tax allowances, reliefs and credits
2006-07 2005-06
Personal (basic) £5,035 £4,895
Personal (age 65-74) £7,280 £7,090
Personal allowance (age 75 and over) £7,420 £7,220
Married/civil partners (minimum) at 10%* £2,350 £2,280
Married/civil partners (age under 75) allowance at 10% * £6,065 £5,905
Married/civil partners (age 75 and over) allowance at 10% £6,135 £5,975
Age related relief reduced by 50% of income over £20,100 £19,500
Child Tax Credit (CTC) - family element
- family element baby addition
CTC usually reduced by 6.67% of joint income
£545
£545
£50,000
£545
£545
£50,000
Childcare and childcare vouchers (weekly tax-free limit) £55 £50
Blind person's allowance £1,660 £1,610
Rent-a-room tax-free income £4,250 £4,250
Venture Capital Trust (VCT) up to £200,000 30% 40%
Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) at 20% up to £400,000 £200,000
EIS eligible for capital gains tax re-investment relief No limit No limit
Pension Scheme - annual allowance
- lifetime allowance
- earnings cap
£215,000
£1,500,000
---
---
---
£105,600

* Where at leat one spouse/civil partner was born before 6 April 1935


Income tax rates
2006-07 2005-06
Starting rate 10% on first £2,150 £2,090
Basic rate (20% for savings income) 22% on next £31,150 £30,310
Higher rate 40% on income over £33,300 £32,400
Dividends - basic rate taxpayers
- higher rate taxpayers
10%
32.5%
10%
32.5%
Pre-owned assets tax (charge as income) - minimum taxable £5,000 £5,000
Trusts - standard rate band generally
- dividends (rate applicalbe to trusts - RAT)
- other income (rate applicalbe to trusts - RAT)
£1,000
32.5%
40%
£500
32.5%
40%

Venture capital schemes

For investments in venture capital trusts (VCTs) made after 5 April 2006, the income tax rate of relief will be reduced to 30% and the minimum qualifying holding period will increase from three years to five years. From the same date, the annual investment limit for income tax relief for enterprise investment schemes (EIS) will double to £400,000. From 6 April 2007, money held by a VCT will be treated as an investment in qualifying holdings.

The limit to the maximum size of companies able to raise money under the VCT, EIS and corporate venturing scheme (CVS) is reduced to £7m before investment and £8m afterwards. This will not apply to funds raised before 6 April 2006 for VCTs or for subscriptions to EIS or CVS shares made before 22 March 2006.

Taxation of trusts

From 6 April 2006, there will be a package of changes to the tax treatment of trusts. These will provide common definitions for income tax and capital gains tax, as well as increasing the standard rate band to £1,000. A parent will be regarded as having an interest in a settlement for capital gains tax purposes (as well as income tax) if their dependent minor child is a beneficiary. As a result, gains may be taxable on the parent. From 6 April 2007, the test for trustee residence will be the same for both income tax and capital gains tax.

Child trust fund

The government will pay £250 (£500 for lower-income families) into each child trust fund account when the child reaches the age of seven. This will be in addition to the payment at birth.