July Question and Answer Section

Newsletter issue - July 2011.

Q. I've always prepared the accounts for my own company and submitted them to Companies House and the Tax Office with no problems. However, this year the Taxman sent back my company's accounts and tax return saying they were in the wrong format. I'm confused. What have I done wrong?

A. Company accounts for periods ending after 31 March 2010 that are sent to the Tax Office on or after 1 April 2011 must be submitted online in iXBRL format. Please ask us if you would like help in submitting your company accounts and tax return online.

Q. My company pays a business subscription to Linkedin, the business networking site. It allows me to make business contacts that generate work for me. Is the Linkedin subscription a tax allowable expense for my company?

A. The Linkedin subscription is tax allowable for your company as it is a means to generate work for the business. However, there may be a benefit in kind charge for you if the Linkedin subscription is raised in your name rather than in the name of your company. If this is the case the company is paying your personal liability (the subscription fee). As Linkedin does not appear on the list of approved professional organisations whose subscriptions are tax allowable for employees, the Taxman will argue that there should be a personal tax charge. It will be necessary to prove that there is only a business purpose to the subscription.

Q. My wife and I acquired a cottage in 2002 and let it as furnished holiday lettings from 2005. We ceased advertising the property this year and it is now on the market. Will we get the lower 10% rate of capital gains tax on any profit we make on the property sale?

A. Yes, as long as the property is sold within three years of the date the holiday lettings business ceased you should both qualify for entrepreneurs' relief on the gain. This relief gives you the lower 10% rate of CGT after deduction of your annual exemption, for gains of up to £10 million per person.