Pensioner Cost of Living Payment

The Cost of Living support package has been designed to help over 8 million households in receipt of mean tested benefits. The details for Cost of Living Payments due in the 2023-24 tax year were

Income Tax – £5,000 savings zero rate band

If you have taxable income of less than £17,570 in 2023-24 tax year you will have no tax to pay on interest received. This figure is calculated by adding the £5,000 starting rate limit for savings

The badges of trade

The ‘badges of trade’ tests, whilst not conclusive, are used by HMRC to help determine whether an activity is a proper economic trade / business activity or merely a money-making by-product of a

Time to Pay tax

If you are having trouble paying your tax on time you may be eligible to receive support from HMRC. An online payment plan for Self-Assessment tax bills can be used to set up instalment arrangements

Marriage allowance entitlement

The marriage allowance applies to married couples and those in a civil partnership where a spouse or civil partner does not pay tax or pay tax above the basic rate threshold for Income Tax (i.e., one

Closing the door on tax planning

When the end of a tax year passes, the 5 April 2024 for the current year, or the end of an accounting year if a company, any opportunity to take advantage of tax planning strategies closes.

For

Countdown to Self-Assessment filing deadline

There are now less than 100 days to file your 2022-23 Self-Assessment tax return online. The deadline is 31 January 2024. The deadline for paper returns ended on 31 October 2023.

You should also be

Self-Assessment scam warning

Fraudsters are continuing to target taxpayers with scam emails in advance of the deadline for the submission of Self-Assessment returns for the 2022-23 tax year. In the 12 months to September 2023,

Loss of personal tax allowance

If you earn over £100,000 in any tax year your personal allowance is gradually reduced by £1 for every £2 of adjusted net income over £100,000 irrespective of age. This means that any taxable receipt

How dividends are taxed

Dividends received are taxed as income but the rates of tax applied are different to the formal Income Tax rates. Also, individuals can receive dividends up to the annual dividend allowance tax free.