Strategic Tax Planning

Here at Independent Financial Services GB we are building our reputation through an unwavering commitment to furnishing holistic financial services. Besides our core specialist activity being property finance we offer complimentary services that can encompass tax planning, stamp duty mitigation, trust structures onshore and offshore, foreign exchange, conveyancing and strategic 'life' and 'wealth' planning. We can cater for packaged and integrated solutions not readily available across multi-disciplinary professions and services.

Individuals and businesses are beginning to focus within a challenging market on 'financial' and 'tax planning' as a means to improve bottom line profitability and protect assets/investments.

Can you benefit from Stamp Duty savings?

It is estimated 723,829 homes were bought in 2012/13, with more than 25% (182,692) being liable for stamp duty at a rate of 3% or more.

Stamp duty rates of 3% or more were applicable on 65% of all residential transactions in London, 39% in the rest of the South-East, 27% in the East of England, 24% in the South-West, 12% in the West Midlands, 10% in the East Midlands, 9% in the North-West, Yorkshire and the Humber, 8% in Wales and 6% in the North-East, according to the Taxpayers Alliance (TPA) research.

As 'stamp Duty' tax is imposed on the total value of the property, and within certain bandings (see below) individuals purchasing a home for between £250,000 and £500,000 pay between £7,500 and £15,000. Purchases between £500,000 and £1 million attract a Stamp Duty levy of between £20,000 and £40,000.

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) Planning:

A purchaser of a property in the United Kingdom is liable to pay 'Stamp Duty Land Tax' (SDLT) at the following rates (as of 09.08.2013):

Do you seek to mitigate Purchase Price SDLT Liability?

£0 – £125,000 0%
£125,000 – £250,000 1%
£250,000 – £500,000 3%
£500,000 – £999,999 4%
£1,000,000 – £2,000,000 5%
£2,000,000 7% Residential properties only
£2,000,000 15% on Residential Properties held in a company

As a value added service we can assist in effectively reducing your 'SDLT' liability in accordance with the new Finance Act 2012, please contact us to discuss your circumstances. Even if you have not obtained a mortgage from us, we can assist or you are seeking to transfer property. The Inland Land Revenue has ambitions to curb loop-holes in the current framework of regulations one needs to pay attention to non abusive tax arrangements. Therefore you need to be cared in any relevant area of tax planning therefore we partner with some of the most reputable companies who will discuss any pros and cons of any transactions where you can be empowered to go into any transaction with your eyes wide open, and limit exposure to risk.

   We can also assist in regards commercial property purchase and with land acquisition in a tax efficient manner.

   We can assist with tax planning with property development projects and additional benefits of mitigating Capital Gains Tax (CGT) where we seek to add-value to your bottom line.

Do you seek Corporate Mansion Tax Planning?

The United Kingdom law has changed this year (2013) to allow the Government to make an Annual Residential Property charge (ARPT) now called the Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED) on those residential properties held in a Corporate envelope, and worth over £2m. The charges will as follows:

£2 – £5 million ARPT = £15,000

£5 – £10 million ARPT = £35,000

£10 – £20 million ARPT = £70,000

Over £20 million ARPT = £140,000

The current law (as of 2013) allows proprietors of these types of properties certain statutory reliefs from payment of the 'ATED', and at the same time will lower future charges of SDLT from the 15% charge to 7% of SDLT payable. We partner with a specialist barrister led legal practice, that appraise whether you qualify for any reliefs.

Do you seek Commercial VAT Planning?

We partner with a leading edge specialist Commercial 'Value Added TAX' (VAT) planner, who can enable primarily UK based companies to reclaim previous, current and future VAT efficiently. The fees are favourable in comparison to the top four 'branded' accountancy firms would charge. We provide you greater options to make calculated decisions to make your money work harder.

Additional Tax Planning Products.

There are a number of tax planning products, strategies and structures that include:

   Multi-Purpose Trust: A trust based corporate restructuring solution with a number of benefits including, tax efficiency, anonymity and protection of assets.

   Partnership to Limited Company (PLTD): A 'tax planning product used to help clients transfer property from 'corporate' to 'private' ownership or vice versa. The transfer is made with no 'Stamp Duty' SDLT liability.

   Negligible Value Claims: An instrument used for clients with assets or shares that have become worthless but which can help claim the lost value as a tax benefit.

Statutory 'Tax' Reliefs

At times you may find 'tax reliefs' are cloaked in complex legislation and many clients are unaware of the 'reliefs' that are available to them or how to claim them, we can assist. Examples may include:

Capital Allowances Planning: Relief claimed on 'commercial' or 'buy-to-let' investment properties. Capital allowances are a tax relief designed to allow the cost of certain of your company or organisation's assets to be written off against its taxable profits. 'Capital Allowances Tax Relief' take the place of the depreciation shown in the financial (commercial) accounts, which isn't allowable for Corporation Tax purposes. There are different types of 'capital allowances'. For each 'capital allowance', there are special rules to calculate how much, if any, relief you can claim. You have to follow these rules, rather than the method used in your accounts for calculating depreciation.

   Business Property Relief: This can be used for property and assets belonging to a business to eliminate IHT on the owner’s estate.

   Entrepreneurs Relief: Used to offset 'Capital Gains Tax' (CGT) liabilities on disposal of shares in a business or the business itself.

   Principal Private Residency Relief: This can be used to save CGT on second properties.

Our Independence can reach out further.

Our independent status as a specialist 'finance' advisory company harbour those institutions providing banking, investment, insurance and other related professional services to Independent Financial Services GB and our professional partners are selected with impartiality and solely on the basis of their ability to meet individual client needs and circumstances.

Our independence ensures that clients are not unnecessarily restricted to standard products or in-house panel based offerings often encountered with mainstream banks. Instead we seek to reach through our expertise and industry relationships creating synergy with selective 'partners' where value can be added to our customers in the delivery of target driven solutions.

Our goal is to safeguard and enhance our clients 'best' interests and realise their growth in a strategic and cared manner.

If you seek property related 'tax planning', we welcome to explore options available to you. Please contact us, whether finance has been arranged by us or not.

If you are a property developer or investor we can assist in how to add greater margin to your projects in regards structures and tax planning and tax mitigation strategies. and may not cost you the earth. As we are aware of exorbitant costs implemented by large legal and accountancy practices. Here we seek to leverage boutique specialist expertise from 'independents' who have obtained their specialist knowledge working in prominent practices with a wealth of experience that can be leveraged to your best interest.

COMPLIANCE NOTE: The Financial Conduct Authority does not currently regulate offshore investments, tax and trust advice and some forms of debt consolidation and commercial finance (where 40% plus of the security is not for personal residential use)