In addition to the legal expertise provided by our solicitors, we are able to refer to specialist accountants and counsel as required, who may well be members of the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CTA) and Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAEW), in order to maximise any tax planning opportunities. We act for international companies and high net worth individuals.
An advantage to our service is that tax advice given by solicitors is covered by legal professional privilege (i.e. remains confidential) whereas accountants cannot benefit from such legal privilege (i.e. would have to disclose their advice to the “other side” and bodies such as HM Revenue and Customs).
Our focused areas include:
- Business tax for entrepreneurs – we advise on entrepreneurs’ relief and how to maximise the attractive 10% rate of capital gains tax on the sale of shares or the disposal of assets. Our clients include privately owned companies, shareholders and partners in LLPs and partnerships.
- Employment tax – we advise employees on taxation of payments received from their employers often on termination of employment. We deal with taxation of payments arising following death, disability, discrimination, injury to feelings and equal pay claims. For internationally mobile executives we advise on exemptions from UK tax where payments relate to non-UK employment.
- HMRC investigations – our primary focus is to provide advice which limits the risk of an HMRC investigation taking place or being successful if launched. This includes advice on the documentary evidence which a tax payer should put in place at the time a transaction is executed. We do have experience in running investigations by the HMRC and can advise you on the chances of success and likely additional tax payable (if any) as a result of an investigation. HMRC’s power of investigation, the penalties they can charge and the resources that they are committing to tax investigations have increased substantially in recent years
- Tax and Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) – we advise on IP asset taxation issues and the tax efficient siting internationally of IP asset ownership and royalty payment routing. Our team can advise on the patent box relief to corporation tax and other income received from IPRs.
- Investor tax – we advise investors and shareholders in UK companies on how to structure investments to qualify for the various beneficial tax regimes available such as the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and seed investment (SEIS). We also advise inward investors in the UK on the tax compliance and tax reporting obligations.
- Share award tax – we advise employers and directors on the taxation of shares and securities received by virtue of employment. Advice includes tax advice on the attractive Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) option plan and other tax approved share plans. Our expertise includes advice to foreign parent companies and holding companies on the issue of shares or stock to employees in the UK subsidiary.
- Tax related to income extraction – we work with tax payers on ways in which income can be extracted from the UK tax efficiently by way of dividend or interest payments.
- International business – we can work with your advisers in non-UK jurisdictions or can introduce you to our specialist panel of taxation advisers based in many jurisdictions across the world.
