On Wednesday 4 March 2021, Chancellor Rishi Sunak presented his second Budget, which he described as a “three-part plan to protect the jobs and livelihoods of the British people” comprising:

Tax Efficient Investments

There are a number of tax efficient investment schemes.

Pensions and ISAs

Pensions

The lifetime allowance is £1,073,100 for 2020/21 and is likely to increase in line with inflation in subsequent tax years.  Certain taxpayers who have already funded their pension plans on the basis of the previous lifetime limits had the opportunity to apply for fixed protection to fix their lifetime allowance to such previous limits.

Inheritance Tax Planning

The key to successful estate planning is to first make sure that your wishes for your estate are properly carried out and second that opportunities to reduce the inheritance tax are fully taken.

Capital Gains Tax Planning

Capital gains tax planning should always form part of your regular tax planning activities. So, in this second post in our Year End Tax Planning series, we take a look at some of the key considerations you should have in mind as we approach the end of the financial year.

Optimising your marginal income tax rate

And if so, how to take away some of the pain

Nobody wants to fall out with HMRC but unfortunately there sometimes comes a time when, despite everyone’s best efforts (or even sometimes because of them), you’re faced with the prospect of litigation. For some, this may feel like a chance at vindication, for others the mere thought will fill you with dread. Whichever camp you’re in, before you take the next step, here are some key considerations to ensure the conduct of your case is both necessary and effective.

But should you attend a meeting with HMRC?

When HMRC advise you that they’ve opened an investigation into your tax affairs, it’s unnerving, to say the least. It’s also not uncommon in the early days of your investigation for HMRC to invite you to attend a meeting with them. Which begs two questions: are you obliged to attend and if not, should you go?

But do you have to send HMRC all the information they’ve asked for?

You’ve received the letter from HMRC announcing they are enquiring into your tax return.  HMRC will typically say what concerns them – a certain transaction or potentially omitted income or capital gain – and you’re into the first round of correspondence.