32 Ways to Get the Maximum Value out of your Business

A question I get asked all the time is: ‘What can I take out of my business?’ and ‘how do I save more tax?’ Well, the quick answer is, ‘there’s up to 32 ways to get value out of your business, tax efficiently.’ Yep, that’s a lot of ways ⬇️

But the truth is, not all these 32 ways will be relevant to you and your business, and it’s likely that you’ll already be doing a few of them. But how do you know if you’re maximising every opportunity you could be, to improve your life, your families and your employees?

Value Extracting Tax Diagnostic Review

Well, we have a tax diagnostic review service that will do exactly that for you.

In our Value Extracting Tax Diagnostic review we will analyse your business and personal circumstances against the 32 ways, to identify all the ways you can tax efficiently put things through the business, or take value out of the business, benefitting you, your family and even your employees.

Every business owner can extract loads of value from their business, you just need to know what is relevant for you.

Find out more about our tax services & pricing here.

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The 32 Ways

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1. Salary

There are lots of exceptions that can make it sensible to take a lower or higher salary.

Your decision can impact pensions, national insurance, or even R&D. If you are involved in R&D it is generally better to take a higher salary as this can be apart of the R&D claim!

In 2023/24, the Personal Allowance is £12,570.

You only pay tax on the part of your income that is above the Personal Allowance threshold. So, if you earn £20,000 in a year, you’ll only pay income tax on £7,430 of it.

£20,000 (salary) – £12,570 (tax free Personal Allowance) = £7,430. The amount subject to income tax is £1,430.

For sole directors getting paid through their limited company’s payroll, the optimum director’s salary to utilise the full amount of the personal allowance - £12570!

What is the Employment Allowance?

Eligible employers can use the Employment Allowance to claim up to £5,000 in order to cover the costs of employer’s National Insurance.

To be eligible, employers need to have at least 1 employee or 2 directors on the payroll, and the directors must not have another company that is claiming the Employment Allowance already (very important!). This means that sole directors can’t claim the allowance, which is why the optimum salary is a bit different for them.

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2. Dividends

After salary, the most commonly used method to take the remaining amount of desired cash from the company is via dividends. Dividends are often the most tax-efficient way of extracting money from your company.

To issue a dividend a meeting should be held with the directors of the company to 'declare' the dividend.

You should issue a dividend voucher for each dividend payment.

You can earn up to £1,000 in dividends tax free.

Further dividends will be taxed as follows:

Basic Rate - 8.75%

Higher Rate - 33.75%

Additional Rate - 39.35%

The first £1,000 are tax free and should be taken out as a minimum. From April 2024, the tax-free amount reduces to£500.

3. Look at your Family Tree

Consider employing a spouse/civil partner or family member so that the company can benefit from the additional resource, and the individual can use their personal allowances and lower level tax bands

4. Giving Shares to Family Members

If you receive dividends, you should consider giving some shares to your spouse/civil partner if they pay tax at a lower rate than you. When giving to other family your capital gains tax position should be considered.

5. Employee Benefits

There are some benefits that can result in significant cost savings. In the form of corporation tax, VAT, income tax and NIC

6. Pension Advice

Where the company pays for pension advice to be provided to employees, it is tax free up to £500 in value

7. Gifts Valued At Under £50

A director can be given up to £300 in ‘gifts’ annually, tax efficiently, provided certain conditions are met. Employees can be given up to £50.

8. Employee Car Parking

The company can offer a car park space at or near the office to employees as a tax free benefit and also reclaim the VAT

9. Life Insurance

Alongside the monthly cost savings, life insurance policy can also be written ‘into trust’ so that they are outside the scope of inheritance tax.

10. Mobile Phones

One mobile phone can be given to every employee in the business - including you and family members that are employed - and there is no tax or NIC regardless of whether the phone is used for personal calls, messaging etc.

11. Staff Functions

Provided the cost per attendee is less than £150, an event for staff - for example at Christmas - is not taxable on the employees.

12. Workplace Training

Workplace training can cover a wide range of areas that are wholly and exclusively for business purposes

13. Registered Pension Schemes

Pensions can be a very tax efficient way to put money aside as you pay no income tax or national insurance when the money is paid in. The company also gets a corporation tax deduction on the money they pay in.

14. Personal Use of Company Assets

If you are considering purchasing an asset that will have a business use, you should consider if you can pay for it via the company

15. Rent

It can be tax efficient to hold an asset personally and rent it to the company… and in other circumstances.

16. Business Expenses Paid For Personally

Expenses of the business that have been paid for personally may be reimbursed by the company, and will be deductible against corporation tax. The rules can be complex with grey areas, so care needs to be taken.

17. Home Working Expenses

Paying employees, who regularly work from home under a formal arrangement, £6 a week, £26 a month or £312 a year, requires no record keeping and the amount paid to the employee is tax free.

Or if you the home working expenses are more than this amount, you can claim for more however you will need to show the calculations as evidence.

18. Mileage Claims

Where an employee uses their own car for business they can claim 45p for each business mile travelled up to 10,000 miles and 25p per mile thereafter, without income tax consequences

19. Points Reward Cards

If an employee has a personal card that they use for business expenses, any points received from the reward card are not taxable on the employee.

20. Congestion Charge - Company Car

If you incur the congestion charge whilst travelling using you Company Car, you can put the cost of the charge through the business.

21. Schools & University Fees Planning

You may pay substantial amounts in education costs, in terms of school or university fees for your family. Substantial tax savings can arise, due to the personal allowance and basic rate band, which are typically unused by children in education.

22. Business Travel

There are three areas of business travel to consider: travel to and from work, public transport and travel to a temporary workplace.

23. Subsistence & Entertaining

When staying away with work, visiting or entertaining clients, there are certain costs you can claim back.

24. Music, Audio Book & Amazon Prime Subscriptions

If you are currently paying for a music, audio book or Amazon Prime Subscription, you should consider putting the cost of these subscriptions through the business

Other Tax Efficient Benefits

25. Lunches & Snacks

Provided all staff are offered the option, providing lunches to staff at the business premises is tax free to the employees, and the business can claim corporation tax relief and recover VAT (where relevant on the costs.)

26. Childcare Support

There are three potential ways to held fund childcare in a tax efficient way

27. Cycle To Work Scheme

Bicycles and equipment can be purchased under a ‘salary sacrifice’ scheme so that the cost of the bike and equipment comes out of pay before being taxed

28. Onsite Gyms & Sports Facilities

You can offer access to sports or recreation facilities, or non-cash vouchers which can only be used to access those facilities as a benefit, if they meet the criteria

29. Charging Electric Vehicles

The cost of charging electric vehicles at the place of employment is exempt from tax and NICs. It makes no difference who owns the car.

30. Company Cars

The tax on company cars has increased. However, there is one main exception - electric cars.

31. Running Costs For A Company Owned Car

For companies providing car insurance - the increased cost will be deductible for corporation tax purposes, but no additional tax charge will arise on the employee.

32. Additional Items Company Cars

There are two company car accessories you can purchase via your business which are completely tax free.

Other Taxable Benefits to Consider

Whilst not ‘tax free’ or available as a ‘salary sacrifice’ scheme, your business can have other benefits from medical or critical illness cover… and more!

Loans

You may have lent money to the company, or have funds available to lend to the company. Or alternatively the company may have money it can lend to you or the employees. Some loans can be tax free.

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Let’s have a chat

If you’d like to review how much value you’re getting from your business, we’d love to speak to you, book in a call & let’s have a chat.

Book a call

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