Dummy's guide to TAX

ketank

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Hi

I have had a look at previous treads regarding this issue and the other TAX websites but being Thick as I am I just don’t understand the system:

Please can someone give me a Dummies guide to tax when investing on shares?

Thanks
K
 
ketank said:
Hi

I have had a look at previous treads regarding this issue and the other TAX websites but being Thick as I am I just don’t understand the system:

Please can someone give me a Dummies guide to tax when investing on shares?

Thanks
K
Hi Ketank, as you've no doubt seen from looking around, it's a complicated subject, and a large one. You'd be better asking what it is you are unsure about. You can contact your local inland revenue office, they will give you free advice, or enlist the services of a chartered accountant, depends really on how complicated your situation is.
 
Thanks roguetrader,
here's a bit more infor.....

This is were I'm lost.......... I know we have a Personal allowance: £8,500

This is the amount of tax-free profit an individual can accrue.

here what i dont understand::::::
Above this figure, profits are taxed as if they were your top slice of income. If you have no other income then you will pay:
10% on the next £2090
20% on the next £30,310
40% above £32,400
.

From what i understood (which I'm sure is wrong) you can make £8500 profit tax free anything after that you pay tax but I'm lost for what the italic bit means.
 
Perhaps an example would help.

Imagine you earn no income from other sources.
You buy shares for £5000 and sell them for £25000.
Your profit is £20000.

£8500 of this is tax free which leaves £11500 taxable gain.

So you pay 10% on £2090 of this
and 20% on the remaining £9410.
Total tax is thus £2091.

However now imagine you earn £25000 a year. (Ignore personal allowance here)

Again £8500 of your £20000 profit is tax free, which leaves £11500 taxable gain.

But as you already earned £25000 the £11500 is now "stuck on top" of this figure.

So you pay 20% on £7400 and 40% on £4100.

£25000 + £11500 = £36500

It's 40% above £32400 so you pay 40% on (£36500 - £32400) = £4100
This leaves £7400 which is taxed at 20% as you have already earned more than £2090 with your other income.

Sorry for a poor example. But at least it spares you the joys of indexation and taper relief. :)
 
Fruji, Thank you very much for that example. Crystal clear!

However just wondering……. Is it up to you to fill in the forms and submit the tax amount, in which case what if you do it wrong (submit more or less than you got) what would happen.?
 
ketank said:
Fruji, Thank you very much for that example. Crystal clear!

However just wondering……. Is it up to you to fill in the forms and submit the tax amount, in which case what if you do it wrong (submit more or less than you got) what would happen.?
You can complete a self assessment online, information here
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/individuals/iwtfile-a-self-assessment-tax-return-online.shtml
Provided you submit your returns at the appropriate time it is not necessary for you to do any calculations, other than to compare what the tax-man charges with your own calculation.
 
Ah, just forgot to ask:

If your trading account is in 2 names to you get double the CGT allowance of £17000?
 
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