If you are facing retirement or redundancy (termination of employment), it is important to understand the Income Tax treatment of your severance package. The following attract beneficial tax treatment through your employer’s payroll:
Statutory redundancy payments are tax exempt. They are based on two weeks’ pay for every year of service plus one additional week’s pay with maximum weekly earnings capped at €600 per week. Income in excess of €31,200 is ignored when calculating Statutory redundancy payments.
Lump sum payments paid by an employer on retirement or redundancy may be taxable.
All or part of the ex gratia termination payment may qualify for tax relief.
The termination payment tax reliefs are not available, however, to any payments made to an employee under the terms of their employment contract. In other words, any contractual payments made by the company to its employee are treated in the same way as a salary payment.
Only complete years are counted for purposes of the reliefs i.e. part of a year cannot be taken into account for the purposes of the calculation.
There are three types of tax reliefs available:
The tax free amount is calculated as follows:
(A × B) − C
15
where
A = the average remuneration for the last 36 months of service up to the date of termination. The value of any taxable benefits can be included in the figure for emoluments.
B = The number of complete years of service.
C = Any tax free lump sum received or receivable under the employer/occupational pension scheme.
There is a lifetime cap of €200,000 on the tax-free amount of a termination payment an employee is entitled to receive.
The amount of the termination payment in excess of the relevant exemption/relief is liable to Income Tax and Universal Social Charge at the employee’s marginal rates.
There is no employee and employer’s PRSI payable on a termination payment.
Before making any decision, please keep in mind that claiming either (i) the Increased Basic Exemption or (ii) the SCSB Relief can affect an employee’s ability to receive a tax-free lump sum from their employer pension scheme on retirement.
When you retire, you can opt to take a tax-free retirement lump sum which is capped at €200,000 under current legislation.
The amount between €200,001 and €500,000 is taxable at the standard rate of tax being 20%
Any amount over €500,000 is taxed under the Pay As You Earn system at the taxpayer’s marginal tax rate of 40%.
For further information on Termination Payments, please click: https://www.revenue.ie/en/tax-professionals/tdm/income-tax-capital-gains-tax-corporation-tax/part-05/05-05-19.pdf
Please be aware that the information contained in this article is of a general nature. It is not intended to address specific circumstances in relation to any individual or entity. All reasonable efforts have been made by Accounts Advice Centre to provide accurate and up-to-date information, however, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate on the date it is received or that it will continue to remain so. This information should not be acted upon without full and comprehensive, specialist professional tax advice.
The Chancellor announced today that the government will extend first-time buyers relief to all first-time buyers of shared ownership properties in England and Northern Ireland.
The relief will not apply to purchases of properties valued over £500,000.
This amendment will apply to relevant transactions with an effective date of on or after 29th October 2018. The measure will also apply retrospectively to transactions with effective dates on or after 22nd November 2017, which was the date first-time buyer’s relief was originally introduced.
The relief must be claimed in an SDLT Return or by amending an SDLT return which has already been filed.
For those who completed their transaction before 29th October 2018, the opportunity to amend their SDLT Return will be extended by a further 12 months until 28th October 2019.
A technical correction was included to extend the time frame in which the 3% SDLT on additional dwellings can be reclaimed. This applies to situations where an individual sells his or her home within three years of making a replacement purchase. The amendment, which comes into effect from 29th October 2018, extends the reclaim period from three to twelve months following the sale of the old home.
The Chancellor announced two key changes to Entrepreneurs’ Relief in today’s budget which will impact shareholders and business owners.
Entrepreneurs’ Relief reduces the rate of Capital Gains Tax on disposals of certain business assets from 20% to 10%.
Today’s Budget introduced two new additional tests to be met:
What does the 5% Rule mean?
The changes introduced in today’s Budget mean that along with existing conditions that an individual must hold at least 5% of the ordinary share capital and voting rights of a trading company, the individual must also be entitled to:
a) 5% of distributable profits and
b) 5% of assets available on a winding up of that company.
As previously announced, the Government confirmed that legislation will be implemented from 6th April 2019 in relation to individuals’ shareholdings diluted below 5% as a result of a commercial cash investment.
These individuals will be able to elect to preserve their Entrepreneurs’ Relief on gains to the date of dilution by treating their shareholding as having been disposed of and simultaneously reacquired at market value at the time of dilution. Another way of looking at this is, under the new rules, a shareholder can elect to claim Entrepreneurs’ Relief on the capital gains accrued before dilution below 5%. This is provided the dilution resulted from an issue of new shares for cash. The Entrepreneurs’ Relief will be claimed on the eventual disposal of those qualifying shares. There is, of course, the prerequisite that the share issue has not occurred for the purposes of tax avoidance.
There will also be an election allowing the individual to defer any tax due until a future liquidity event.
It is important to keep in mind that this provision will also not be available if the percentage entitlement falls below 5% due to a part-disposal of shares.
The changes to Entrepreneurs’ Relief introduced in today’s Budget will affect the availability of the relief on the sale of shares originally issued after the incorporation of a trade.
A transfer of a trade in exchange for shares in a trading company should benefit from Entrepreneurs’ Relief if the trade existed for at least two years prior to the date of incorporation.
Under the current regime the claimant was required to hold the resultant shares for at least two years prior to the date of disposal.
Therefore, this amendment to the Entrepreneurs’ Relief is deemed to benefit sole traders who incorporate the trade shortly before selling their business.
Principal Private Residence Relief (PPR) is a capital gains tax relief on the disposal of an individual’s only or main residence.
Under current U.K. legislation, an individual can claim relief for any period where the relevant property is deemed to be the individual’s “Principal Private Residence” (PPR).
The individual can claim Principal Private Residence relief for the final eighteen months of ownership providing the property had been that individual’s principal or main residence at any point during his or her ownership. In other words, the final eighteen months always qualify for Principal Private Residence Relief even if the dwelling was no longer the individual’s only or main residence.
Lettings relief currently provides relief of up to £40,000 to individuals who let out a property which is or has been their main or principal residence.
The government proposes to make the following two changes with effect from April 2020:
1) The Lettings Relief will be reformed so that it only applies where the owner of the property is in “shared-occupancy” with a tenant. The relief can reduce the capital gain, per person, by up to £40,000, giving a potential tax saving of up to £11,200 (£40,000 x 28%) and
2) The final period of exemption, which applies if a property has been an individual’s PPR at any point during their period of ownership, will be reduced from eighteen months to nine months. There are no proposed amendments to the thirty six months that are available to disabled persons or those residing in a care home.
The government will consult on the proposed changes before legislating.
For taxation purposes, Capital Allowances are deemed to be amounts a business can deduct from its profits in respect of “qualifying Capital Expenditure” which was incurred on the provision of certain assets (i.e. plant and machinery) used for the purposes of the trade.
As depreciation is not allowable for the purposes of calculating tax, Capital Allowances allow the taxpayer to write off the cost of the asset over a certain period of time.
The 2018 Finance Act introduced the following amendments to Capital Allowances as follows:
Section 285A TCA 1997 came into effect on 9th October 2008 to provide relief to companies purchasing energy efficient equipment for the purposes of their trade.
This Capital Allowance Relief was provided in the form of a deduction which equalled 100% of the value of the equipment in the year of purchase provided certain conditions were met (see Schedule 4A TCA 1997). In other words, this relief reduces the taxable profits, in year one, by the full amount incurred on the purchase of the equipment.
Finance Act 2017 amended the definition of “relevant period.” As a result, the qualifying period was extended until 31st December 2020.
On 14th February 2018, Revenue issued eBrief No. 22/2018 confirming that the Tax and Duty Manual has been updated to reflect the extension of the relief to 31st December 2020.
Section 17 FA 2018 contains further amendments to the scheme.
It sets out criteria as to which products qualify for accelerated wear and tear allowances.
To qualify for the relief, the equipment must be new.
Section 17 FA 2018 makes reference to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) being allowed to establish and maintain a list of energy-efficient equipment under the scheme. In summary, in order for energy equipment to qualify for the accelerated capital allowances, it must appear on the SEAI list. These amendments remove the requirement for government to issue Statutory Instruments, on a regular basis, setting out the criteria for “qualifying assets.”
This section of legislation comes into operation on 1st January 2019.
Energy-efficient equipment that has not been approved but is deemed to be plant and machinery can of the normal wear and tear allowances being 12½% over an eight year period.
Section 12 Finance Act 2017 introduced a new accelerated capital allowances regime for capital expenditure incurred on the purchase of equipment and buildings used for the purposes of providing childcare services or fitness centre facilities to employees.
The section amended the Taxes Consolidation Acts 1997 to include two new sections: s285B TCA 1997 and s843B TCA 1997.
The Relief was subject to a Commencement Order which was never issued.
Section 19 of Finance Act 2018 amends Parts 9 and 36 as well as Schedule 25B of the TCA 1997.
The scheme commences from 1st January 2019.
Finance Act 2018 amends the definition of “qualifying expenditure” making the relief available to all employers, as opposed to just those carrying on a trade which wholly/mainly involves childcare services or the provision of facilities in a fitness centre. In other words, the relief will be available to all employers since the restriction that the relief is only available to trades consisting wholly/mainly of the provision of childcare services or fitness facilities has been removed.
Where a person has incurred “qualifying expenditure” on “qualifying plant or machinery” a 100% wear and tear allowance is allowed in the year in which the equipment is first used in the business under Section 285B TCA 1997.
Section 843B TCA 1997 allows employers to claim accelerated industrial buildings allowances of 15% for six years and 10% for the seventh year in relation to capital expenditure incurred on the construction of “qualifying premises” i.e. qualifying expenditure on a building or structure in use for the purpose of providing childcare services or fitness centre facilities to employees of the company.
The facilities must be for the exclusive use of the employees and can be neither accessible nor available for use by the general public.
The relief will not be available to commercial childcare or fitness businesses nor will it be available to investors.
Section 18 Finance Act 2018 introduced accelerated allowances for gas vehicles and refuelling equipment which provides for an accelerated capital allowances rate of 100% on “qualifying expenditure” incurred between 1st January 2019 and 31st December 2021. This section amends the Tax Consolidation Act of 1997 by inserting Section 285C.
Qualifying expenditure is defined as capital expenditure incurred during the relevant period on the provision of “qualifying refuelling equipment” or “qualifying vehicles” used for the purposes of carrying on a trade.
“Qualifying refuelling equipment” includes the following:
The equipment in question must be new and installed at a gas refuelling station
“Qualifying vehicle” is defined as a gas vehicle, which is constructed or adapted for:
The vehicles in question must be new and do not include private passenger cars.
This section comes into operation on 1st January 2019.
Disclaimer This article is for guidance purposes only. Please be aware that it does not constitute professional advice. No liability is accepted by Accounts Advice Centre for any action taken or not taken based on the information contained in this article. Specific, independent professional advice, should always be obtained in line with the full, complete and unambiguous facts of each individual situation before any action is taken or not taken. Any and all information is subject to change.
The Minister for Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe T.D. delivered Budget 2019 today, 9th October 2018.
A number of changes aimed at easing the tax burden on low and middle income earners were announced in this year’s budget which include the following:
INCOME TAX
The income tax standard rate band will increase by €750 for a single earner.
This will raise the entry point to the 40% income tax rate
a) from €34,550 to €35,300 for single earners and
b) from €43,550 to €44,300 for married couples (with one earner).
The marginal rate of tax on income on earnings up to €70,044 per annum is now 48.5%.
The marginal rate of tax for those earning over €70,044 will remain at
a) 52% for employees and
b) 55% for self-employed individuals earning in excess of €100,000.
BENEFIT IN KIND
The 0% rate on BIK on electric cars has been extended to 2021 subject to a €50,000 cap in car value.
UNIVERSAL SOCIAL CHARGE
There will be a reduction in the third band of USC from 4.75% to 4.5%.
There will be an increase of €502 in the existing lower band of USC. This is worth a maximum of €139 per annum. In other words, the band to which the 2% USC rate applies will be increased from €19,372 to €19,874.
TAX CREDITS
There will be a €200 increase in the Earned Income Credit for the Self Employed from €1,150 to €1,350.
There will be a €300 increase in the home carer credit from €1,200 to €1,500. This credit can be claimed by a jointly assessed couple where one spouse/civil partner works in the home to care for children or other dependents, as defined.
PRSI
The weekly income threshold for the higher rate of employer’s PRSI will be increase from €376 per week (€19,552 per annum) to €386 per week (€20,072 per annum).
There will be a 0.1% increase in employers’ PRSI in 2019 from 10.85% to 10.95% and from 10.95 to 11.05% in 2020.
The National Training Fund Levy will increase from 0.8% to 0.9% from 1st January 2019. The levy forms part of employer’s PRSI for Class A and Class H employments.
There is strong reaffirmation of the Government’s long-term commitment to 12½% corporation tax rate.
Key Employee Engagement Programme (KEEP)
There are Increases to the KEEP scheme. The scheme provides for tax relief for certain share remuneration provided to key employees by unquoted SMEs. The three separate amendments are as follows:
Further clarification on these measures is expected in the forthcoming Finance Bill.
Film Relief
Film relief, which was due to expire at the end of 2020, has been extended until 2024.
Three Year Start Up relief
The Start up Relief from corporation tax has been extended until end of 2021.
Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) rules
Controlled foreign corporation rules are to take effect from 1st Jan 2019.
Capital Gains Tax Exit Tax
CGT Exit Tax at 12½% is to apply from midnight on 9th October 2018 for companies ceasing to be Irish tax resident on any unrealised capital gains arising as well as in situations where the company transfers assets out the State. This new exit tax regime is to ensure compliance with the EU Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive (ATAD) by 1st January 2020.
Income averaging
The Minister has proposed removing the restriction on income averaging for farmers with income from a non-farming source.
The current situation is that where a farmer or his/her spouse
a) carries out another trade or profession or
b) owns more than 25% of the share capital of a trading company
then they cannot avail of the income averaging provisions.
Stamp Duty Relief for Young Trained Farmers
The Young Trained Farmer Stamp Duty Relief which was due to expire at the end of 2018 will be extended for a further three years to 31st December 2021.
Stock Relief
The current stock relief measures will be extended for a further 3 years up to and including 31st December 2021.
Interest relief for landlords
Interest relief on loans used to purchase, improve or repair a rental property will be increased from 85% in 2018 to 100% in 2019.
Review of local property tax
Any future changes will be moderate and affordable.
The Minister confirmed that the reduced 9% VAT rate which applies to certain tourism activities will be increased 13½% from 1st January 2019.
The 9% VAT rate which applies to the provision of facilities for taking part in sporting activities is being retained.
The 9% VAT rate which applies to certain printed matter will also be retained, e.g. newspapers
The VAT rate on e-books and electronically supplied newspapers will be reduced from 23% to 9% with effect from 1st January 2019.
CAT Threshold
The CAT Group A tax free threshold has been increased to €320,000 for gifts and inheritances received on or after 10th October 2018.
Group A generally applies to gifts and inheritances from parents to their children.
On 27th February 2018, the Germany‘s Federal Ministry of Finance (MOF) issued guidance clarifying the VAT treatment of bitcoins and other “virtual currencies.”
It determined that although transactions to exchange a traditional currency for a virtual currency and vice versa were deemed to be a “taxable supply” these transaction are considered to be VAT exempt.
The guidance confirms that Germany will not impose a VAT charge in circumstances where the virtual currency is a substitute for a traditional currency and is used merely as a form of payment.
This guidance is in line with the ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU)— Hedqvist (C-264/14, 22nd October 2015).
Revenue Investigations. Rental Income. Airbnb Income. Qualifying Disclosures. Income Tax. Business Tax. Short term Property Rentals. Revenue Notification Letters.
The Irish Revenue is cracking down on anyone who has a listing on the accommodation website Airbnb. It appears that Revenue is focusing on the tax years 2014, 2015 and 2016 but please be aware, Revenue have the legislative powers to extend the scope of their investigation to include previous years. If you have a received a Letter of Notification from Revenue and believe you’re at risk of a Revenue Investigation, please get in contact with us. If you haven’t yet received a Notice of Investigation, there may be still time to prepare a Qualifying Disclosure.
Once the Tax Payer receives a Notice of Investigation the option to make a voluntary disclosure no longer exists.
Previously unreported income from the letting of property via an accommodation website such as Airbnb will be liable to interest and penalties with potential publication of the Tax Payer’s name on the defaulters list.
If you haven’t received a Notice of Investigation, then you should file the relevant Income Tax Returns NOW. If you have already filed tax returns for 2014, 2015 and 2016, you should make the necessary amendments to those forms as soon as possible.
If you file your Tax Returns immediately you are reducing the risk of being selected for a Revenue Investigation.
Your Rental Profit is liable to Income Tax, PRSI and Universal Social Charge.
The profit is arrived at by reducing your “Rents Receivable” figure by expenses which are wholly and exclusively incurred for the purpose of your business which include:
• Repairs and Maintenance including decorating, laundry and cleaning.
• Airbnb fees/commission
• Insurance
• Legal fees
• Accountancy / Taxation Fees
• Advertising Costs
• Utilities
Non-allowable expenses include:
• Food
• Commuting/Travel
Revenue eBrief No. 59/18 was published on 17th April 2018 in relation to the Tax treatment of income arising from the provision of short-term accommodation:
This comprehensive and detailed guidance material differentiated between frequent hosting and occasional hosting:
If the property is expected to be available for rent on a frequent and/or regular basis as opposed to a once-off or occasional basis then any profits arising from the provision of the accommodation will be liable to Income Tax under Case I Schedule D.
Allowable Case I Expenses:
If the property is let only on an occasional or infrequent basis then the profits generated will be taxed under Schedule D Case IV.
Allowable Case IV Expenses:
VAT @ 9% could arise if your turnover figure is greater than €37,500. Please be aware that the VAT registration is based on Turnover (i.e. what you received in rental income) and not Profit (i.e. the difference between your rental income and the allowable expenditure).
In the event of a subsequent sale of this property, since it won’t have qualified as your home for the entire period of ownership, you may not be entitled to the full CGT exemption afforded by Principal Private Residence Relief.
If any of this post has affected you and you’re worried about a potential tax liability or Revenue Investigation, please don’t hesitate to contact us to see what we can do for You.
Please be aware that the information contained in this article is of a general nature. It is not intended to address specific circumstances in relation to any individual or entity. All reasonable efforts have been made by Accounts Advice Centre to provide accurate and up-to-date information, however, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate on the date it is received or that it will continue to remain so. This information should not be acted upon without full and comprehensive, specialist professional tax advice.
According to Malaysia’s Ministry of Finance, the supply of goods and services made in Malaysia will now be subject to the zero rated Goods and Services Tax (GST) effective from 1st June 2018. The “Goods and Service Tax (Rate of Tax) (Amendment) Order 2018” amends the rate of tax on the supply of goods or services as well as on the importation of goods from 6% to 0%.
Please be aware that the zero rating will not apply to the supply of goods and services listed under the Goods and Services Tax (Exempt Supply) Order 2014. These goods and services will remain exempt from GST.
All persons registered for GST (Goods & Services Tax) must comply with the new legislation in relation to zero rating but will continue to be governed by the current regulations with regard to invoicing, filing and claiming input tax credits.
GST registered persons must continue to ensure that the pricing of goods and services provided adheres to the Price control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.
VAT Advice. Tax Services for Staff Secondment. Global Mobility Tax. Foreign Companies. Employer Taxes and Payroll
Revenue eBrief 66/18, published on 23rd April 2018, contained guidance on the VAT treatment of staff secondments to companies established in Ireland from related foreign companies. These guidance notes confirm that staff secondments are subject to VAT at the standard rate, being 23%. This applies even where both companies are connected and members of an international group. Revenue, however, have provided a concession whereby VAT will not be charged on payments in relation to the seconded staff provided that correct Irish PAYE and PRSI (payroll taxes) have been operated on these payments.
This concessionary treatment will only apply in situations where the staff members are seconded from a company established outside Ireland but which is part of the same corporate group as the recipient company and where the staff are seconded to an Irish established company or an Irish branch of a foreign company. In addition, the Irish company to which the employee is seconded must exercise control over the performance of his/her duties or the secondee must effectively have managerial responsibility for the operation of the Irish company or Irish branch. Finally, the PAYE and PRSI liabilities relating to the payments to the seconded employee must be paid over to the Irish Revenue in a timely manner.
If the company sending the employee does not charge in excess of the emoluments paid then no VAT liability will arise. However, where the company sending the employee charges the Irish company an amount which is in excess of the amounts payable to the employee, then the excess will be subject to VAT in the hands of the Irish company engaging the employee on the “reverse charge basis.”
For further information, please click: https://www.revenue.ie/en/tax-professionals/ebrief/2018/no-0662018.aspx
Please be aware that the information contained in this article is of a general nature. It is not intended to address specific circumstances in relation to any individual or entity. All reasonable efforts have been made by Accounts Advice Centre to provide accurate and up-to-date information, however, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate on the date it is received or that it will continue to remain so.. This information should not be acted upon without full and comprehensive, specialist professional tax advice.