Making Tax Digital – should your business change its year-end now?

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD ITSA) is due to start on 6 April 2024 with the first year being 2024/25. In preparation, the rules that determine which profits of a non-company business are charged to tax for a particular tax year are also being reformed.
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The tax rules for entertaining businesses are clear. Whether payment for lunch with a customer or tickets for a sporting event — whatever the reason, with few exceptions, any cost incurred for entertaining is not an allowable expense for tax purposes. The amount can still be paid out of the business bank account and deducted from arriving at the accounting profit but will be added back in the tax computation and taxed.
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The children are gone and there is an unoccupied 'spare' room. Apart from using the room as extra storage, renting it out is another option that can enable use of the space as well as bringing in some extra cash. The trend for letting spare rooms is increasing with websites such as Easyroommate, Gumtree and Hosts International making it easy to find someone to use the spare room on a long-term basis.
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When the time comes to close a company the usual method by which this is done is via a process known as 'Striking off'. The procedure is an informal, voluntary way of closing a company which is no longer required either because the company has ceased trading, or the director wants to retire or because the directors just want to close the business. However, strike off can be undertaken compulsorily, typically by a disgruntled creditor or by Companies House for non-submission of annual accounts.
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Q. I live in a semi-detached property and am in the process of purchasing my neighbor's property with the intention of converting the two houses into one. Therefore, the new property will be our main residence alongside our existing property as they will become one. In this situation, are we liable for the 3% stamp duty land tax (SDLT) surcharge? Answer

Q. I am self-employed and receive a small pension. My accounts show that for the tax year 2021/22 I have a self-employment profit of £6,538 and a pension received of £9,305, giving a total income of £15,843. I have available losses brought forward from the previous year of £4,127. Do I need to utilize whole loss in this year against the profit from self-employment, or can I use only £3,273 to bring my taxable profit to nil (the rest would be covered by the personal allowance of £12,570)? Can I carry forward the remaining loss of £854 to the next year? Answer

Q. I am currently let out of a flat and the tenants have approached me with an offer of buying the flat on a monthly installment plan instead of getting a mortgage and paying at point of sale as would be the usual situation on a sale of a property. What are the tax implications? Answer