Capital Gains Tax

Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is the tax you pay if you make a profit on the sale or disposal of an asset.

For example if you:

  • Sell
  • Transfer the ownership
  • Exchange the assets for something else
  • Make a gift of the asset to someone
  • Receive compensation for the loss of the asset

You might have to pay capital gains tax. The amount of tax you might have to pay will be based on the market value of the asset, not the amount you received for it.

For example: Fred bought an investment property for £100,000. He later gifted it to his two children. Fred did not receive any money for the property, but the value at the date of the gift away was £250,000.

On this basis the gain would be £150,000 (£250,000 minus £100,000).

Capital gains tax exemption

Most assets are subject to capital gains tax when you either sell of dispose of them. However some assets are exempt.

Personal possessions that are sold or gifted for less than £6,000 are exempt. Your main home is usually exempt as well.

If you own assets abroad and you are resident for tax in the UK, you might also be liable to tax on the sale or disposal of these assets abroad.

Annual Exempt Allowance

Each year you get an annual CGT allowance. This helps to reduce the amount of Capital gains tax you might pay.

Capital gains tax rate The rate of capital gains tax you might pay will depend on your income and the total amount of gain you have made for each tax year. Go to our CGT rates section for more details.

Gifts

If you make a gift to someone else this would be classed as a disposal of the asset. You should work out if capital gains tax is due.

A gift to your spouse, civil partner or a charity should not be classed as a disposal for capital gains tax.

Inheriting

If you are lucky enough to inherit an asset you might have to pay capital gains tax when you sell or dispose of it. You should value of the asset at the date of death. You will then be able to work out the capital gain or loss that has been made.

Divorce and separation

If you have to separate, divorce or dissolve a civil partnership, it might be necessary to transfer assets between the two parties. This would be treated as a disposal for capital gains tax purposes. Any tax will depended on the date the assets are transferred and whether you are living together at the time.

Further Information

If you would like to find out more about our capital gains tax advice service please contact us.

HMRC also offer information booklets on CGT. Please click the following link to go to the HMRC website . Capital Gains Tax

There are some aspects of tax planning advice that are not regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Featured Article

  • Taxation of Platform Rebates

    Taxation of Platform Rebates

    If you are one of the thousands of investors that have bought collective investments via a platform or fund supermarket, you should review your existing investments.

    In many cases a proportion of the annual management charge is rebated back to you in the form of cash or additional units.

News Articles

  • 216 good reasons to make a Will

    216 good reasons to make a Will

    I was recently asked by a sceptical friend to give a good reason why she should make a Will. I answered that, in fact, I could give her 216 reasons.

    216 is the number of beneficiaries who recently inherited a moderately valued estate of £250,000; where some received cheques for as little as £3.76

     

  • Budget 2013

    Budget 2013

    The 2013 Annual Budget Statement painted a somewhat bleak economic picture, alleviated by a few crowd-pleasing bright spots. Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne cut the predicted level of growth in the UK during 2013 from 1.2% to 0.6%.

  • Europes most dangerous Financial Products

    Europes most dangerous Financial Products

    A recent vote organised by MEP Sven Giegold, named and shamed financial products that consumers felt were the most dangerous consumers and the environment.

    One of the culprits was Food speculation funds. This type of investment topped the table for financial products that were most likely to harm the environment.

Case Studies

  • Investment Advice Case Study

    Investment Advice Case Study

    Andrew and Linda had over many years accumulated a portfolio of investments for capital growth purposes. The portfolio was £200,000 in size. Their objective was to obtain capital growth on the portfolio.

     

Contact

Consilium Asset Management
Vayre House, Hatters Lane,
Chipping Sodbury, Bristol
BS37 6AA
 
Contact Number
01454 321511 

Latest Tweets

@MikeWass2 Hi Mike Hope you're well. Haven't seen you at the syba meeting recently. The next meeting is no the 10th June. The White Hart

Can Bristol become the green capital of the uk