Tax Planning

Good tax planning is about keeping more of what you earn — legitimately. We review your whole position and structure it efficiently: the optimal director’s salary and dividend split for the current tax year, R&D tax credit claims, capital gains planning, and inheritance tax.

For founders and startups, we structure SEIS and EIS investment rounds and EMI share option schemes so you can raise capital and reward your team with maximum tax relief. Planning ahead — before your year-end — is where the real savings are made.

Director’s salary and dividends

How you pay yourself from your company has a direct effect on your tax bill. Following the April 2025 National Insurance changes — employer NIC at 15% and a £5,000 secondary threshold — the optimal salary and dividend mix has shifted. We calculate the precise split for your circumstances, factoring in the Employment Allowance, your personal allowance and any other income. See our guide to the most tax-efficient director’s salary for 2025/26.

R&D tax credits, SEIS/EIS and EMI

If you build products or solve technical problems, you may qualify for R&D tax relief under the merged scheme — we prepare robust claims with the technical and financial narrative HMRC now demands. For fundraising, we secure SEIS and EIS advance assurance so investors get their 50%/30% income tax relief, and design EMI share option schemes to reward key staff tax-efficiently. Start with our guides to SEIS vs EIS and EMI share option schemes.

Capital gains and inheritance tax

With the CGT annual exempt amount cut to £3,000 and Business Asset Disposal Relief rates rising, timing and structure matter more than ever when you sell shares, property or your business. We plan disposals to use reliefs and allowances efficiently, and look ahead to inheritance tax — especially with the 2026 reforms to Business Property Relief. For owners thinking about an exit, this connects closely with our business advisory service.