Incorporation ― overview

Produced by Tolley in association with Rob Durrant-Walker of Crane Dale Tax, part of AMS Group
Owner-Managed Businesses
Guidance

Incorporation ― overview

Produced by Tolley in association with Rob Durrant-Walker of Crane Dale Tax, part of AMS Group
Owner-Managed Businesses
Guidance
imgtext

Many businesses commence in an unincorporated form as a sole trade or a partnership. Start-ups benefit from the simplicity and low administration provided by a sole trader structure in particular. Relief for opening years’ losses are also significantly more favourable for sole traders and new partners. Even once a business has become established, operating in an unincorporated form has benefits and may continue to suit the proprietor(s) indefinitely.

However, there is a distinct path for growing businesses whereby incorporation becomes a natural step.

Key reasons to incorporate

The key reasons in favour of incorporation tend to be:

  1. limited liability allowing the mitigation of risks associated with expansion

  2. tax mitigation

  3. flexibility over income in respect of the timing and form of remuneration

  4. a reduced perception of the administrative burden due to familiarity with running a business

  5. a greater ease of attracting external investment

  6. prestige value

  7. certain tax reliefs are only available to companies, see the Calculating the tax benefits of incorporation guidance note

Limited

Continue reading the full document
To gain access to additional expert tax guidance, workflow tools, generative tax AI, and tax research, register for a free trial of Tolley+™
Rob Durrant-Walker
Rob Durrant-Walker linkedinicon twittericon

Tax Director at Crane Dale Tax , Corporate Tax, OMB, Personal Tax


Rob is a cross-tax advisor with a particular focus on property tax planning, and business structure planning for OMB’s. He provides tax advice to other accounting firms, balancing commerciality, ethics, and understanding complexity. His 30+ years of experience start at the Inland Revenue in Hull. After completing his ATT and CTA by 1999 with PKF, he subsequently worked at KPMG and UHY prior to managing the business tax team as a director at Garbutt + Elliott. Rob is now Tax Director at the independent tax consultancy, Crane Dale Tax. He is a regular author for Taxation magazine with many articles and Readers Forum contributions since 2005, and he contributes as a virtual member to the CIOT Property Tax technical committee. Rob works remotely from Vancouver in Canada.

Powered by Tolley+

Popular Articles

Group relief for carried-forward losses

Group relief for carried-forward lossesThis guidance note examines in detail the relief available to groups for carried-forward losses. The scope excludes the treatment of specialist businesses such as banks, insurance companies and oil and gas companies.From 1 April 2017, companies can surrender

14 Jul 2020 11:50 | Produced by Tolley Read more Read more

Spouse exemption from inheritance tax

Spouse exemption from inheritance taxArguably, the most important inheritance tax exemption is the spouse exemption from inheritance tax.There is no IHT to pay on gifts from husband to wife and vice versa, or from one civil partner to the other (referred to collectively in this note as ‘spouses’).

14 Jul 2020 13:56 | Produced by Tolley in association with Emma Haley at Boodle Hatfield LLP Read more Read more

Research and development expenditure credit (RDEC)

Research and development expenditure credit (RDEC)This guidance note provides information on how research and development expenditure credits (RDEC) are calculated and utilised. The Qualifying expenditure for R&D tax relief guidance note provides information on what expenditure qualifies for

14 Jul 2020 13:24 | Produced by Tolley in association with Will Sweeney Read more Read more