Revenue has published updated Guidelines in relation to the Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit provided for in Sections 766, 766A and 766B of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997.

The Research and Development Tax credit is given in respect of expenditure incurred by companies in the carrying on of qualifying R&D activities as defined in s.766. The credit is given at 25% of qualifying expenditure.

The Guidelines (PDF, 1.07MB) have been updated and amended to take account of changes in the recent Finance Acts, to address certain areas of interpretation (in particular in relation to changes in group membership) and to provide more up-to-date examples of how to calculate the credit.

Revenue may adjust your LPT record for a number of reasons. For example, your LPT charge for 2015 may have been reduced as a result of your local authority reducing the LPT rate for 2015.

Local Authority Reduction for 2015

From 2015 onwards, local authorities can vary the basic LPT rate on residential properties situated within their administrative area. The basic LPT rate can be increased or decreased by up to 15%. This is referred to as the “Local Adjustment Factor” (LAF). 14 local authorities have reduced the LPT rate for 2015. The reductions range from 1.5% to 15%. The following table confirms which local authorities have reduced the LPT rate:

If my local authority reduced the LPT rate do I need to apply to Revenue for the reduction?

No action is required. Your local authority has notified Revenue of the reduction in the LPT rate and Revenue automatically adjusted your LPT record for 2015. If you are paying your LPT by deduction at source or by direct debit, Revenue will confirm the revised amount of LPT due for 2015 to the relevant organisation (that is, your employer, Department of Social Protection, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine or your financial institution).

How can I confirm which local authority has been assigned to my property? If it’s wrong, what should I do?

This information is included in your online LPT record below the address details for your property. Because county boundaries and postal addresses are not always aligned, there will be cases where the local authority assigned to a property is incorrect and this may result in an incorrect LPT rate for 2015.

You can access your online LPT record by Logging into LPT On-line using your PPSN, Property ID and PIN. If the local authority assigned to your property is incorrect, you should immediately submit an online enquiry to Revenue as follows:

1. Click on “Your Enquiries” (located beside the “logout” button at the top of the Screen)
2. Select “Add a New Enquiry”
3. At ‘My Enquiry Relates To’ select ‘LPT Query’.
4. At ‘And More Specifically’ select “Change your Local Authority” from the drop down menu.
5. You will then be asked to enter details of your enquiry which should include the name of the Local Authority that you wish Revenue to assign to your property.
6. At ‘Email Address’ and ‘Email Confirmation’ enter an email address at which Revenue can contact you.
7. Click “Submit Enquiry”

When a member of the Customer Services team has dealt with your enquiry, Revenue will contact you to confirm that your LPT record has been updated. You can then arrange for payment of your 2015 LPT charge.

If you cannot access your online LPT record please contact the LPT helpline at 1890 200 255 for assistance.

I’m not sure which local authority should be assigned to my property. How can I establish my local authority?

In general local authority boundaries correspond to geographical county boundaries. If you are unsure about which local authority your property is located in, you may contact the local authority nearest to you for confirmation.

How can I confirm whether my LPT rate for 2015 has changed?

You should check your online LPT record to confirm the amount of LPT due for 2015 and whether your LPT rate has changed.

LPT charge for 2015 (basic rate):			 €405.00
Local Authority Reduction at 10%: 	       	         € 41.00
Total LPT charge:                         		 €364.00

Please find below a quick alert on USC treatment for pension contributions. More information can be obtained by contacting CAG Chartered Accountants, who would be happy to discuss this article relevant to your situation.

The taxation of pension contributions is some of the most complex issues that payroll personnel and employers have to deal with.

Normally Income Tax relief is available at the marginal rate of tax for pension contributions paid by an individual to the following types of pension schemes namely:  

    ■ Occupational pension schemes   

    ■ Retirement annuity contracts   

    ■ Personal retirement savings accounts   

    ■ Small self-administered pension funds   

However the USC treatment differs depending on the type of contribution to a pension. For example in some pensions, where the employer make a contribution depending on the type of pension, this employers contributions can be subject to Universal Social Charge.

If the payroll is not set up correctly this contribution can be missed when calculating USC resulting in under-deducted and underpaid USC for employees.  

Revenue are continuously doing PAYE audits and it is important you ensure there are proper procedures put in place to safeguard the correct USC treatment on pension contributions.

There are two certainties in life, death and taxes. Ironically, in Ireland for the future the latter is relying on the former to increase the tax take under this tax head.

So now is the time for planning in relation to this.

The Problem

Revenue reported that, in 2012, €280 million was paid in Capital Acquisitions Tax; in excess of €933 million worth of assets are declaring and paying Gift and Inheritance Tax on.

The taxation double whammy:

Tax rate: The rate of Capital Acquisitions Tax, both for gifts and inheritances, increased from 20% in 2008 to 33% in 2013.

Tax-free thresholds: Thresholds have been dramatically reduced. For example, the group 1 threshold from parents to children reduced from €521,208 in 2008 to €225,000 in 2013.

Example
Mr. & Mrs. Kelly are aged 55 and their estate, valued at €3,000,000, is to be divided equally between their three children. Their children’s inheritance tax bill will be €767,250 – i.e. 25% of the estate will be taken in tax.

How not filing your LPT return can lead to a 10% income tax surcharge on your income tax return

As the Pay & File Deadline approaches, self-employed individuals and company directors could encounter a 10% Surcharge on their income tax return if they have not yet complied with their Local Property Tax (LPT) obligations.

It is possible to avoid this LPT Surcharge by doing the following:

1. File your LPT return, and
2. Pay, or enter into an arrangement to pay, any outstanding LPT before your income tax return is filed.

If these actions are taken before the income tax return is filed, no LPT Surcharge will apply (provided the income tax return itself is filed on time).  

In summary; you must ensure you are compliant with the Local Property Tax in order to avoid a LPT Surcharge.

If you have any queries, CAG Chartered Accountants would be happy to discuss this article relevant to your situation.

See below different scenarios and for more information read Revenue’s Guidelines

1. Client filing an income tax return but also has PAYE income

Take the situation where this taxpayer files his/her income tax return on time but has not filed his/her LPT return. Revenue advises us that this taxpayer will have had the LPT (based on the Revenue Estimate) compulsorily deducted from his/her wages. Notwithstanding this fact, an LPT Surcharge of 10% will also be applied to his/her income tax return, with:

• no credit for LPT paid through the compulsory deduction at source, and
• no capping of the LPT Surcharge until such time as he/she files their LPT Return.

2. Clients who have CGT as well as income tax liabilities in their returns

Where a client’s return has both an income tax liability and a CGT liability, Revenue has said that the 10% LPT Surcharge will be applied to both the income tax liability and the CGT liability.

The general rule is that where an LPT Surcharge arises on a return, that LPT Surcharge will be capped at the amount of the LPT liability once the taxpayer subsequently files their LPT return and pays their LPT liability.

However, where an LPT Surcharge arises on a return with both an income tax and a CGT liability, you need to look separately at the income tax element and the CGT element to determine what cap applies.

Revenue’s new Code of Practice for Revenue Audit and other Compliance Interventions (the new Code) came into effect from the 14^th of August 2014. It significantly revises the previous 2010 Audit Code.

We have provided below a quick synopsis of the key changes which is consolidated under 5 broad headings and you can obtain more detailed information on the Irish tax office website

www.revenue.ie/en/practitioner/codes-practice.html

1. Focus of audits and compliance interventions

Paragraph 4.5 of the new Code notes that Revenue audits will generally focus on a year or period where a specific risk has been identified. Multi-year or period compliance interventions may be carried out where material risks, identified by a range of data sources, are identified for a number of years (or periods).

This approach also applies to non-audit interventions, as set out in paragraph 2.3 of the new Code.

The additional costs to a taxpayer of extending an audit has also been introduced as a factor that will be taken into account in deciding whether to open earlier or later years (paragraph 4.6).

2. The “no loss of revenue” provision

Paragraph 3.5 of the new Code recognises that there may be exceptional circumstances where “no loss of revenue” claims may be considered in relation to taxes other than VAT and RCT. The paragraph also contains information on how to make a claim.

3. Timeframe for concluding Revenue interventions and receiving refunds

Delays can arise in the conclusion of an audit or intervention, even though a taxpayer has answered all queries promptly. Paragraph 5.8 of the new Code notes that if there is no clear cause for the delay in finalising the audit/intervention a taxpayer’s entitlements to credits or tax refunds shall not be delayed or withheld.

4. Protocols for e-Audits

Paragraphs 1.9 and 1.9.1 include detailed information on what taxpayers can expect when undergoing an e-Audit and at the pre-audit meeting.

5. The interaction of the “late” surcharge with tax-geared penalties

Revenue has clarified in paragraph 5.4.1 that the Section 1084 “late” surcharge that can be sought for the timely filing of an incorrect return will not be sought where a tax-geared penalty applies in a settlement.

If you have any queries regarding the above, CAG Chartered Accountants would be happy to discuss this article relevant to your situation.

Who can avail of the Business Start Up Relief for individuals?

In Budget 2014 the Minister for Finance announced a new relief targeted at encouraging long term unemployed to set up new businesses. We have provided below a quick synopsis of how the scheme works but you can obtain more detailed information on the Irish tax office website.

What is the relief?

This is a relief aimed at individuals who have been out of work for at least 12 months, and will allow them to earn €40,000 in profits p.a. in the first two years of trading without paying Income Tax (USC and PRSI will be payable). The relief will apply by way of a deduction from trading profits.

Who can apply?

The relief applies to an individual who commences a new business between 25 October 2013 and end of December 2016 and who has been continuously unemployed for a period of 12 months immediately preceding the commencement of the business and during that period you were in receipt of any of the following

• crediting contributions
• jobseeker’s allowance
• jobseeker’s benefit
• the one-parent family payment
• partial capacity payment

How do I apply?

There is no pre-approval required here and you just complete a section in the tax return. Self Employed people are required to complete their tax return every October for the previous calendar year.

If you have any queries regarding the above, CAG Chartered Accountants would be happy to discuss this article relevant to your situation.