Q. My business recently bought an e-book reader from an online retailer. It will be used for business purposes but the retailer is refusing to provide me with a VAT invoice, saying their products are not provided for business purposes, so VAT invoices are not provided to VAT registered customers. How can I get the VAT invoice I need to claim back the VAT charged to my business?

A. If the customer (you) asks for a VAT invoice the supplier must provide one, but in practice you can't force the retailer to comply with the VAT law. As long as you have documentary evidence that VAT was charged - the amount and rate - and evidence that you have tried to obtain a VAT invoice, you can reclaim the VAT charged in your VAT return.

My business is VAT registered but the sales have dropped back, so my turnover is less than £75,000 per year. Can I stop charging VAT on my sales?

A. You must not stop charging VAT until you are given permission to do so by the VAT office. You need to apply to deregister for VAT on form VAT7, and send the completed form to the VAT deregistration office in Grimsby. You must continue to charge VAT on your sales until your application to deregister from VAT is accepted, and this has been confirmed by the VAT office.

All my income is taxed under PAYE, so surely I don't need to complete a tax form, do I?

Q. I've received a £100 fine for not submitting my tax return, but I don't remember receiving a form to complete. All my income is taxed under PAYE, so surely I don't need to complete a tax form, do I?

A. You should first ring the Self Assessment helpline on 0845 900 0444. Have to hand your NI number and your unique taxpayer reference number (UTR), if you know it. The Tax Officer will confirm whether you need to complete a tax return for the year to 5 April 2011 or not. If you do need to complete a tax return for that year you should do that online, if you submit a paper form now you will receive an even higher penalty. We can help you submit your return online, if one is due.

I'm going to start selling take-away filled rolls, fizzy drinks and hot pies. Will I have to charge VAT on these items?

Q. My bakery shop is VAT registered, but I don't add VAT to the bread and cakes I sell. I'm going to start selling take-away filled rolls, fizzy drinks and hot pies. Will I have to charge VAT on these items?

A. Most food is zero rated for VAT, which for a VAT registered business such as yours, means you add no VAT to your bakery products but you can reclaim VAT on your business purchases. However, once food is supplied in the course of catering, or as hot food to eat straight away, the standard rate of VAT (20%) may apply. The rules of what must be standard rated and what should be zero rated are quite complicated, and are set out in detail in the VAT notice 701/14: Food. We can advise on what products you should apply standard rate VAT to.

I want to close down my consultancy company. Should I wait until the new tax year or start the process now?

Q. I want to close down my consultancy company and pay the funds it holds to me as the only shareholder. Should I wait until the new tax year or start the process now?

A. If permission is granted from the Taxman in advance (called a C16 clearance), the funds the company distributes to the shareholders during the winding-up process will be treated as a capital gain and taxed at 10% where entrepreneurs' relief applies.

However, the law will change on 1 March 2012. From that date where more than £25,000 is distributed to shareholders in anticipation of the winding-up of the company, the amount of the distributed funds will be treated as income and taxed like dividends. That means entrepreneurs' relief cannot apply and the rate of tax due on the distribution will leap from 10% to 25% or more. The capital gains treatment can still be achieved if the company is put into formal liquidation, but that is likely to cost £7,000 or more. So if you want to wind-up your company and it holds more than £25,000, get those funds paid out by 1 March 2012.

I work as a nurse in a NHS hospital. Is there a limit on what I can claim for the cost of the particular shoes and socks I need to wear for work?

Q. I work as a nurse in a NHS hospital. My professional organisation tells me I can claim tax refunds for the last 6 years, for the cost of the particular shoes and socks I need to wear for work. Is there a limit on what I can claim?

A. There are set limits for such costs, known as flat rate expenses, which vary according to the taxpayer's profession and work description. The full list of tax claimable flat rate expenses can be found here: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/eimanual/EIM32712.htm. Nurses can claim £100 per year as a flat rate expense against their taxable income for uniforms without any receipts but in addition can claim £12 per year for the cost of shoes and £6 per year for stockings or tights. The £100 figure was £70 per year from 2004/05 to 2007/08. However, you need to make your claim quickly, as the deadline for claims relating to 2005/06 is 31 January 2012. The deadline for 2006/07 is 31 March 2012, and for 2007/08 it's 5 April 2012. However those deadlines only apply if you were taxed under PAYE, and did not submit a self-assessment tax return for those tax years. If you did submit a self-assessment tax return for the year the claim relates to, your claims period is already limited to 4 years from the end of that tax year. In that case the earliest year you can claim for is 2007/08, and the claim must be received by HMRC by 5 April 2012.

Can I claim capital allowances as a percentage of the cost of rental properties?

Q. I own a number of rental properties; a mixture of self-contained flats and houses. I've received an email from a property expert that says I can claim capital allowances as a percentage of the cost of these properties, which will produce a guaranteed tax refund for me. Is that true?

A. No, this is not true. Capital allowances cannot be claimed for equipment or fittings used within residential properties, which the Tax Office refer to as 'dwelling-houses'. There is an exception for properties that qualify as furnished holiday lettings, when each letting must generally be for short periods of less than 30 days. If you make a capital allowance claim for your rental properties it may be passed by the Tax Office, under their 'process now, check later' system. But when the Tax Inspector checks your claim it will be refused, any tax refunded will have to be repaid with interest, and penalties will be charged. This can happen up to 20 years after you submitted the incorrect claim!

I've had a call from the VAT office asking to come and see me. What have I done wrong?

Q. I recently applied for VAT registration for my business as the turnover had exceeded the compulsory registration threshold. Now I've had a call from the VAT office asking to come and see me. What have I done wrong?

A. A visit to a newly registered business is now normal practice for VAT officers, particularly where the first VAT return shows a repayment due. The VAT inspectors will want to see the invoices for your first VAT period, and be assured that you know how to keep adequate business records. We can sit in on the VAT visit to provide back-up for any difficult questions if you wish.

I received my self-assessment statement and payslip on 17 August 2011, which shows tax due to be paid by 31 July 2011

Q. I received my self-assessment statement and payslip on 17 August 2011, which shows tax due to be paid by 31 July 2011. I paid the tax due as soon as I could, but I am now worried that I will get charged interest and a penalty for late payment.

A. The late issuing of these statements was due to a lack of paper at HMRC's printers! As the delay was essentially their fault HMRC has decided to waive the interest due, as long as the tax payment is received by 27 September 2011. However, this interest free period only applies to the second payment on account of income tax for 2010/11, due by 31 July 2011. Any other late tax payments, such as tax due by 31 January 2011 will accrue interest as normal.

I earn £30,000 p.a. taxed under PAYE, but also have a variable amount of rental income.

Q. I earn £30,000 p.a. taxed under PAYE, but also have a variable amount of rental income. I read that 40% tax applies above £35,000 but I've also been told I can earn £42,475 before paying 40% tax. How much rental income can I receive before paying 40% tax?

A. The 40% tax rate applies in the current tax year (2011/12) on taxable income above £35,000. This is your total income (earnings, rentals and any interest or dividends) less your tax free allowance of £7,475 and any other valid deductions, such as expenses relating to your rental income. So you can have gross income before deductions of £42,475 (£35,000 + £7475) before you have to pay 40% tax. However, you must declare any rental income you receive to HMRC.

Will we get the lower 10% rate of capital gains tax on any profit we make on the property sale?

Q. My wife and I acquired a cottage in 2002 and let it as furnished holiday lettings from 2005. We ceased advertising the property this year and it is now on the market. Will we get the lower 10% rate of capital gains tax on any profit we make on the property sale?

A. Yes, as long as the property is sold within three years of the date the holiday lettings business ceased you should both qualify for entrepreneurs' relief on the gain. This relief gives you the lower 10% rate of CGT after deduction of your annual exemption, for gains of up to £10 million per person.

Do I have to submit my April 2010 personal tax return again?

Q. I've received a letter from the Taxman asking for my tax return for the year to 5 April 2010 to be submitted. But I submitted that tax return in September 2010, and I've paid all the tax due for that tax year. Do I have to submit that form again?

A. No. The letter you have received from the Tax Office is a mistake. About 40,000 of these standard letters (Notices SA316) have been printed with the wrong tax year: 2009/10 rather than 2010/11. You should receive another notice SA316 asking for the tax return for 2010/11, and a letter of apology concerning the mistake.

Do I qualify for capital gains tax exemption?

Q. In 2009 my family and I moved out of the home I owned and rented a house near my daughter's school. I have recently sold the original home. Do I qualify for the capital gains tax exemption on that property, even though I wasn't living in it when it was sold?

A. Yes you do qualify for the tax exemption. As you sold your former home within three years of moving out, all of the gain arising on the sale of property will be exempt from capital gains tax. This assumes you occupied the property for all of the period that you owned it, before you moved out. You do not have to declare the gain on your tax return.

Can I reclaim the VAT charged on the cost of the equipment even though the purchase was made before my VAT registration came into force?

Q. My business is to become VAT registered from 1 June 2011, but before that I will be taking delivery of a piece of equipment which will be used by the business for a number of years. Can I reclaim the VAT charged on the cost of the equipment even though the purchase was made before my VAT registration came into force?

A. Yes you can. VAT on equipment and goods purchased up to 3 years before you became VAT registered can be reclaimed, if you still held that equipment or goods at the date VAT registration became effective. You must also have the original invoice. You can reclaim the VAT paid on your first VAT return, or on any VAT return within the first three years of becoming VAT registered.

Do I have to pay tax on my property profits?

Q. My rental property makes a profit of £2,400 a year. I checked the HMRC website and it says I don't have to complete a tax return. Does that mean I don't have to pay tax on my property profits?

A. Although the HMRC website (www.hmrc.gov.uk/sa/need-tax-return.htm) says you don't have to complete a tax return if your income from property is less than £2,500, you should scroll down and read the text under 'Things to check if you don't need a tax return'. This makes it clear that you must tell the Tax Office about any new sources of income. The deadline for reporting new income is 5 October following the tax year in which the new income first arose. If this date passed sometime ago you need to contact the Taxman as soon as possible and declare all your income and expenses relating to your let property. The Taxman may decide to charge you a penalty for failing to declare your income at the right time.

You do have to pay tax on your property profits, but if the amount owing is small compared to your salary, it may be deducted through your PAYE code. In this case you don't need to complete a tax return each year, but without an annual tax return the Taxman will not know to vary your tax code if your rental profits increase or decrease.

How do I calculate my share of the profit?

Q. My husband inherited a house in 1986 when it was worth £40,000. He gave me a half share in the property in 2009 when it was worth £450,000. We sold the property in December 2010 for £460,000, but we never lived there. How do I calculate my share of the profit?

A. As you and your husband were living together during the tax year in which he gave you a half share in the property, that gift is deemed to be made at a value that creates no gain and no loss for your husband. Thus in 2009 he disposed of half the property to you at a value of £20,000, the tax cost of which was half the probate value: £20,000. Hence he makes no profit on his gift (£20,000 - £20,000 = nil). The market value of the property in 2009 is irrelevant. You acquire the half share in the property in 2009 at a deemed cost of £20,000.

When the property was sold in 2010 your share of the proceeds was £230,000 (£460,000/2) and the cost of your half share was £20,000. Your share of the profit (taxable gain) is £210,000 (£230,000 - £20,000). Your husband has also made a taxable gain on the sale of the property of £210,000. You can both deduct an annual exemption of £10,100 from your share of the gain, but the balance of the gain will be subject to capital gains tax.