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| Barrister Allen Onyema, Founder of Air Peace Nigeria Ltd |
You must never
ever try to evade paying your taxes. If you do you will go to prison – and
quite rightly so. No, I am not on the side of the tax collector. There’s a
difference here between evade (criminal) and avoid (sensible). There is a line
between making sure you aren’t giving money unnecessarily to the tax collector
avoiding – and deliberately evading tax illegitimately. Cross that line at your
peril. But there should be no need to do so. There are many good people out
there who will give you all the advice you need.
ever try to evade paying your taxes. If you do you will go to prison – and
quite rightly so. No, I am not on the side of the tax collector. There’s a
difference here between evade (criminal) and avoid (sensible). There is a line
between making sure you aren’t giving money unnecessarily to the tax collector
avoiding – and deliberately evading tax illegitimately. Cross that line at your
peril. But there should be no need to do so. There are many good people out
there who will give you all the advice you need.
The more money
you have, the greater the need to avoid tax – I stress this is not the same
thing at all as evading – and the more expensive it becomes to do so. Obviously
there is a tipping point whereby you are obliged to hand over your tax affairs
to experts who naturally cost an arm and leg – so you can avoid paying the tax
collectors the other arm and leg you have left.
you have, the greater the need to avoid tax – I stress this is not the same
thing at all as evading – and the more expensive it becomes to do so. Obviously
there is a tipping point whereby you are obliged to hand over your tax affairs
to experts who naturally cost an arm and leg – so you can avoid paying the tax
collectors the other arm and leg you have left.
“As
you move up the prosperity ladder the tax issues get more complex. And there
are all sorts of options. But remember the tax collectors are closing
loopholes, changing laws, cutting off avenues as fast as you and your expensive
experts can devise ways of avoiding tax”
As you move up
the prosperity ladder the tax issues get more complex. And there are all sorts
of options. But remember the tax collectors are closing loopholes, changing
laws, cutting off avenues as fast as you and your expensive experts can devise
ways of avoiding tax. It’s like a chess game only much more exciting and
expensive.
the prosperity ladder the tax issues get more complex. And there are all sorts
of options. But remember the tax collectors are closing loopholes, changing
laws, cutting off avenues as fast as you and your expensive experts can devise
ways of avoiding tax. It’s like a chess game only much more exciting and
expensive.
I am not going
to give you any specific advice because it changes too quickly and I don’t want
to get sued but areas worth bearing in mind are:
to give you any specific advice because it changes too quickly and I don’t want
to get sued but areas worth bearing in mind are:
• Consider establishing a Limited Company
– it can attract less tax and give you all sorts of options not available to
the ‘self employed’. I’m assuming you are making some money – if you aren’t,
there is obviously no tax to save as there is no tax to pay.
– it can attract less tax and give you all sorts of options not available to
the ‘self employed’. I’m assuming you are making some money – if you aren’t,
there is obviously no tax to save as there is no tax to pay.
Bear in mind
also that anyone can get your company records from Companies House so if you
are bigging yourself up you can get caught out.
also that anyone can get your company records from Companies House so if you
are bigging yourself up you can get caught out.
• Always make
sure you make full use of your allowances – use them or lose them.
sure you make full use of your allowances – use them or lose them.
• Always
consider if something is tax deductible before you buy it.
consider if something is tax deductible before you buy it.
• Become a
resident in a tax haven – but be quick as they are being shut down fast.
resident in a tax haven – but be quick as they are being shut down fast.
• Invest heavily
in your own pension fund – its tax free – or as about tax free as you can get
these days.
in your own pension fund – its tax free – or as about tax free as you can get
these days.
• Become a tax
nomad and wander the world not paying tax anywhere – watch out as a UK tax
liability will arise when either income or a capital gain is remitted into the
UK and there are circumstances when you can be based abroad but still pay tax (it
depends on residency, ordinarily residency and domicile).
nomad and wander the world not paying tax anywhere – watch out as a UK tax
liability will arise when either income or a capital gain is remitted into the
UK and there are circumstances when you can be based abroad but still pay tax (it
depends on residency, ordinarily residency and domicile).
And of course make sure you are well up on
investments that you don’t have to pay tax on – get good advice and be willing
to pay for good advice.
investments that you don’t have to pay tax on – get good advice and be willing
to pay for good advice.
From The Book; The Rules of Wealth by
Richard Templar
Richard Templar
(Read Rule
77 of Rule of Wealth on Monday at Asabeafrika)
77 of Rule of Wealth on Monday at Asabeafrika)
Read-to-Wealth Series
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