Following lobbying by several professional and trade bodies, it appears that Alastair Darling may reintroduce Retirement Relief into Capital Gains Tax legislation.

Initial reports, although unconfirmed by the government, suggest exemption on the first £100,000 of gains resulting from the sale of business assets for individuals reaching retirement.

If you would like to find out more about what the changes mean to you, we will be holding a further forum on Wednesday 28th November at our offices following an overwhelming response to the initial two dates. Email wes@a4gsolutions.co.uk for more details.

Following on from an article in this email newsletter a few weeks ago, anyone who has developed a product or service that they are ready to put to market, should consult a trademark or patent attorney before marketing the idea to the public.

Once marketed without a registered patent or trademark, costs in defending your idea from a rival can spiral quickly, so a small investment now can ultimately save you much more later.

From a tax point of view, we would also suggest that any copyrights, patents or trademarks are registered where possible in the name of the business owner or a Limited Liability Partnership separate to the business itself, particularly where the business is a limited company.

For further advice on registering a copyright, patent or trademark, please email ajc@grahamwatt.co.uk. For further advice on the tax principles, please email wes@a4gsolutions.co.uk

"People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them"

George Bernard Shaw