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Application of share option schemes

28 March 2018 / John Colville
Issue: 4641 / Categories: Comment & Analysis
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Consider the options

KEY POINTS

  • Do not confuse the various schemes.
  • Employee share schemes can help to retain and motivate staff.
  • Generally no income tax arises on exercising the option.
  • If shares are not readily convertible assets income tax is collected through self-assessment and no NI is payable.
  • Shares may be transferred into an ISA.

Share option schemes are an important topic in the Association of Taxation Technicians’ exams. They are regularly examined in both Paper 1 and Paper 3. Questions often require an understanding of non-tax advantaged schemes and the three types of tax advantaged schemes. Examiners often report that candidates confuse the schemes or apply a particular one in the wrong circumstances. So the aim of this article is to clarify the key features and application of each of the tax...

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