Now, long retired, I sold the second of a pair of houses last tax year.

I know from the sale of the first the year before that the allowances will 
mean that no tax is due. Usually, I do all my income tax returns with no 
difficulty but this disposal put it beyond my knowledge

A lot of money was spent ten years ago renovating the pair (I'm tempted to 
say wasted!) and we lived in them for a period

I found an upmarket firm to help me, and provided them with full schedules 
of all the work done and costs: all the information. My records and receipts 
are immaculate. They had little to do. Tapper relief etc, which is pretty 
complicated for a beginner.

They charged many hundreds of pounds and got it wrong three times. I could 
see that they had just put it into a program and printed the results and yet 
could not even get that right. It was not an argument about how much tax was 
due, there was not any. It was just simple transcription mistakes and in the 
end got embarrassing.

Given the information and some expertise, it was a fifteen minute job.

Can I buy a program that will allow me to do the job myself?

TIA
GPGardiner

On Fri, 16 May 2008 15:34:05 +0100, "Pat Gardiner"
 wrote:

>Now, long retired, I sold the second of a pair of houses last tax year.
>
>I know from the sale of the first the year before that the allowances will 
>mean that no tax is due. Usually, I do all my income tax returns with no 
>difficulty but this disposal put it beyond my knowledge
>
>A lot of money was spent ten years ago renovating the pair (I'm tempted to 
>say wasted!) and we lived in them for a period
>
>I found an upmarket firm to help me, and provided them with full schedules 
>of all the work done and costs: all the information. My records and receipts 
>are immaculate. They had little to do. Tapper relief etc, which is pretty 
>complicated for a beginner.
>
>They charged many hundreds of pounds and got it wrong three times. I could 
>see that they had just put it into a program and printed the results and yet 
>could not even get that right. It was not an argument about how much tax was 
>due, there was not any. It was just simple transcription mistakes and in the 
>end got embarrassing.
>
>Given the information and some expertise, it was a fifteen minute job.
>
>Can I buy a program that will allow me to do the job myself?
>
>TIA
>GPGardiner 
>

This may help:
Capital Gains Tax: Directgov
http://tinyurl.com/5lffqm

CGT Calculator:
http://www.taxcafe.co.uk/property-tax-calculator.html

"zeebop" <yeah@um.right> wrote in message 
news:7gcr24pcq6cv0dt3bef6dq70ioqj60lqac@4ax.com...
> On Fri, 16 May 2008 15:34:05 +0100, "Pat Gardiner"
>  wrote:
>
>>Now, long retired, I sold the second of a pair of houses last tax year.
>>
>>I know from the sale of the first the year before that the allowances will
>>mean that no tax is due. Usually, I do all my income tax returns with no
>>difficulty but this disposal put it beyond my knowledge
>>
>>A lot of money was spent ten years ago renovating the pair (I'm tempted to
>>say wasted!) and we lived in them for a period
>>
>>I found an upmarket firm to help me, and provided them with full schedules
>>of all the work done and costs: all the information. My records and 
>>receipts
>>are immaculate. They had little to do. Tapper relief etc, which is pretty
>>complicated for a beginner.
>>
>>They charged many hundreds of pounds and got it wrong three times. I could
>>see that they had just put it into a program and printed the results and 
>>yet
>>could not even get that right. It was not an argument about how much tax 
>>was
>>due, there was not any. It was just simple transcription mistakes and in 
>>the
>>end got embarrassing.
>>
>>Given the information and some expertise, it was a fifteen minute job.
>>
>>Can I buy a program that will allow me to do the job myself?
>>
>>TIA
>>GPGardiner
>>
>
> This may help:
> Capital Gains Tax: Directgov
> http://tinyurl.com/5lffqm
>
> CGT Calculator:
> http://www.taxcafe.co.uk/property-tax-calculator.html


Very many thanks. Exactly what I was looking for!

On Fri, 16 May 2008 19:26:54 +0100, "Pat Gardiner"
 wrote:

>
>"zeebop" <yeah@um.right> wrote in message 
>news:7gcr24pcq6cv0dt3bef6dq70ioqj60lqac@4ax.com...
>> On Fri, 16 May 2008 15:34:05 +0100, "Pat Gardiner"
>>  wrote:
>>
>>>Now, long retired, I sold the second of a pair of houses last tax year.
>>>
>>>I know from the sale of the first the year before that the allowances will
>>>mean that no tax is due. Usually, I do all my income tax returns with no
>>>difficulty but this disposal put it beyond my knowledge
>>>
>>>A lot of money was spent ten years ago renovating the pair (I'm tempted to
>>>say wasted!) and we lived in them for a period
>>>
>>>I found an upmarket firm to help me, and provided them with full schedules
>>>of all the work done and costs: all the information. My records and 
>>>receipts
>>>are immaculate. They had little to do. Tapper relief etc, which is pretty
>>>complicated for a beginner.
>>>
>>>They charged many hundreds of pounds and got it wrong three times. I could
>>>see that they had just put it into a program and printed the results and 
>>>yet
>>>could not even get that right. It was not an argument about how much tax 
>>>was
>>>due, there was not any. It was just simple transcription mistakes and in 
>>>the
>>>end got embarrassing.
>>>
>>>Given the information and some expertise, it was a fifteen minute job.
>>>
>>>Can I buy a program that will allow me to do the job myself?
>>>
>>>TIA
>>>GPGardiner
>>>
>>
>> This may help:
>> Capital Gains Tax: Directgov
>> http://tinyurl.com/5lffqm
>>
>> CGT Calculator:
>> http://www.taxcafe.co.uk/property-tax-calculator.html
>
>
>Very many thanks. Exactly what I was looking for!
>
>

Online one here:
http://www.propertysecrets.net/capital_gains_tax_calculator.html

"zeebop" <yeah@um.right> wrote in message 
news:t00s24tmro9dlad41utfdhc5vsssfu8brg@4ax.com...
> On Fri, 16 May 2008 19:26:54 +0100, "Pat Gardiner"
>  wrote:
>
>>
>>"zeebop" <yeah@um.right> wrote in message
>>news:7gcr24pcq6cv0dt3bef6dq70ioqj60lqac@4ax.com...
>>> On Fri, 16 May 2008 15:34:05 +0100, "Pat Gardiner"
>>>  wrote:
>>>
>>>>Now, long retired, I sold the second of a pair of houses last tax year.
>>>>
>>>>I know from the sale of the first the year before that the allowances 
>>>>will
>>>>mean that no tax is due. Usually, I do all my income tax returns with no
>>>>difficulty but this disposal put it beyond my knowledge
>>>>
>>>>A lot of money was spent ten years ago renovating the pair (I'm tempted 
>>>>to
>>>>say wasted!) and we lived in them for a period
>>>>
>>>>I found an upmarket firm to help me, and provided them with full 
>>>>schedules
>>>>of all the work done and costs: all the information. My records and
>>>>receipts
>>>>are immaculate. They had little to do. Tapper relief etc, which is 
>>>>pretty
>>>>complicated for a beginner.
>>>>
>>>>They charged many hundreds of pounds and got it wrong three times. I 
>>>>could
>>>>see that they had just put it into a program and printed the results and
>>>>yet
>>>>could not even get that right. It was not an argument about how much tax
>>>>was
>>>>due, there was not any. It was just simple transcription mistakes and in
>>>>the
>>>>end got embarrassing.
>>>>
>>>>Given the information and some expertise, it was a fifteen minute job.
>>>>
>>>>Can I buy a program that will allow me to do the job myself?
>>>>
>>>>TIA
>>>>GPGardiner
>>>>
>>>
>>> This may help:
>>> Capital Gains Tax: Directgov
>>> http://tinyurl.com/5lffqm
>>>
>>> CGT Calculator:
>>> http://www.taxcafe.co.uk/property-tax-calculator.html
>>
>>
>>Very many thanks. Exactly what I was looking for!
>>
>>
>
> Online one here:
> http://www.propertysecrets.net/capital_gains_tax_calculator.html

Thanks but unless someones tells me differently, that would be too simple.

The property was held in joint names for more than a decade, has been a main 
residence for a time, rented for a time and just plain empty.

All of those things give the reductions that will make it zero tax.

Thanks you anyway.

On 17 May, 09:25, "Pat Gardiner"  wrote:
> "zeebop" <y...@um.right> wrote in message
>
> news:t00s24tmro9dlad41utfdhc5vsssfu8brg@4ax.com...
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Fri, 16 May 2008 19:26:54 +0100, "Pat Gardiner"
> >  wrote:
>
> >>"zeebop" <y...@um.right> wrote in message
> >>news:7gcr24pcq6cv0dt3bef6dq70ioqj60lqac@4ax.com...
> >>> On Fri, 16 May 2008 15:34:05 +0100, "Pat Gardiner"
> >>>  wrote:
>
> >>>>Now, long retired, I sold the second of a pair of houses last tax year.
>
> >>>>I know from the sale of the first the year before that the allowances
> >>>>will
> >>>>mean that no tax is due. Usually, I do all my income tax returns with no
> >>>>difficulty but this disposal put it beyond my knowledge
>
> >>>>A lot of money was spent ten years ago renovating the pair (I'm tempted
> >>>>to
> >>>>say wasted!) and we lived in them for a period
>
> >>>>I found an upmarket firm to help me, and provided them with full
> >>>>schedules
> >>>>of all the work done and costs: all the information. My records and
> >>>>receipts
> >>>>are immaculate. They had little to do. Tapper relief etc, which is
> >>>>pretty
> >>>>complicated for a beginner.
>
> >>>>They charged many hundreds of pounds and got it wrong three times. I
> >>>>could
> >>>>see that they had just put it into a program and printed the results and
> >>>>yet
> >>>>could not even get that right. It was not an argument about how much tax
> >>>>was
> >>>>due, there was not any. It was just simple transcription mistakes and in
> >>>>the
> >>>>end got embarrassing.
>
> >>>>Given the information and some expertise, it was a fifteen minute job.
>
> >>>>Can I buy a program that will allow me to do the job myself?
>
> >>>>TIA
> >>>>GPGardiner
>
> >>> This may help:
> >>> Capital Gains Tax: Directgov
> >>>http://tinyurl.com/5lffqm
>
> >>> CGT Calculator:
> >>>http://www.taxcafe.co.uk/property-tax-calculator.html
>
> >>Very many thanks. Exactly what I was looking for!
>
> > Online one here:
> >http://www.propertysecrets.net/capital_gains_tax_calculator.html
>
> Thanks but unless someones tells me differently, that would be too simple.
>
> The property was held in joint names for more than a decade, has been a main
> residence for a time, rented for a time and just plain empty.
>
> All of those things give the reductions that will make it zero tax.
>
> Thanks you anyway

I agree. It's very difficult to be confident these programs work
properly. I would recommend using a spreadsheet every time.