Can Limited Company Secretary contract themself

[NewMan]

I'm in the process of getting myself set-up to start a first contract. Probably going the Limited Company route. If I'm Director and make my wife Co Secretary, does this exclude her from being able to contract herself at a later date? Would she have to become a director beforehand?

[xoggoth]

Can't see any reason why she can't.

[MrRobin]

No. As an employee of your company you can ship her out to work to earn the company money. She would only be able to be paid like an employee though - i.e. through PAYE. To be able to draw dividends, she would have to become a director.

[VectraMan]

To be able to draw dividends, she would have to become a director.

Is there a smiley for that Family Fortunes noise?

To draw dividends she needs to be a shareholder, nothing to do with being a director.

Also nothing to stop her starting her own contracting company, and you being her Co. Sec. for that (which might be a better answer than both using the same).

[NewMan]

Thanks for your prompt answers.

If I've understood your posts, my wife could be the Company Secretary, I can push her out to work, and as long as she holds shares she can draw a dividend. If we held equal shares do we have to take equal dividends?

I was thinking if we both contract under the one company name then it would better meet IR35 tests.

[Paddy]

She can be a secretary as well as adirector. You can file online.

[MrRobin]

To draw dividends she needs to be a shareholder, nothing to do with being a director.

Oh yes. Pardon my retardness.

[maverick]

If we held equal shares do we have to take equal dividends?

Equal shares then equal divis. It's only fair.

[Euro-commuter]

Equal shares then equal divis. It's only fair.

It's the law. And it makes sense: as in "share".

[Euro-commuter]

Thanks for your prompt answers.

If I've understood your posts, my wife could be the Company Secretary, I can push her out to work, and as long as she holds shares she can draw a dividend. If we held equal shares do we have to take equal dividends?

I was thinking if we both contract under the one company name then it would better meet IR35 tests.

Remember that dividends are NOT a reward for work; they are a share of the company profits. So a shareholder will receive a proportional share of any dividend paid, quite independently of whether she does any work or not.