Reply to: Tablets

[SueEllen]

It isn't tiresome, it is giving the OP both sides of the coin so he can make his decision. Alan is probably right but if you do it with this and then something else and something else the risk grows as does the potential penalty.

How does the risk grow?

Unless you are being deliberately stupid then how is a HMRC inspector going to know?

I talked to a VAT inspector about some of my expenses and I was told I should have claimed them through my company as they were legit business expenses for that particular contract. So claiming a sat nav with or without specific features when you are doing a lot of driving to clients can be a legit claim.

However she did state that trying to claim your kids' Christmas presents isn't going to wash with any HMRC inspector.

This means buying a tablet when it has many legitimate business uses for a Computing Professional including just surfing the web will be ignored, but buying a 50 inch 3D TV will be looked at closely if your books get inspected.

[d000hg]

And another who wanted to claim £1700 for a PC screen which turned out to be a 3DTV.

I bought a TV for my home office and decided not to claim, since it will be connected to an aerial, even though it is used 90%+ as a 2nd monitor.

I have a genuine need to test on an iPhad, so I could buy one through the company. But of course you only save the 20%

And the VAT if you're not on FRS...

[Notascooby]

It isn't tiresome, it is giving the OP both sides of the coin so he can make his decision. Alan is probably right but if you do it with this and then something else and something else the risk grows as does the potential penalty. Armed with both sides plus the fact he is only saving 20% so it isn't free from the company (which seems to be a common misconcemption) he can make his own decision on this and anything else that sits in that grey divide.

My saving is 40% - how people live under the threshold is beyond me but that's another discussion point.

The risk is that you are chosen to be investigated and that something doesn't stack up and you're hit with a tax bill. With everything rolled up, there's no way to tell what has and hasn't been claimed without investigation. So unless you're putting through £10,000 per year in computer equipment then its unlikely there'll be any alarms, even then I'd be surprised.

Like travel and accomodation - people worry about claming a £500 flight - but who's to tell if that was £500 in taxi fares or mileage unless its investigated?

If you live mon-fri in hotels then your out-goings could be £10,000 plus but how can you tell if that's two business flights to Vegas without investigating?

What I'm saying is don't sweat the small items, just don't take the piss. I know someone who runs training for Oracle and expesned a 40" TV - which he's used 3 times for traininig and spends the rest of its time in his bedroom. Is it push the boundaries - of course it is - could it justify it - yes he could.

[northernladuk]

All this moral crap is tiresome, just don't take the piss, if you think that won't wash with HMRC then you're running the risk, if investigated, of having to pay some tax back.

It isn't tiresome, it is giving the OP both sides of the coin so he can make his decision. Alan is probably right but if you do it with this and then something else and something else the risk grows as does the potential penalty. Armed with both sides plus the fact he is only saving 20% so it isn't free from the company (which seems to be a common misconcemption) he can make his own decision on this and anything else that sits in that grey divide.

[Nixon Williams]

For the price of a tablet device, I doubt HMRC are going to be that interested to be honest. So if you do put it through and HMRC deem to disallow the expenditure, the charge back from them is not going to cripple you.

The tax benefit is 20% of the cost, so say it cost £500, the saving will be £100.

Alan

[GillsMan]

I struggle to see how a tablet can help your business ?

Surely in the same way that having a mobile can help your business? By improving connectivity. Obviously, I'm in the minority in that I have been asked to develop e-learning for the iPad (even then, I could have used an emulator rather than an iPad in theory), but I still find there are other things that help, e.g. reviewing documents etc. Of course I could use a laptop, but a tablet is much more convenient.

On a side note, the Tesco app for the iPad is amazeballs.

[Notascooby]

*Yawn*

Buy the bloody thing through the company - I agree with Latte / russel / whoever.

All this moral crap is tiresome, just don't take the piss, if you think that won't wash with HMRC then you're running the risk, if investigated, of having to pay some tax back.

Virtually all cycle to work schemes provide bikes that aren't used for the majority of time for commuting etc, people have billed for time where they aren't working, using CUK at work is against client internet usuage policy etc.

[Gaz_M]

A web site developer who does some design might need a camera to take nice photos for his websites, there you go.

I am currently writing a brand new travel website & the free photos available online are pretty shocking. I am therefore looking at camera's for this very reason but I'd be a fool to only use it for that purpose.

My need for a tablet is all around web development, buying old websites, buying domain names etc where a portable device would make life so much easier especially as I currently spend 10 hours a week on a train & five nights in a hotel.
However, it is not a necessity and would not be used 100% for work.

Anyway, I've had enough replies to my original question to know that there are contractor's out there who would & would not be able to justify such a purchase. I guess it's all about presonal choice & I shall go back to the hotel tonight & think about it over 6 pints of stella.........btw, can you put 6 pints of stella through the company?

[VectraMan]

I have a genuine need to test on an iPhad, so I could buy one through the company. But of course you only save the 20%, and then over 4 years, and if you want to sell it, even to yourself later on then that also has to go through the company. It may not be worth the extra complication. If it's just yours, and you let the company borrow it, then you can do what you like with it.

I think if you're a software developer, or IT Consultant, then having having access to a computer is a no-brainer and it's rather ridiculous to worry about it. I can't imagine plumbers worry about whether they can claim the cost of a pipe wrench, even though they might occasionally use it on their own pipes.

[Alan @ BroomeAffinity]

I hear a lot of crackers:

I know of a contractor who wanted to claim for decking in his back garden because he was a rope access tech and he needed somewhere to prepare his ropes.

And another who wanted to claim £1700 for a PC screen which turned out to be a 3DTV.

[LatteLiberal]

We have had that one a few times as well. One bought a camera and wanted to take pictures of the client offices for his web page so wanted to put it through the business.

The reasons people give themselves to justify this are just beyond comprehension. People need to think what would HMRC think, not justify it to themselves.

A web site developer who does some design might need a camera to take nice photos for his websites, there you go.

[northernladuk]

Might as well buy a camera so you can take photos for your corporate brochure

I struggle to see how a tablet can help your business ?

We have had that one a few times as well. One bought a camera and wanted to take pictures of the client offices for his web page so wanted to put it through the business.

The reasons people give themselves to justify this are just beyond comprehension. People need to think what would HMRC think, not justify it to themselves.

[FiveTimes]

But that's the grey area we keep coming back to.

Would a tablet help my business - yes.
Is a tablet an absolute necessity to run my business - no.

I've just asked another contractor at work what he would do & he said 'just get one'. He even put a sat nav through the business because it 'helps me get to interviews on time but 99% of the time it's for personal use'.

There certainly seems no definitive answer here & it is down to the individual with what they are comfortable with.

Might as well buy a camera so you can take photos for your corporate brochure

I struggle to see how a tablet can help your business ?

[northernladuk]

But that's the grey area we keep coming back to.

Would a tablet help my business - yes.
Is a tablet an absolute necessity to run my business - no.

I've just asked another contractor at work what he would do & he said 'just get one'. He even put a sat nav through the business because it 'helps me get to interviews on time but 99% of the time it's for personal use'.

There certainly seems no definitive answer here & it is down to the individual with what they are comfortable with.

Ok, so what do you think it would help you with for your business? Help as in allow you to browse web, read emails, the things a smartphone can do? Take notes? Be more mobile?

If he uses a satnav for 1% of the time to get to interviews he is doing something wrong IMO lol....

See how many people know about IR35 on your site while you are at it. Will give you an idea who is at least taking it seriously.

But yes, at the end of the day you are correct, what do YOU want to do.

[Gaz_M]

I agree with what NLUK has said.
If its needed for business then buy it. Otherwise leave it.

My powerline plugs packed in that connect my NAS to router.

The NAS has my invoices, website, data etc... so I bought a new pair of plugs. If I didnt have the NAS then I wouldnt need to sockets.

But that's the grey area we keep coming back to.

Would a tablet help my business - yes.
Is a tablet an absolute necessity to run my business - no.

I've just asked another contractor at work what he would do & he said 'just get one'. He even put a sat nav through the business because it 'helps me get to interviews on time but 99% of the time it's for personal use'.

There certainly seems no definitive answer here & it is down to the individual with what they are comfortable with.