(b) The directors of Carver Ltd are aware that some of the company’s shareholders want to realise the value in their
shares immediately. Accordingly, instead of investing in the office building or the share portfolio they are
considering two alternative strategies whereby, following the sale of the company’s business, a payment will be
made to the company’s shareholders.
(i) Liquidate the company. The payment by the liquidator would be ￡126 per share.
(ii) The payment of a dividend of ￡125 per share following which a liquidator will be appointed. The payment
by the liquidator to the shareholders would then be ￡1 per share.
The company originally issued 20,000 ￡1 ordinary shares at par value to 19 members of the Cutler family.
Following a number of gifts and inheritances there are now 41 shareholders, all of whom are family members.
The directors have asked you to attend a meeting to set out the tax implications of these two alternative strategies
for each of the two main groups of shareholders: adults with shareholdings of more than 500 shares and children
with shareholdings of 200 shares or less.
Required:
Prepare notes explaining:
– the amount chargeable to tax; and
– the rates of tax that will apply
in respect of each of the two strategies for each of the two groups of shareholders ready for your meeting
with the directors of Carver Ltd. You should assume that none of the shareholders will have any capital
losses either in the tax year 2007/08 or brought forward as at 5 April 2007. (10 marks)
Note:
You should assume that the rates and allowances for the tax year 2006/07 will continue to apply for the
foreseeable future.