Did you know that in the case of Mr Brown v HMRC Mr Brown was able to claim a tax deduction for the loss in his share value without having to sell his shares? Its true, its known as a NegligibleValue Claim and HMRC have Help Sheet on it (286).

A negligible value claim enables you to set a capital loss against your income (or against other capital gains if you have them) for earlier years and claim a tax refund.

Many negligible value claims are made by shareholder directors whose company has failed. Their claim is to offset the loss on the shares in their company against their directors’ wages for earlier tax years.

When a taxpayer owns shares which become of negligible value the taxpayer may make a claim under s24 TCGA 1992, resulting in a deemed disposal and reacquisition, which crystallises a capital loss.

steve@bicknells.net