David asked one question.Here's every side of his answer.
David, 58, is selling his company for £3.5 million and asked what he'd keep. This is his report, side by side. He is an illustrative person; the figures are worked from stated assumptions.
The tax on the sale
Capital gains tax of about £780,000, with the lower rate on the first £1 million of lifetime gains. That rate rose to 18% in April 2026, so the timing of completion matters.
| Gain | £3,500,000 | Computed |
| Capital gains tax | about £780,000 | Computed |
| Due | 31 January after the tax year | Computed |
Sources: ■ said, ● document, ▲ connected, ◆ computed. Every computed figure names the rule and legislation it used.
Illustrative · what the report looks at · information, not advice
Eight things that moved David's number
David's report looked at eight topics. For each one, this shows why it mattered to his figures and what a regulated adviser, accountant or solicitor would check. It describes what the report covers. It does not say what David should do.
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When the sale completes
Report side: Tax
Why it mattered to David's figures
Capital gains tax rates and reliefs are set for each tax year. The rate on the first £1 million of lifetime gains that qualify for relief rose to 18% in April 2026, so the tax year in which completion falls changes the figure on the Tax side.
What a regulated professional would check
Which tax year completion falls in, and which rates, reliefs and allowances apply to that year.
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Who owns the shares
Report side: Family
Why it mattered to David's figures
David holds every share himself. Each spouse has their own allowances, so how the shares are held on the day of sale affects how much of the gain those allowances cover. The Family side shows the illustrative difference.
What a regulated professional would check
The current shareholding, whether any change in ownership is possible before completion, and the tax rules that would apply to it.
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Who the buyer is
Report side: Business
Why it mattered to David's figures
A trade buyer, a management buyout and an employee ownership trust each lead to a different price, a different tax treatment and a different outcome for his team.
What a regulated professional would check
How each type of buyer is taxed, and what each would mean for the business and the people who work in it.
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Pension contributions while he owns the company
Report side: Retirement
Why it mattered to David's figures
A company can pay into a director's pension only while he still owns it, and a contribution affects both the company's tax and what is left from the sale. The Retirement side shows the illustrative figure.
What a regulated professional would check
His pension allowances, any contributions already made, and how a company contribution would be treated for tax.
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His team's share options
Report side: Business
Why it mattered to David's figures
How employees' share options are set up can change the tax they pay when the company is sold. It does not change David's own tax, but it affects people he cares about.
What a regulated professional would check
The rules of the option scheme and how options are taxed when the company is sold.
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What happens to the proceeds
Report side: Legacy
Why it mattered to David's figures
Once the sale completes, the proceeds are cash in his estate. Shares in a trading company can qualify for inheritance tax relief; cash does not. If nothing changes, the Legacy side shows an illustrative inheritance tax figure of £1,040,800.
What a regulated professional would check
How his estate is made up after the sale, and the inheritance tax rules and allowances that apply to it.
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His will and powers of attorney
Report side: Protection
Why it mattered to David's figures
His will dates from 2011, when the company was his main asset, and he has no lasting powers of attorney. Registering a lasting power of attorney costs £92 for each one.
What a regulated professional would check
Whether the will still reflects an estate that is now mostly cash, and how lasting powers of attorney work.
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Who can help with each question
Report side: All sides
Why it mattered to David's figures
The report lists the questions each side raises and the kind of professional who usually answers them. When introductions open, he can choose whether to meet a checked adviser or solicitor.
What a regulated professional would check
Whoever he chooses would confirm every figure against his own documents before anything is decided.
Illustration. David is a fictional example. The figures are worked from stated assumptions under UK rules for the 2026/27 tax year, checked 14 October 2026. This is information about what a report covers, not financial, tax or legal advice.