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ISAs: Enjoying the Capital Gains Tax Advantages
One of the biggest advantages to opening an ISA is the fact that you avoid paying capital gains taxes on the shares you sell profitably.
This benefit has led many to explore their options in shares ISAs, even if they don't completely understand the tax breaks involved.
This article will explain capital gains tax in greater detail, helping you develop a clear picture of how an ISA can benefit you in this area.

What is Capital Gains Tax?

Simply put, capital gains tax is paid on money you make throughout the tax year.
It only applies to sales of items that have increased in value and is only applicable on gains of £10,100 or more.
Capital gains tax is not applied to the following:
Your home (primary residence)
Your car
UK government bonds
Lottery winnings
Money that is accounted for as income
Money made on personal belongings that totals less than £6,000

Another "gain" that you do not have to pay tax on is money made from ISAs.
The amount of capital gain is calculated for the tax year, or from April 6 to April 5.
Capital gains are reported with the rest of your annual income tax, using special pages allotted for this purpose.

How is it Calculated?

Capital gains tax is determined using the following criteria:
The amount of money received after selling an asset
Costs that reduced the amount of gains you earned
Losses on assets that would normally fit the capital gains definition
The annual exempt amount, which is currently £10,100

The individual would calculate the full amount of money received and subtract out any costs or losses to obtain a net asset amount.
This would be the figure upon which the capital gains tax amount would be based.
Of course, this is a simplified formula that is explained in more detail on the tax forms for capital gains reporting.
If you have any questions about your capital gains tax, it is best to talk to a qualified tax advisor.

Can I Reduce My Capital Gains Obligation?

In some cases, losses taken during the tax year can be used to offset capital gains tax for that year.
However, losses on ISA investments cannot be used for this purpose.
Since you are not paying capital gains tax on the money you earn, you cannot use the same principle to offset gains on other investments with losses from these exempt financial products.
This is true of any loss you take that would not normally apply to capital gains tax, such as the sale of your car.

How Much Will I Save?

The capital gains tax benefit will vary from individual to individual and year to year.
Last year, the standard rate for capital gains tax was 18%.
This means that for every £100 of capital gains earned, you would have to pay £18 in tax.
The more you earn on your ISA, the greater the savings becomes.

Saving capital gains tax is one of the biggest draws for opening an ISA.
If you have additional questions about the tax benefits of an ISA, talk to your tax advisor.