Opinion

Derek Anderson, senior paraplanner at Edinburgh-based Mearns & Company, chartered financial planners, discusses sustainable investing and whether it can act as an alternative to ethical investing. As individuals, it may seem that our own savings each year can’t make much of a positive diff

Craig Coyle, a corporate tax partner at Campbell Dallas, has emphasised that the British economy needs a budget that will support and encourage global trade. He said: "The new Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, is dealing with an unprecedented number of issues that are threatening the economy. A budget that h

Carol Flockhart, managing partner at accountancy firm Chiene + Tait, highlights the benefits of apprentice programmes.  This is Scottish Apprenticeship Week, an annual event in which employers, learning providers and apprentices across the country promote the importance and benefits of work-bas

Jim McMahon, tax manager at Balfour+Manson, discusses the upcoming changes in residential property sales which will impact Capital Gains Tax liability. Whilst significant changes to Capital Gains Tax are rare, April 2020 will see several changes brought in which will affect those disposing of reside

Womble Bond Dickinson's partner Jeremy Smith, managing associate Michelle Essen and practice development lawyer Karen Plumbley-Jones highlight further changes to the off-payroll working rules (IR35). Changes to the off-payroll working rules - which will impact on the construction industry by placing

Stephen Cowan, managing director of Yuill + Kyle, provides information on the Scottish Debt Recovery system. Many English solicitors are mystified with Scotland’s procedures for the recovery of undisputed debt. This should not be the case. Like our English cousins ultimately the process involv

Gordon Deane, partner at Balfour+Manson, discusses the English case where borrowers were successful in challenging the validity of a loan transfer from one bank to another. The facts of the case are as follows. The Emanuels had borrowed money from Clydesdale Bank for the purposes of their

Nicola Brown, associate solicitor, dispute resolution at Blackadders solicitors, discusses the economics of litigating debts claims under the value of £5,000. We are frequently contacted by clients regarding the pursuit of debts under £5000. The first question that is inevitably asked is

Kristen Bennie, head of open experience at Royal Bank of Scotland, urges that Scots struggling with the stresses of 'life admin' should take time for themselves. It doesn’t seem all that long ago that we were all setting New Year goals to aim for. Perhaps it was to read more books or spend mor

Shirley McIntosh, tax partner at RSM, discusses the new challenges facing the legal sector amid changes in property tax. The start of the new tax year on 6 April 2020 will see the latest in a long line of changes in the taxation of property introduced since April 2013, from new and abolished rules,

In light of Brexit, Fraser Campbell, head of family business and international advisory partner at Campbell Dallas, details how the rest of the world wants to do business with Scotland. Whatever your views on Brexit, as the UK loses its membership of the EU it might be worth taking a steer from a me

Mark Brown, audit, accounts and business assurance partner at Meston Reid & Co, said the practice is finding more and more companies are seeking an audit, even when not required to do so. Meston Reid & Co have recorded a 25% growth in limited company audit work in recent times. Whilst this i

Dave Philp, head of R&D tax at accountancy firm Chiene + Tait, urges business to prepare for a research and development (R&D) tax relief crackdown. R&D (research and development) tax relief, introduced in 2000 to encourage more company investment into innovation, is more popular than eve

As the UK enters the Brexit transition period, Susie Walker, head of tax at Johnston Carmichael, urges businesses to be prepared for leaving the EU without a trade deal. Even though the UK is now officially entering the 11-month transition period, there is no guarantee that a comprehensive trade dea

Michael Reid, insolvency partner at Aberdeen-based Meston Reid & Co, discusses whether voluntary liquidation is a practical response to IR35. New legislation that goes live this April could be the death knell for many personal service companies active in the north-east of Scotland, but perhaps o