Opinion

Excluding the impact of being a partner in an unincorporated business which is declared bankrupt, the two main routes into bankruptcy are by an individual submitting the appropriate form to the accountant in bankruptcy (AiB – a civil servant based in Ayrshire) or a creditor lodging a petition

Scotland’s higher education institutions have a richly deserved reputation as being global leaders in research, writes Susan Nightingale. In fact, St Andrews is the English-speaking world’s third oldest university and regularly features among the UK’s top-performing academic establ

Scotland's Land & Buildings Transaction Tax hits record high as more homes cross tax threshold, writes property expert Dr John Boyle. Rettie has just completed our annual review of Scotland’s property tax (Land & Buildings Transaction Tax, or LBTT). A dry subject, but one most home buy

Paul Angell, head of investment research at AJ Bell, looks at what happens when a prominent fund manager leaves or retires and the questions investors might ask themselves when deciding what to do. While the concept of ‘star managers’ may have lost some momentum in recent years, there ar

Gillian Fleming explores the transformative potential of increasing women's participation in angel investing. Women investing in early-stage unlisted companies, known as angel investing, at the same rate as men would see the status quo disrupted significantly. Creating a much more inclusive and dive

Tax expert Stuart Petrie discusses the heightened scrutiny and increased enforcement efforts by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), emphasising the importance of taking any enquiries seriously, the methods used for tax recovery, and the benefits of voluntary disclosures to mitigate penalties and liabilit

Entrepreneurship in Scotland is gaining traction among both young and older generations, writes Susan Nightingale, highlighting the support available and the diverse success stories within the start-up ecosystem. The Scottish school curriculum currently sees children as young as five years old takin

It’s no surprise that the King’s Speech has sparked plenty of headlines, providing the first official opportunity for the new government to set out its plans for the future with key legislation and proposals, writes Jen Paice. And one which will catch the eye of many of us considering ou

Overnight accommodation providers should be aware of the administrative challenges posed by the soon to be implemented Scottish Visitor Levy, writes Caroline Colliston. On May 28, 2024, the Scottish Parliament passed groundbreaking legislation introducing the Scottish Visitor Levy, commonly dub

Malcolm Bell, member of the Accounts Commission, discusses the challenges facing local councils in Scotland, including financial pressures, increasing demand, and the need for transformation in service delivery, and how they can be addressed through effective leadership, collaboration, and community

Many would acknowledge that Scots law in relation to security over moveables has been behind the curve for some considerable time and that businesses based in or conducting business in Scotland have been disadvantaged as a result, writes Euan Cluness. The legal profession and Scottish businesse

As Scotland's councils are increasingly faced with tough budget decisions, the role of the chief financial officer (CFO) is critical in ensuring financial sustainability and stability in local government, writes Jo Armstrong – chair of Audit Scotland's Accounts Commission. Our Spring budget br

Caitlin Armstrong takes a look at what B2B businesses can learn from the fashion industry. Fashion brands are consumer-facing so have nothing to teach business-to-business brands – right?

The Scottish government is seeking to address some of the overly restrictive aspects of the short-term let licensing rules, but the measures may not be enough to tackle “unnecessary” regulation and financial burdens faced by the Scottish tourism industry, writes Kirsty Gallacher. In

Funders are out in force and looking for opportunities as the commercial property sector in Scotland once again demonstrates its resilience, writes Ian Woods as he analyses trends in various sectors and critiques government policies. This time last year, it would have taken a large amount of br