HM Revenue & Customs kindly provides companies with a form that can be used to apply for advance assurance that a company is a qualifying investment for Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) or Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) purposes.
Obtaining such assurance in advance of a share issue under either scheme is highly valuable to prospective investors – in fact, most sophisticated investors will insist upon sight of such an assurance before parting with their cash.
But there is a problem with the form – its dual status means that if you simply fill it out without specifying which of the schemes you are applying under then you are leaving it to HMRC to guess which you are after – which isn’t the best plan in a formal tax clearance!
Admittedly there are a couple of tick boxes that relate specifically to SEIS but you would be well advised to draft a separate letter spelling out your requirements or seeking professional assistance – after all the difference between 50% income tax relief and 30% could free up extra investment for your fledgling company.
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