Venture Capital Trust too late for tax year 14-15?

slopemaster

I was wondering about putting some money in a Venture Capital Trust, but I'm stuggling to figure out whether, if I bought these shares now, I would be allowed to claim the tax relief for 2014-15.

I can't find anything on HMRC site.
I've seen stuff elsewhere suggeting it's not possible.
But Albion VCT is selling a "Top Up Offer 2014/2015" which suggests it is possible.

Can anyone help?

(And, if this idea won't fly, can anyone suggest another legitimate way to reduce my 2014-15 tax? Too late to put money in pension I guess.)

Aegis

Not a VCT, but you can carry back an Enterprise Investment Scheme contribution to the previous tax year. Similar investments to VCTs, but a different structure.

These can be very high risk investments, so do exercise caution before letting the tax tail wag the investment dog.

bowlhead99

You can carry back charitable contributions too, if you make them after the end of the tax year but before you do your tax return.

This would legitimately reduce your tax, but obviously giving away your assets has a net negative effect on your assets even after the tax relief, so you might not feel it was worth doing if you weren't going to give the donation at some point anyway.

slopemaster

Aegis wrote: »

These can be very high risk investments, so do exercise caution before letting the tax tail wag the investment dog.

I think it might be OK, as 90% of our money is in property, with the other 10% mostly in cash and small, conservatively-invested stakeholder pensions. So a small toe dipped in this might be good.
Can you (or anyone) point me at any good resources for researching EIS in terms of what to invest in, please?

slopemaster

bowlhead99 wrote: »

You can carry back charitable contributions too, if you make them after the end of the tax year but before you do your tax return.
.

Oh, thanks!
I do have a couple of direct debits set up to charity anyway, but I forgot I should claim this!