Owner of a new UK / Irish business

sternn

Hi there,

I'm wondering if anyone could help me out here..

Myself and two people in the UK are setting up a product / services business to be based in the UK and Ireland. It will begin by selling to friends and family, and then moving on to the general public. Orders will be placed on the internet but it will involve the customer paying for, and attending a service we provide (sorry about the vagueness, I need to keep this under wraps for the moment).

We plan the company to be registered in the UK. Would it make sense to register it in Ireland too? If we hold off registering in Ireland, can I still be a director of the company in the UK if I stay in Ireland. The idea is that I will control the Irish side of things and they will control the UK side.

Thanks in advance for the help!

Aldormanndiobla

You can sell in Ireland with a UK company, your UK VAT wouldn't be charged on any sales in Ireland, but you would need to register VAT in Ireland and pay Irish VAT on all Irish sales. I've found out that most UK accountants don't like that sort of thing, its too much like hard work and the Irish Revenue like to have anyone who is tax resident in Ireland to pay Irish tax. So, if you do start selling big orders in Ireland, just get an Irish accountant to set you up an Irish company, alot less hassle than paying two Revenue/Customs people from one UK company. If its a couple of orders a month, you might as well post them over. Oh and find a good currency company, they are hard to find these days, because most of them go out of business after a few years. Disclaimer: These comments are only from my personal experience.

robinph

A director of a UK company can be resident anywhere, the company just needs to have a UK registered office address.

Aldormanndiobla

That is true, but there is a difference between resident and tax resident.

robinph

Well you'll be liable for income tax in whichever country you personally happen to be living in for the 180 odd days a year, that is separate from any tax that is applied to the company and wherever that is resident.

Aldormanndiobla

There is is a big difference between corperation tax and personal tax. I wasn't talking about corp tax, of course you have to pay that to the UK gov is the company is a UK company based in the UK. I was talking about personal tax and being tax resident in Ireland. The 180 days covers Ireland, but doesn't cover the UK. The UK you are liable to pay tax up to 4 years after you left the country. Thats when the double taxation rule comes in, so you don't get taxed twice. The tax rules are different for each country. I am English, I was born in England, I paid tax in the UK up to 5 years ago through my UK company, I moved to Ireland and I pay Irish tax from my Irish company. If I was still working though my UK company, my personal tax would go to the Irish Revenue, but all company tax would go to the UK gov. The OP needs to seek professional advice, instead of taking information off strangers on the internet. Mod, please tell me why my carriage returns aren't working.

robinph

Are on about income tax or corporate tax, and which one the UK are still chasing you for years after you leave?