The RM2 Partnership provide employee share schemes, share options, share purchase schemes and employee share trusts

News Update

New edition of the Guide

Sat 18th October 2008

The 2008/09 edition of "Employee Share Schemes - A Guide for Directors" has arrived.

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Reasons to be cheerful

Fri 17th October 2008

Everyone seems to be talking about recession. But it's not all gloom. We have some practical suggestions for ways in which RM2...

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Boost to share ownership in Germany

Fri 29th August 2008

In response to a widening gap between rising corporate profits and employee wages, the German government is to promote employee share...

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SAYE rate boost

Mon 11th August 2008

From 1st September 2008, the bonus rates for SAYE share option schemes are increasing. For the 3 year plan, the bonus rate (expressed...

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Non-domiciliaries: Government wriggles

Tue 10th June 2008

The 2008 Finance Bill introduced a new regime whereby persons not domiciled in this country could choose between declaring their...

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Budget boost for EMIs

Thu 13th March 2008

Alastair Darling announced that, from 6th April 2008, the upper limit on the value of shares that can be offered under an EMI scheme...

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Research backs EMI effectiveness

Fri 29th February 2008

Nearly 80 per cent. of employers offering employee share options under the Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) say that the scheme...

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New CGT rules and share schemes

Fri 25th January 2008

Alastair Darling's new CGT rules offer some crumbs to small business owners but have little effect on employee share schemes.

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£12m SAYE bonanza for HBOS staff

Fri 11th January 2008

HBOS has announced a payout of approximately £12m to its workforce of almost 14,000 staff following the maturity this week of its...

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More companies to escape options audit

Wed 9th January 2008

Regulations coming into force in April will allow more companies to qualify as "small", and thus escape the requirement to expense...

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No equity? I'm leaving!

Tue 8th January 2008

Leading City firm Close Brothers is suffering defections by senior staff as rumours grow of an imminent takeover bid. Five member...

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Revised ABI Guidelines

Mon 10th December 2007

In recent years the ABI have chosen the month of December to issue revisions to their guidelines for executive remuneration.

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Non-execs favour pay in options

Wed 28th November 2007

A big majority of non-executive directors at unlisted companies think they should receive shares or options as part of their pay,...

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Practitioners lobby for end to tax trap

Thu 8th November 2007

The Employee Share Ownership Centre and Clifford Chance are leading calls for a change in the tax rules that apply to share schemes...

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New CGT regime - implications for share schemes

Fri 19th October 2007

In the pre-Budget statement on October 9th 2007, the Chancellor announced that the previous capital gains tax regime would be abolished...

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SAYE bonus rates increased

Sat 15th September 2007

The Treasury has raised the bonus rates on Save As You Earn (SAYE) share option schemes. This reflects a general rise in interest...

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Share scheme returns go on-line

Fri 15th June 2007

We understand from HM REvenue & Customs that, within the next two years, they will require most employee share scheme returns...

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Share scheme returns go on-line

Fri 15th June 2007

We understand from HM REvenue & Customs that, within the next two years, they will require most employee share scheme returns...

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Non-domiciliaries: Government wriggles

Tue 10th June 2008

The 2008 Finance Bill introduced a new regime whereby persons not domiciled in this country could choose between declaring their entire worldwide income for UK tax purposes, or paying a special £30,000 charge plus tax on any amounts remitted to the UK (the “remittance basis”). As originally drafted, however, this did not apply to share scheme benefits arising offshore, which would continue to be subject to UK income tax and NIC.

In amendments tabled on 6th June 2008, the Government now proposes that, if the non-domiciled UK tax payer elects for the remittance basis, any offshore share scheme gains will be taxed only if remitted. However, it has not backed down on the question of NIC contributions on offshore share option gains. HM Revenue & Customs also believes that, based on current drafting, all offshore gains arising on UK shares will be deemed to be automatically remitted to the UK for tax purposes whether or not the employee wishes to do so.

This situation is clearly unsatisfactory, so we expect another government announcement before the Finance Bill receives Royal Assent – now expected between 18th July and 5th August 2008.