What’s in this guide
Salary vs Dividends — The Optimal Mix
The most tax-efficient director pay strategy balances a low salary (to preserve NI) with dividend payments from retained profit. Here's how to calculate the right split.
Pension Contributions for Directors
Company pension contributions are a tax-deductible expense and reduce your corporation tax bill. Learn how to use your pension allowance to extract profit tax-free.
The S455 Charge — Director Loans Explained
Borrowing from your company? The S455 tax charge applies to overdrawn director loan accounts. Understand the rules and how to avoid a costly HMRC bill.
Extracting Profit from Your Limited Company
Beyond salary and dividends, there are other tax-efficient ways to take money from your company — expenses, benefits, and more.
Capital Gains vs Income — Which Is Better?
In some cases, structuring income as capital gains can result in a lower tax rate. Understand when this applies and what the risks are.
Annual Tax Planning Checklist for Directors
Key actions to take before the end of each tax year — from using your dividend allowance to reviewing your pension contributions.
Director Tax Articles
In-depth guides on director pay, dividends, and tax planning
Company Pension Contributions — The Most Tax-Efficient Way to Extract Profit
Company pension contributions reduce corporation tax and grow tax-efficiently. Learn how UK directors can use them to extract profit from their limited company.
Director's Loan Accounts and S455 Tax — What You Need to Know
An overdrawn director's loan account can trigger an S455 tax charge if not repaid within 9 months of the company year end. Here is what to watch for.
Members' Voluntary Liquidation (MVL) — Is It Worth It for Extracting Company Reserves?
An MVL lets directors extract company reserves as a capital distribution rather than income, often at a lower tax rate. Here is when it makes sense.
Salary vs Dividends — How UK Limited Company Directors Should Pay Themselves
Most UK limited company directors use a small salary plus dividends to minimise tax. Here is how the combination works and where the key thresholds sit.
How to Keep Your Income Tax-Efficient Year to Year as a Limited Company Director
Smoothing your director income across tax years prevents unnecessary jumps into higher tax bands. Here is the planning approach that works best for most UK directors.
Salary vs Dividends: The Optimal Director Pay Strategy for 2025/26
How to structure your director pay between salary and dividends to minimise tax. A practical guide to the most tax-efficient remuneration strategy for UK company directors.
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