Opinion

As the number of people paying dividend tax in the 2024/25 tax year is forecast to have doubled in the last three years, Laith Khalaf looks at how investors can beat the dividend tax trap. Cuts to the dividend allowance mean the number of people facing tax on their dividends is soaring. HMRC forecas

Marking World Entrepreneurs' Day, Martyn Kendrick highlights the entrepreneurial spirit in Scotland, discussing the importance of institutional support for new businesses and Bank of Scotland's role in fostering entrepreneurial success. Entrepreneurs are the heartbeat of Scotland. We have a ric

While we continue to adapt to the unfamiliarity of a Labour government, businesses across Scotland are already analysing what that might mean for their sector, writes Mark Brown. Full details are yet to emerge of the party’s intentions, however, business leaders are keeping a close eye on emer

Whilst being self-employed comes with a range of benefits, there are some things that can slip down the agenda in between managing a business, tax returns and work-life balance. Thinking about retirement and saving into a pension is often one of them – but it doesn’t pay to put it off, w

Business succession expert Mike Kane discusses the advantages of selling a business when there is no immediate need to do so, exploring various exit strategies, and how owners can avoid pressure during negotiations. "I'm thinking of selling my business when I reach retirement age – can you hel

A landmark legal ruling which has been pivotal in shaping and safeguarding the Harris Tweed industry celebrated its 60th anniversary recently. The authority’s legal advisor Colin Hulme summarises the importance of the case and ruling. The name “Harris Tweed” can only be used t

Gilson Gray partner Stephen Dick calls for better collaboration to boost the number of newbuild completions in Scotland and hopes the new Labour UK government will provide a potential positive influence. While the impact will largely be seen south of the border, the new Labour government has pr

Michael Cox and Cameron Knaggs discuss a new and much-needed form of security in Scotland. Modern day businesses can have various significant moveable assets that they would like to utilise for the purpose of raising bank finance. For example, many technology businesses are rich in intellectual prop

Excluding the impact of being a partner in an unincorporated business which is declared bankrupt, the two main routes into bankruptcy are by an individual submitting the appropriate form to the accountant in bankruptcy (AiB – a civil servant based in Ayrshire) or a creditor lodging a petition

Scotland’s higher education institutions have a richly deserved reputation as being global leaders in research, writes Susan Nightingale. In fact, St Andrews is the English-speaking world’s third oldest university and regularly features among the UK’s top-performing academic establ

Scotland's Land & Buildings Transaction Tax hits record high as more homes cross tax threshold, writes property expert Dr John Boyle. Rettie has just completed our annual review of Scotland’s property tax (Land & Buildings Transaction Tax, or LBTT). A dry subject, but one most home buy

Paul Angell, head of investment research at AJ Bell, looks at what happens when a prominent fund manager leaves or retires and the questions investors might ask themselves when deciding what to do. While the concept of ‘star managers’ may have lost some momentum in recent years, there ar

Gillian Fleming explores the transformative potential of increasing women's participation in angel investing. Women investing in early-stage unlisted companies, known as angel investing, at the same rate as men would see the status quo disrupted significantly. Creating a much more inclusive and dive

Tax expert Stuart Petrie discusses the heightened scrutiny and increased enforcement efforts by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), emphasising the importance of taking any enquiries seriously, the methods used for tax recovery, and the benefits of voluntary disclosures to mitigate penalties and liabilit

Entrepreneurship in Scotland is gaining traction among both young and older generations, writes Susan Nightingale, highlighting the support available and the diverse success stories within the start-up ecosystem. The Scottish school curriculum currently sees children as young as five years old takin