#Tax law is set up by different politicians at different times to achieve different aims, so we often end up with a strange mix of outcomes.

You may know what your Income is for income tax & national insurance purposes, but what about pension purposes? Child benefit high income charge? Childcare vouchers?

Here's a list of the main sources of income and when they're applicable when dealing with #HMRC:

Here are the main questions we ask our clients before making a recommendation:

1. ARE YOU MAKING TAX LOSSES?

Yes - If you are a Sole Trader in your first 4 tax years of trading you can offset these losses against other taxable income from the previous 3 tax years.

1. 4 Years - If you are in the first 4 years of your business and make a loss, you can use this loss to reduce your tax bill in the previous 3 years, such as from the job you had before you set up your business. You will receive a tax refund.

2. £5,725 - If your profits are lower than £5,725, you don't have to pay the annual £140 Class 2 NI, unless you need a credit towards your state pension. Ask for a repayment for earlier years.

3. £7,755 - If your profits are higher than £7,755, you will pay 9% Class 4 NI. This gets you no state benefits and effectively increases your tax rate from the 20% income tax rate to a total 29% tax rate.

When there was a window tax paid according to the number of windows in a building, property owners blocked out some windows with the sole purpose of paying less tax.

Was this tax avoidance? Yes

Was this illegal? No