Start With Genuine Capital Gains Tax Experience

Finding a Specialist Capital Gains Tax Accountant is about more than choosing an accountant who prepares Self Assessment tax returns. Capital Gains Tax can involve property disposals, investment portfolios, company shares, business sales, inherited assets, overseas interests and complicated relief claims.

A specialist should be able to explain not simply what tax may be payable, but how the gain has been calculated, which costs are allowable, whether losses can be used and whether a particular relief applies.

When interviewing an adviser, ask:

• How frequently do you handle Capital Gains Tax cases?

• Do you deal with property, shares and business disposals?

• Can you review previous transactions where records are incomplete?

• Do you advise clients before an asset is sold?

That final question is particularly important. Tax planning is often more effective before a disposal becomes legally committed.

Check Their Knowledge of Current UK CGT Rates

The rules change, so an accountant relying on old rates or outdated online calculators could produce an incorrect liability.

For the 2026 to 2027 tax year, the Annual Exempt Amount for an individual is £3,000. The main CGT rates for individuals are 18% and 24%, depending on taxable income and the amount of gain falling within the basic rate band.

A competent adviser should also explain that the rate is not selected in isolation. Taxable income affects how much of the gain falls within the basic rate band.

Look for Property CGT Expertise

Property is one of the areas where specialist knowledge can make a substantial difference. A landlord selling a buy to let property, for example, needs more than a simple calculation of selling price minus purchase price.

Allowable expenditure can include qualifying acquisition and disposal costs and certain capital improvements. Ordinary maintenance expenditure does not automatically qualify as a capital enhancement cost.

Private Residence Relief can also change the calculation significantly where a property has been someone’s main residence. The detailed occupation history matters, particularly where the owner has moved out, let the property or used part of it for business.

A good property CGT accountant should therefore ask about:

• Purchase and completion dates

• Periods of occupation

• Periods of letting

• Improvement expenditure

• Solicitors and estate agent costs

• Joint ownership

• Previous transfers or gifts

• Property valuations

Test Their Ability to Calculate Allowable Costs

A surprisingly common problem is that taxpayers either claim too little or claim expenditure that HMRC does not permit.

HMRC states that allowable CGT expenditure can include costs connected with acquiring or disposing of an asset, enhancing its value, or establishing, preserving or defending title.

For example, imagine someone bought an investment property for £280,000 and later sold it for £420,000. During ownership, they spent £35,000 on a qualifying extension and paid £9,000 in qualifying acquisition and disposal costs.

The calculation is not simply £420,000 minus £280,000. Subject to the precise facts, qualifying costs can reduce the chargeable gain before applicable reliefs and allowances are considered.

An experienced accountant will also distinguish capital improvements from ordinary repairs rather than treating every renovation invoice as automatically deductible.

Ask About Reliefs Before Selling

Tax reliefs can be highly valuable, but eligibility depends on detailed conditions.

For business owners, Business Asset Disposal Relief may be relevant when qualifying business assets or shares are disposed of. From 6 April 2026, qualifying gains benefiting from the relief are charged at 18%, with a £1 million lifetime limit.

A specialist should examine the qualifying period and ownership conditions rather than simply assuming that selling a business means BADR applies.

Other situations may involve:

• Private Residence Relief

• Business Asset Disposal Relief

• Investors’ Relief

• Business Asset Rollover Relief

• Gift Hold-Over Relief

• Capital losses

• Spouse or civil partner transfers

The right adviser considers the whole transaction rather than looking only at the headline gain.

Check Their Approach to HMRC Reporting

Correct calculation is only part of the job. Reporting deadlines matter too.

Where CGT is due on a UK residential property disposal, the gain normally needs to be reported and the tax paid within 60 days of completion.

Other gains can generally be reported through Self Assessment in the tax year after disposal, or in qualifying circumstances through HMRC’s real time CGT service. For a gain made during 2025 to 2026 reported through that service, the reporting deadline is 31 December 2026 and payment is due by 31 January 2027.

A specialist should tell you exactly which reporting route applies rather than leaving the deadline until your annual tax return.