What is Value Shifting
Published / Last Updated on 13/07/2020
If you or your business sold an asset e.g. commercial property to your pension fund for higher than its market value then this would be ‘value shifting’.
This is because you personally/your business would have been paid more than what the asset was worth. You will have secured additional funds from your pension scheme that then are technically unauthorised payments and then both you and your pension scheme would face a unauthorised payment surcharges and penalties.
If you buy an asset e.g. a property from your loved ones for ‘under market value’, this is technically not illegal, it is legal ‘value shifting’ but your loved ones may face capital gains taxes anyway payable on the higher market value of the asset and not what you paid for it. In addition, the difference between the paid amount and the market value may also be considered a gift for inheritance tax purposes. Your loved ones would need to live for 7 years after the date of the gift for it to fall outside of the estate for inheritance tax calculations.
