Training Costs - Tax allowable ?

[D 129]

I posted this on the "Wannabes" recently - But as I am interested in instructing as a career, I thought that an existing instructor might have walked this path before - Any information appreciated. Thanks.


Has anyone out there had any success with this topic ?

I'm UK based and am currently part way through JAA ATPL ground school.

It's tax return time of year again and I got to thinking "wouldn't it be nice" if the thousands of pounds that I am spending on training costs could be offset my future income as a pilot.

i.e. - Get a large part of my training costs refunded albeit a year or two down the line.

I made some brief enquiries - thought about setting up a company to incurr the costs now and earn fees / employ me later. The small advice that I received was that "it can't be done in the U.K. - expenses are only allowable when you are employed ..." and "one man companies were abused a
lot in the past - so nothing is available now ...".

If you have managed to solve this one, I'd love to hear from you !

Thanks,

D 129

[eyeinthesky]

I'm not an accountant, but the advice I received from mine was that the costs involved in GETTING your qualification were not tax deductible but the ones in MAINTAINING or RENEWING it were.

If you have more than one source of income from flying (i.e. you don't just instruct for one flying school) then the problems of IR35 should not arise.

I'm sure better-qualified people than me will give you fuller answers.