Can I Claim A Video Game Against Income?

[EverClean]

Hi

I am about to write a guide to a popular video game and publish on the Amazon Kindle Store. Obviously to write this guide I need access to the game. My question is-

Can I buy the game and claim this as expenditure against my income? The game will only be used by me and only be used for the purposes of research to write the book. I don't want to fall foul of the tax man.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!!

[murraymints]

seems reasonable....

[ummmm]

Yes.

[RATTER15]

Yes, I dont see why not as long as you keep all your accounts in order so you can prove your income and expenditure to the tax man.

[EverClean]

Thanks to all!

[RandyMarsh]

what game?

[Peter Pedant]

The income derived should be declared on self employed income on your tax form -

it is likely that your profits will be such that three line accounts are sufficient - and the cost of the game could be in allowable expenses

it is an unwise course of action to make a loss on this head and try to offset it against other income .... that really will poss off the taxman

[Quizproquo]

I think it might depend on certain criteria. For instance, if your review consists of two lines saying "Buy game, play game!" then the taxman might take a dim view of you ascribing it to necessary expenses.

[ummmm]

But the chances of being checked are pretty slim. I ran a business for over 10 years and was never looked at.

[Quizproquo]

Really Ummmm? That sounds pretty good to be fair. If I was the OP, I'd write "Buy game, play game" and claim it. :D

[jno]

sounds like he has rather more than a four-word review in mind, Quizproquo? He's writing a guide to publish on Kindle.

[ummmm]

Yeah but where I work now got checked after 8 months of start up. They just walked into the office and took all my paperwork! I shouldn't complain really, it meant I had two weeks off :-)

Bloody fraud squad.

[Peter Pedant]

umm doesnt sound like a standard VAT check

to take every scrap of paper takes an Anton Piller / mareva injunction
and I dont think you just waltz into a magistrate and ask for one
( you kinda need evidence )
now superseded by a statutory search order
http://www.inbrief.co.uk/civil-court/search-orders/

[andy-hughes]

The golden rule with claiming expenses is very simple - bung everything in you can think of - the Revenue will tell you what they will and will not accept.

You say thank you very much, and pay your tax.

Job done.

[ummmm]

It wasn't a VAT check, Peter. It was a check by the fraud Sqad. They made an appointment to come in and took the paperwork with them with permission. We have nothing to hide!

Like Andy says though, claim for anything and everything business related just be aware that some things might not get through. Of all the receipts that I'd put through not one was denied and some were borderline pushing our luck.

[EverClean]

Thanks everyone. It is a full guide to the game (FIFA) rather than a review. It's certainly sounds as though it is allowable.

[murraymints]

good luck with that ever xx