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The Global Insight

Do I have to pay capital gains tax when I sell my business?

Author

James Williams

Updated on March 10, 2026

You want to do that because proceeds from the sale of a capital asset , including business property or your entire business, are taxed as capital gains. In fact, if you’ve held the asset for longer than 12 months, the maximum tax on long-term capital gains is 15 percent for qualifying taxpayers.

How much capital gains tax will I pay if I sell my business?

In the sale of a company, your tax obligations will depend on whether the sale is an asset sale or a share sale. For a share sale, you will only pay capital gains tax on the profits from the sale of the shares. For basic rate taxpayers the rate is 10%, while for higher-rate tax payers it is 20%.

Do I pay tax if I sell my company shares?

When selling shares, if you make a profit, you have to pay capital gains tax.

Are shares tax free after 5 years?

If you get shares through a Share Incentive Plan ( SIP ) and keep them in the plan for 5 years you will not pay Income Tax or National Insurance on their value.

Do you have to pay capital gains when you sell a business?

As the name suggests, Capital Gains Tax is a tax levied on any large sale, such as that of a property or in this case, your business. Capital Gains Tax exists to encourage long-term investment, so if you’ve only held the company for a year and think it’s time to sell, you’ll have to pay an increased rate.

What can I do to avoid capital gains tax?

For this reason, it’s becoming an increasingly popular option. An Installment Sale Agreement is a method through which investors can defer a certain amount of capital gain to future tax years. If a chunk of your profit is due to push you over your tax bracket threshold, an Installment Sale Agreement could help to avoid this.

How to defer capital gains on the sale of a business?

One way to defer (postpone) capital gains on the sale of your business is by reinvesting the proceeds in a tax-qualified Opportunity Zone. 6 Your investment in an opportunity zone must be made within 180 days of the sale through a Qualified Opportunity Fund. These funds invest in economically distressed communities in the U.S.

How does a sale of a business reduce tax?

For business sales, the use of an Installment Sale Agreement can help to significantly reduce the tax you pay. For this reason, it’s becoming an increasingly popular option. An Installment Sale Agreement is a method through which investors can defer a certain amount of capital gain to future tax years.