Stephen Pitcher - Retirement & Financial Planning Expert

Friction Hides in Sequencing: The 60% Rate

Wealth isn't shaped only by growth. It's shaped by friction.

When directors approach longer-term planning — exit preparation, business sale, wealth transition — inefficient timing in earlier years can reduce flexibility later.

And that friction often hides in sequencing. The order and timing of decisions across tax years can compound in ways that aren't visible in any single year's accounts.

This short video explains why profit extraction may sit inside a broader architecture.

For information only. Professional advice should be sought where appropriate.

That Extra Dividend? It Could Trigger the 60% Rate

One extra dividend. One decision. And the effective tax rate on that specific payment may climb to around 60%.

This isn't about large sums or complicated structures. It may be triggered by a straightforward dividend that crosses the higher-rate threshold — something that happens routinely at year-end.

The question isn't whether the dividend is affordable. It's whether the timing has been considered alongside total income for the year.

Worth 60 seconds of your time 👇

For information only. Professional advice should be sought where appropriate.

The Hidden 60% Rate Directors Miss

Did you know there's a tax rate that sits between two familiar bands — and most UK directors only discover it when the calculation's already done?

It's called the 60% effective rate, and it's not a separate tax. It's what may happen when your dividend income crosses a specific threshold in a single tax year. The system is structured this way — but it's rarely explained in a way that connects to your own situation.

If you know another director who takes dividends, this might be worth sharing.

For information only. Professional advice should be sought where appropriate.

Taking profits from a company can seem like a simple year-end decision. But for company directors, timing can sometimes change how the wider tax picture works.

For example, taking dividends in March may interact differently with tax bands and allowances than waiting until April, when the new tax year has started.

This short clip explains why the “when” can matter — not just the “how".

Over time, pension arrangements may develop across different roles or organisations.

Reviewing existing arrangements together may support future planning.

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The value of your investment can go down as well as up. You could get back less than you invested.

Stephen Pitcher is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James's Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority).

SJP APPROVED 13/03/2026

March or April?

Taking profits from a company can seem straightforward. But sometimes, the timing can make a difference. A dividend taken just before the end of the tax year may interact differently with allowances and thresholds than one taken after the new tax year begins. This clip explains the idea in a simple way, using the example of income moving above £100,000.

Most people start with the amount.

But that’s not always where the real insight sits.

For directors, it’s often how decisions fit together — not just what they are individually.

Dividends and pensions are often placed side by side when directors think about extracting profits.

But they’re not simply interchangeable.

They operate in different parts of the financial structure — which can influence how outcomes develop over time.

A simple illustration — but one that often changes how directors think about extracting profits.

£60,000 taken one way can be treated very differently from £60,000 taken another.

Not because of the amount — but because of the structure behind it.

And that’s usually where longer-term planning starts to come into focus.

Did you know dividends can quietly cost you up to 40p in the pound? 💸

As a company director, there's a more tax-efficient way to move money from your business into your personal wealth — and most people aren't using it.

This short clip explains exactly how employer pension contributions work differently — and why that matters for your retirement.

The State Pension isn't complicated.
But for thousands of people, simply never checking it will quietly cost them thousands over their retirement.
Not bad decisions. Not bad luck. Just an oversight that was never corrected — because nobody warned them to look.
If you haven't checked your State Pension forecast recently, it takes minutes at gov.uk and it's completely free.
📌 General information only. Not personal financial advice.