Salary vs Dividends — Director Pay
Beyond salary and dividends — pensions, spouses, the bigger picture
The advanced toolkit — employer pensions, spouse shareholdings, the 60% trap, HICBC.
After April 2026, **employer pension contributions** are often the most efficient extraction of all — no NI, no dividend tax, deductible against corporation tax. Annual allowance £60,000. If your spouse genuinely owns shares, dividend splitting can use both sets of allowances + basic-rate bands. Genuine economic ownership is required (HMRC scrutinises settlements). The **£100,000–£125,140 60% effective rate** and the **HICBC clawback (£60k–£80k)** can undo naive plans. **Read the full guide at [rraccountants.uk/director-pay-pensions-spouses](https://rraccountants.uk/director-pay-pensions-spouses).**
Resources
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