How much do accountants charge for capital gains tax?

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In the UK, accountants typically charge between £350 and £950 (+ VAT) to handle a straightforward Capital Hicks Tax (CGT) return, such as selling a second home or a basic portfolio of shares. However, if your situation is more complex—like selling a business, handling multiple properties, or claiming special tax reliefs—fees generally range from £1500 to over £3,500 (+ VAT).

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If you have recently sold something valuable and made a profit, you might have received a tap on the shoulder from HMRC in the form of Capital Gains Tax. Figuring out exactly what you owe can be a bit of a headache, which is why many people turn to an accountant.

But how much will that actually cost you? Let’s break down the fees, what you are paying for, and why the price can go up or down.

Typical Accountant Fees for Capital Gains Tax

Not all sales are the same, and accountants usually price their services based on how much time and effort your specific situation will take.

Here is a guide to premium fee ranges in the UK for the 2025/2026 tax year:

What Did You Sell?	Typical Accountant Fee (+ VAT)	What This Usually Covers
Basic Shares or Crypto	£350 – £600	Calculating the profit on a straightforward portfolio, applying current allowances, and accurately reporting it on your Self Assessment tax return.
A Second Home or Rental Property	£600 – £950	Calculating the gain, applying complex property reliefs (like Private Residence Relief), and filing the strict “60-day” property tax return with HMRC.
Transferring Property to Family	£500 – £850	Working out strict “market value” rules and structuring the gift in a highly tax-efficient way to protect family wealth.
Business Assets (or a whole business)	£1,500 – £3,500+	A deep dive into company history and structure to ensure strict eligibility for Business Asset Disposal Relief (which lowers your tax rate to 10%).
Multiple Assets or Trusts	£2,500+	Highly complex calculations, strategic loss planning across multiple years, and long-term tax mitigation strategies.

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What Makes the Price Go Up?

You might be wondering why one person pays £200 and another pays £1,000. It almost always comes down to complexity. An accountant isn’t just pulling a number out of thin air; they are looking at how many moving parts your finances have.

Here are the main things that affect your bill:

• The 60-Day Property Rule: If you sell a UK residential property (that isn’t your main home), you only have 60 days from the sale date to report it and pay the tax. Because of this tight deadline and the extra paperwork, accountants often charge a specific, separate fee for this.
• Missing Records: If you bought a house 20 years ago and have lost the receipts for the extension you built, your accountant has to spend extra time piecing your financial history together. Clean, organized records equal lower accounting fees.
• Special Reliefs: If you are trying to claim tax reliefs (like Private Residence Relief if you lived in the property for a short time, or Business Asset Disposal Relief), the rules are incredibly strict. Your accountant has to double-check every legal detail to make sure HMRC doesn’t reject your claim.
• Number of Owners: If you and your partner owned a property jointly, that means two separate tax returns need to be filed. Many accountants will charge a bit more (e.g., £100–£150 extra) to do the second return.

Is It Worth Paying an Accountant?

It can be tempting to use a free online calculator and do it yourself to save a few hundred pounds. If you sold a single batch of shares and know exactly what you paid for them, DIY might be fine.

However, Capital Gains Tax is famous for its quirks and hidden allowances. They will often spot legal ways to lower your tax bill—like deducting the legal fees from your property sale, or applying losses you made in previous years. In many cases, the tax they save you easily pays for their fee, not to mention the peace of mind of knowing HMRC won’t be sending you a scary letter down the line!

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