Negligible value claims

A special rule enables you to claim a capital gains tax loss where the value of the shares become negligible and you do not have to actually sell them.

If you bought the shares directly from the company and it is a trading company you can convert a capital loss into a trading loss thus saving income tax at a rate of up to 45%, rather than perhaps 28%.

But if when you subscribe the shares have already become of negligible value, then you cannot make a claim until you make an actual loss either when you sell them or the company is wound up.