The end of the tax year is fast approaching and some of you, whose accounting year end follows the tax year, will soon become embroiled in finalising your small business accounts. But, before you leap into self-assessment mode, it’s worth taking a quick review of your taxes and personal finances. Here are 6 simple things […]
Budget 2017: Key points for small business owners
It would appear that small businesses and the self-employed have once again come into the firing line through measures introduced in the Chancellor’s Spring Budget. For the full 68 page report on the Budget 2017 you can click here. In the meantime, here are the key points affecting small business owners: Compliance with Making Tax […]
Why is everyone talking about Xero?
As an accountant, I regularly receive calls from software companies, inviting me to trial their product. So when I was first approached by Xero I have to admit that my initial reaction to the “salesy“ (although admittedly slick) marketing pitch was to run a mile. But actually, Xero proved to be anything but an […]
Changes to the flat rate VAT scheme
If you’re a freelancer, contractor or small business owner currently reaping the rewards of the flat rate VAT scheme, regrettably your luck may be about to change. Draft changes to the flat rate VAT scheme to take effect from April 2017, propose the introduction of a new category of trader known as a “limited cost […]
What happens if I don’t file my self-assessment tax return on time?
If you’re new to self-assessment or haven’t quite got your act together on the paperwork front, you may worrying about whether you’re going to “make it” before the deadline and anxious about the repercussions of a late tax return submission to HMRC. Here are the facts: Your tax return for 2015-16 is due […]
Can I still claim tax relief if I lose a receipt?
You sit down to tackle the mound of paperwork in your weekly, monthly or dare I mention annual bookkeeping ritual (click here for why this isn’t a good idea) only to discover you’re missing receipts for expenses you know you’ve incurred. You understand that “allowable” expenses are a good thing when it comes to working out […]
Payments on account – a guide for sole traders
Payments on account are one of the most commonly misunderstood aspects of the self-assessment process and although the intention is to help self-employed people spread out their tax bill, the advantages might not seem so apparent when you ‘re first asked to pay a whopping big tax bill up front. What are payments on account? […]
What is a tax enquiry and how can you avoid one?
Tax enquiry, Tax investigation, eek … all sounds a bit scary doesn’t it? And, when it comes to your small business accounts and taxes, haven’t you spent enough sleepless nights worrying about whether you are doing everything legally and above board? Facing up to a Tax Enquiry can seem like a daunting prospect. And I’ll […]
10 Reasons why it pays to submit your tax return early
Who has sat down at the last minute to do their tax return only to discover that there is something they don’t understand, paperwork that can’t be located or that their tax position is more complicated than first envisaged? And, then the problem you discover is that there’s not enough time to figure it out […]
I’m a sole trader – will I need to submit 4 tax returns a year?
You’re a sole trader running a small business. You’re feeling comfortable with the whole annual self-assessment tax process and you’ve mastered Excel spread-sheets. But, brace yourself. The government has planned a big digital overhaul of the tax system with a raft of new tax changes coming your way. The rationale behind the “Making Tax Digital” plan is HMRC’s […]