This week, Phillip Hammond, the Chancellor presented his Autumn Budget for 2017 and for small business owners, nothing that was announced really “rocked the boat”. It was a budget of lots of small measures rather than any big announcement. There were however a few pointers to some bigger changes that may come about in the […]
Self-employed? 6 tips to boost your chances of getting a mortgage
Self-employment is an increasingly popular lifestyle and career choice for many. But while the benefits of being your own boss and the flexibility afforded are something to celebrate, the path can be littered with challenges. Obtaining a mortgage is one of them. It’s not easy. But, in my two-part blog series I help show you how […]
Employed and self-employed – What tax will I pay?
You’re currently employed but want to start up a business as a sideline either because you are transitioning from a hobby or you’re keen to supplement your income. Either way, you’re ready to take the leap but haven’t quite got your head around the tax side of things. Am I right? The first thing to […]
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 […]
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 […]
7 tips to help improve your small business finances
Now that your small business accounts and tax (for the previous tax year) are done and dusted, consider taking some time to reflect on your business’s performance over the year. What went well? What didn’t work out? What could you do to improve over the next twelve months? Here are my 7 tips to help improve […]