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 […]
Are you guilty of sabotaging self-employment?
It’s taken commitment, guts and talent to create something out of nothing. And that’s something to celebrate! But the self-employment path is littered with challenges. Things like market conditions, competition, and supply and demand remain outside our control. But often it’s the things we can actually control that we’re guilty of unintentionally sabotaging. Maybe it’s […]
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 […]
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? […]
The 5 biggest myths about claiming expenses
You’re a sole trader. You’ve made it this far with your small business accounts preparation and you can feel the end in sight. But, come to working out what you can and cannot claim as an expense (for tax purposes) and that sense of achievement starts to diminish. You’re baffled by the rules and you’re not quite sure […]
A Tax Return Checklist (part 2)
If the thought of completing a tax return feels scary and overwhelming right now. If, just hearing the word “tax” sends your heart racing. Let me start by saying that you’re not alone. It’s entirely normal to feel like you should be coping with everything that running a small business entails. I know I do! […]
A Tax Return Checklist (part 1)
It’s that time of year again. Goodness only knows where you’ve put that receipt, what you could or should be claiming for, how you’ll get through your tax return with your sanity intact. Sound familiar? To ease you into that zone of inner calm, I have put together a 2 part guide (part 2 will be […]