How a business plan will help you, in more ways than you think!

Starting a business without a plan is like setting sail without a compass. While you might eventually reach your destination, the journey will likely be longer and more challenging. A well-constructed business plan is essential for guiding your business towards success.  Here’s why: It Clarifies Your Vision A business plan helps you articulate the vision for your enterprise. It forces you to think through every aspect of your business, including…  Read more

The importance of bookkeeping

As a business owner, you’ll need to stay informed about your finances and your financial situation. You do this through bookkeeping. Bookkeeping is the process of recording transactions in your business. This includes any transactions, credit card charges and any other financial activity that happens within your company. How good bookkeeping helps you Bookkeeping is vital for any business. First, it helps you understand your finances. Bookkeeping gives you insights…  Read more

September 2024 Tax E-News

Welcome to the October edition of Tax E-News. We hope that you find this informative. Please contact us if you wish to discuss any matters in more detail. POSSIBLE CAPITAL GAINS TAX CHANGES IN THE OCTOBER BUDGET Many commentators are suggesting that the rate of CGT might be aligned with the rates of income tax, a return to the regime that applied when Gordon Brown was chancellor. Rachel Reeves is…  Read more

August 2024 Tax E-News

Welcome to the September edition of Tax E-News. We hope that you find this informative. Please contact us if you wish to discuss any matters in more detail. SHOULD YOU PASS ON WEALTH NOW TO AVOID INHERITANCE TAX? Many wealthy individuals are apparently passing on substantial amounts of their wealth in anticipation of possible changes to inheritance tax (IHT) in Labour’s first Budget on 30 October. This allegedly includes a…  Read more

How to scale your business with minimal effort

When you’re ready to take your business to the next level, you might start thinking about “scaling”. No, it’s not just a fancy term for growth, it’s about doing more with less. Scaling is about increasing your revenue without needing to proportionately increase your resources—pretty cool, right? It’s like sending an email: whether you send it to 100 people or 100,000, your effort is the same. The trick to scaling…  Read more

July 2024 Tax E-News

Welcome to the August edition of Tax E-News. We hope that you find this informative. Please contact us if you wish to discuss any matters in more detail. BEWARE THE 60% INCOME TAX TRAP It has recently been reported over half a million taxpayers paid a marginal income tax rate of 60% in 2022/23, up by 23% from the number in 2021/22. This marginal rate applies where an individual’s adjusted…  Read more

The Power of Financial Models

Financial models are invaluable tools designed to help you understand and project the financial health of your business. By simulating different scenarios and examining potential outcomes based on various inputs like sales growth, margins, and cash flow, these models provide a comprehensive picture that aids in informed decision-making. Practical steps for leveraging financial models: 1. Planning and forecasting Start by creating a base financial model incorporating your current financial data.…  Read more

Navigating financial metrics: Why the Current Ratio is key for your business

Ever felt like the term “current ratio” sounds like something straight out of a high school mathematics class that you’d rather forget? You’re not alone. But here’s the thing – understanding the current ratio can be a game-changer for managing your business’s financial health. Here’s a simple breakdown. What is the Current Ratio? In the simplest terms, the current ratio measures your business’s ability to pay off its short-term obligations…  Read more

Marketing your business: where to start and how to make it easier

Marketing can feel like a daunting task for small business owners. If you’re new to the game, or maybe you’ve been in business for a while and just haven’t quite cracked the code, navigating the world of marketing can be overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be. Your business deserves to be seen, heard, and thriving – and with the right guidance, you can make marketing work for you. Let’s…  Read more

July 2024 Tax E-News

Welcome to the July edition of Tax E-News. We hope that you find this informative. Please contact us if you wish to discuss any matters in more detail.  GENERAL ELECTION 2024 – WHAT ARE MAIN PARTIES SAYING ABOUT TAX? Both the Conservative and Labour parties have pledged not to increase income tax, national insurance or VAT, although the Labour party have pledged to introduce VAT on private school fees. Both…  Read more

The benefits of outsourcing for small businesses

For small businesses in today’s competitive market, outsourcing can offer a range of advantages. Not only does it reduce costs and free up valuable time for owners to focus on growing their business, but it also provides access to skills and expertise that may be unavailable in-house. By working with external professionals or firms who work in certain areas, small businesses have the opportunity to streamline operations, increase productivity and…  Read more

The importance of budgeting, forecasting, and setting goals for your business

If you’re like many business owners, you may find yourself struggling to understand what your finances mean or how you can use your financial information to make decisions for your business. Often we get into business because we love a product or service we want to provide. It’s not as common that we love managing the financial aspects of our business.  As a business owner, you have your best chances…  Read more

Your email signature – beyond the sign-off

The power of a well-crafted email signature is often underestimated by professionals and businesses alike. Your email signature is essentially your calling card: it’s where you can share information about yourself and your company, like your website and social media profile links.  It can also include the company logo and highlight current promotions or links to products you want to boost sales of. Here are 4 tips for creating your…  Read more

June 2024 Tax E-News

Welcome to the June edition of Tax E-News. We hope that you find this informative.  Please contact us if you wish to discuss any matters in more detail. REPORT EMPLOYEE BENEFITS ON FORM P11D BY 6 JULY P11d forms for reporting expenses and benefits in kind provided to employees and directors in 2023/24 need to be submitted by 6 July 2024. Note that paper forms are no longer acceptable; the…  Read more

May 2024 Tax E-News

Welcome to our latest monthly tax newswire. We hope you enjoy reading this newsletter and find it useful. Contact us if you wish to discuss any issues further. WANT TO BE PART OF BETA TESTING OF MTD FOR INCOME TAX? Although making tax digital income tax self assessment (MTD ITSA) is not mandatory until 6 April 2026 at the earliest, it is possible for certain individuals to join the HMRC…  Read more

April 2024 Tax E-News

Welcome to our latest monthly tax newswire. We hope you enjoy reading this newsletter and find it useful. Contact us if you wish to discuss any issues further. HAPPY NEW TAX YEAR In this April issue we highlight some of the key tax changes that take effect from the start of the new tax year. Unfortunately, most of the income tax and national insurance thresholds continue to be frozen, resulting…  Read more

Spring Budget 2024 Tax E-News

On 6 March 2024, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt presented his Spring Budget to Parliament. In the knowledge that the government must hold a general election before 28 January 2025, this was a Budget designed to restore confidence and win voters. But on the heels of Britain entering a recession and downgraded Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecasts, the Chancellor had his work cut out. Headlines included further cuts in National Insurance…  Read more

February 2024 Tax E-News

Welcome to our latest monthly tax newswire. We hope you enjoy reading this newsletter and find it useful. Contact us if you wish to discuss any issues further. YEAR END TAX PLANNING It’s not too late to undertake some end of year tax planning. If you have some spare cash, an obvious tax planning point would be to maximise your ISA allowances for the 2023/24 tax year (currently £20,000 each).…  Read more

January 2024 Tax E-News

Happy New Year and welcome to the January edition of Tax E-News. We hope that you find this informative. Please contact us if you wish to discuss any matters in more detail. NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS TO SAVE TAX At this time of year, we think about New Year’s resolutions. It is also a good time to start planning your tax affairs before the end of the tax year on 5th…  Read more

November 2023 Tax E-News

Welcome to the November edition of Tax E-News. We hope that you find this informative. Please contact us if you wish to discuss any matters in more detail. SALARY OR DIVIDEND BEST IN 2023/24? In recent years many accountants have advised their director/shareholder clients that the most tax efficient method of extracting profit from their family company was to pay themselves a low salary, at or around the £12,570 personal…  Read more

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