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

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

Budgeting and cash flow forecasting: key to your business success

In the unpredictable world of business, finding a little certainty can make all the difference. While the future remains a mystery, tools such as budgeting and cash flow forecasting can significantly reduce the level of uncertainty, allowing you to anticipate challenges, learn from past events, and enhance your ability to navigate your business. Budget vs. Cash Flow: the crucial distinction A common misconception is that a budget and cash flow…  Read more

Managing work-life balance as a small business owner

As a small business owner, it can be incredibly difficult to maintain a healthy work-life balance. The obligations and responsibilities of running your own business often take priority over any personal pursuits, no matter how important they may be for your overall well-being. But, with the right strategies and mindset in place, it is possible to strike an effective balance between working hard on your business and making time for…  Read more

Autumn Statement 2023 Tax E-News

On 22 November 2023, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt presented his Autumn Statement to Parliament and started making, in his words, the long-term decisions necessary to strengthen the economy and build a brighter future. Fueled by falling inflation and stabilised public finances, focus is now being applied to reducing debt, cutting tax and rewarding hard work. Headlines included generous National Insurance Contribution (NIC) cuts for workers and the self-employed and the ‘biggest…  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

October 2023 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. IT’S IMPORTANT TO HAVE UP TO DATE PROFIT FORECASTS FOR TAX In order that we can help predict your taxable profits and tax liabilities we need up to date profit figures and projections. One of the advantages of keeping your business accounts…  Read more

4 Common Sense Financial Tips To Make Your Money Work For You

Good personal finance skills are important in life, but this seemingly simple concept can be difficult to master. Without having a good grasp of how to manage your money effectively, you run the risk of making financial mistakes that could significantly impact your life. Avoid money traps and manage your finances better with the following common sense financial tips. 1. Not all ‘tax-effective’ investments are good investments. The term ‘tax-effective’…  Read more

5 Most Common Accounting Mistakes That Could Hurt Your Business

Many small business owners tend to handle their own accounting and bookkeeping, especially when they’ve just started out. However, keeping track of the finance-side of the business– everything from income to expenses to tax compliance– can be overwhelming. Mistakes can happen quite easily and can have costly consequences to your business. Below are five of the most common DIY accounting errors that you should avoid. Unorganised Records It takes excellent…  Read more

Five Ways to Manage a Healthy Cash-Flow

We cannot stress further the importance of properly managing your cash flow to ensure the smooth running of your business. However, in times of crisis such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this becomes more than important– managing your cash becomes a necessity for survival. If you are experiencing cash-flow troubles, here are five things you can do to manage your cash flow better. Check your expenses. Now is the perfect…  Read more

How your business can thrive even in a recession

The pains caused by a recession can be excruciating, which is why most of us dread the thought of it. A recession can mean massive layoffs, jobs becoming harder to find, and wages frozen, which means consumers hunker down and spend less– often worsening the economic slowdown unknowingly. For most businesses, especially small businesses, recessions can be brutal. Just take for example, the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) that struck the…  Read more

How cash flow forecasts can help you

Managing cash flow is a vital part of running a successful business. Some business owners think managing cash flow simply means keeping track of how much money enters and leaves their business, but there’s actually more that goes into it. Cash flow forecasting, for example, is an incredibly valuable tool that helps you anticipate cash flow issues, plan for days when your cash flow is limited, and show the bank…  Read more

Three ways to speed up invoicing

Everyone likes making money, especially small business owners. Invoicing, however, is typically one of the tasks that small business owners like the least. Chores like creating and sending invoices get set aside for other duties that are seen as more enjoyable or even more urgent. You tell yourself you’ll get around to it tomorrow, but tomorrow becomes next week, next week becomes next month, and suddenly you realise your client…  Read more

Using KPIs to monitor and improve business performance

The key performance indicators (KPIs) for one company will invariably be different from the KPIs of another firm.  What both hypothetical companies share, however, is the challenge of selecting which KPIs are best suited for measuring the goals and progress of their particular business model. Indeed, entrepreneurs have a vast array of reports and data sets from which to choose and select from, but that data needs to target those…  Read more

Identify your break-even point

Without knowing your break-even point, you can’t make informed business decisions. To cover the costs of your business you need to sell enough goods or services to reach your break-even point. Knowing where that point is, and how long it will take you to reach it, can be fundamental to your success. This especially true if you’re thinking about starting or buying a business. Calculate fixed and variable costs The…  Read more

Using Snapchat as a Marketing Tool

Snapchat is a popular video and image sharing app. It has become one of the most popular social media platforms but can it be used by businesses as a marketing tool? Originally, Snapchat allowed Android and iOS smart-phone users to send and receive images that could only be kept for a short time, once received. However, Snapchat has evolved and users can now use the ‘story’ function where your photos…  Read more

Six things to consider for online accounting software in your retail business

A lot of retailers are now using online accounting software for their businesses. There’s a good reason for that – it can make all the difference when it comes to managing your retail business. But you’ve got to make sure that you choose the software that’s right for you. Here’s a quick checklist of recommendations, to make sure you’ve got the right accounting software when it counts. Does the software…  Read more

Personal Service Company Changes From April 2020

In the Autumn Budget, the Chancellor announced that the “off-payroll” workers rules that currently apply in the public sector would be rolled out to the private sector in 2020. The government have now issued a consultation paper that sets out proposed tax and national insurance changes that will impact on those supplying their services through personal service companies. End users will be required to determine whether the rules apply to…  Read more

Self Employed Pensions

When you’re employed, your employer makes compulsory contributions to your pension via auto-enrolment (unless you opt-out). When you work for yourself as a sole trader, or you’re in a partnership, making pension payments isn’t mandatory. But, it’s still an important thing to consider. It is especially worrying that studies have found that 45% of self-employed workers between 35 and 55 have no pension. Retirement savings contributions are there to set…  Read more

Remote Working is On the Rise

Remote working has become more and more common as developments in technology have allowed us to communicate and collaborate no matter where we are. In fact, most of us are already logging on from home or holiday already. In May 2018, Swiss serviced office provider IWG released a study that found that 70% of professionals work remotely at least once a week. Sometimes called ‘telecommuting’, remote work is on the…  Read more

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