28.06.2010 Twitter No Comments

Twitter Tax Advice week 2010-06-28

22.06.2010 Tax Advice No Comments

June Budget 2010 Highlights for individuals and SME Business Owners

We have been complimented on the updates posted on Twitter live during the Budget and hope to continue this by summarising the main points of interest to small business owners and individuals in the street.

The Chancellor George Osborne started by painting the picture of the poor state of the economy and among various political comments stated that due a cautious approach fiscal goals would be met one year earlier than expected in 2014.  The inflation target will remain at 2% which has already been exceeded, this will peak at 2.7% later in the year and then reduce.  In terms of the approach to the deficit a lower spending rather than higher tax route is being taken, read more

10.06.2010 Tax Advice No Comments

Green company car – is there such a thing?

I was speaking to a client yesterday regarding the options of having a company car and coming from a carbon reduction background he was keen to have a low emission car and wanted to know the tax effect.  This is an area where the government are encouraging growth using the taxation system as a carrot, to encourage lower emissions, the arguments regarding the costs and environmental impact of battery materials and technology we will leave to other forums. read more

03.05.2010 Twitter No Comments

Twitter Tax Advice week 2010-05-03

21.04.2010 Business Advice No Comments

Understanding your limited company accounts

Clients are always telling me that they do not understand their accounts. Clearly they know their business, and how to price to make money so it is only a small step to actually understanding the end of year accounts:

  1. The very back page or two is the detailed profit and loss account which as the name implies shows the profitability of the business after expenses but before tax.  The first figure will be sales or turnover which is the income for the year based on sales actually completed, but not necessarily paid for.  read more
09.04.2010 Tax Advice No Comments

Dates and deadlines for the new tax year

With the passing of the old tax year we are presented with returns to file and tax to pay.  Some memorable dates are listed below, with a few more interesting ones too:

  • 19 April – PAYE must be paid for the period up to 5 April (usually just the March payroll) – and monthly on 19th for each subsequent month read more
25.03.2010 Tax Advice No Comments

March Budget 2010

The key budget announcements follow, we can of course expect another post election budget when more significant changes may be made such as the much vaunted increase in VAT:
For business

  • The Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) will be increased to £100k pa for expenditure incurred on or after 1 April 2010 (companies) and 6 April 2010 (unincorporated businesses).
  • No changes have been made to the main and small companies’ rates of corporation tax which for 2010 remain at 28% and 21% respectively.
  • A 100% first year allowance will be available for new zero-emission goods vehicles for a five year period from 1 April 2010 (companies) and 6 April 2010 (unincorporated businesses)..
  • Business rates cut for one year from October meaning a tax reduction for more than 1/2 million small businesses in England and 345,000 will pay no business rates at all.

For individuals

  • The lifetime allowance for entrepreneurs’ relief has been increased to £2m and may be claimed for disposals made on or after 6 April 2010.  Capital gains tax rate remains at 18%. read more
12.03.2010 Tax Advice No Comments

Get advice and plan early for the most tax opportunities

I have just signed up a client who has a limited company which he set up over a year ago although he did not start trading until the current tax tax.  From previous posts you will be aware that one of my recommendations for the biggest tax saving opportunities read more

04.03.2010 Business Advice, Tax Advice No Comments

Why you should have an accountant and how to choose one

As new research from business software and services provider Sage shows that

accountants are now seen as the most trusted source of business advice

for UK firms, we consider why you should have an accountant and how to choose one.

A qualified accountant is an experienced professional read more

12.02.2010 Tax Advice No Comments

Pre tax year end planning

This post comes as a result of looking at a couple of potential clients and checking whether they have considered a number of areas which will impact on their 2009/10 tax, particularly in respect of small limited companies:

  1. Is the shareholding in the company arranged in the most tax efficient way? read more