Ensuring adequate finance is a fact of life if you run a business. Whether you are looking to expand, undertake a specific project or simply fund your day to day purchases, finance is essential. Obtaining finance is not always easy, especially if yours is a small business and particularly if it is a recent start-up. Borrowing may be difficult due to lack of security. A grant may be the answer.
Continue readingRecent surveys indicate that the adverse impact of absence on business profitability today is significant, with thousands of man hours lost every day. Recent statistics show that an average of 4.3 days are lost each year per employee with a median cost of £522 per employee. Approximately two-thirds of working time lost to absence is accounted for by short-term absences of up to seven days.
Continue readingWhether we are producing your accounts or carrying out your annual audit, being prepared for us will ensure our work is carried out smoothly and efficiently and with the minimum disruption to yourselves. You may also be able to help by preparing some of the routine schedules for us. This will mean our time can be better spent advising you on the running of your business.
Continue readingIt is the ambition of many people to run their own business. Some may have been made redundant and find themselves with free time and financial resources. Others make the decision to start up in business to be more independent and obtain the full financial reward for their efforts. Whatever the reason, a number of dangers exist. Probably the greatest concern is the possibility of business failure.
Continue readingDue to the introduction of new accounting standards, commonly referred to as ‘New UK GAAP’, the form and content of company accounts has changed. The changes for non-small companies took effect for accounting periods beginning on or after 1st January 2015. In many instances companies will now show a different bottom-line profit or loss and a different total for net assets on the balance sheet.
Continue readingThe capital gains tax (CGT) exemption for gains made on the sale of your home is one of the most valuable reliefs from which many people benefit during their lifetime. The relief is well known: CGT exemption whatever the level of the capital gain on the sale of any property that has been your main residence. In this factsheet we look at the operation of the relief and consider factors that may cause it to be restricted.
Continue readingUnder the Criminal Finances Act 2017 (CFA), companies and partnerships may be criminally liable for failing to prevent their employees from criminally facilitating tax evasion. A potential defence can be utilised, in cases where the business has put into place a system of reasonable prevention measures. Here, we take a look at the key aspects of the Act and the implications for your business.
Continue readingWorking from home may be an attractive option for some employees. Here we consider the tax implications of homeworking arrangements. The tax rules differ considerably depending on whether you are self-employed, as a sole trader or partner, or whether you are an employee, even if that is as an employee of your own company. One way or the other though, if you want to maximise the tax position, it is essential to keep good records.
Continue readingSmall companies, which qualify as ‘micro-entities’, have a choice of accounting standards: to use the same accounting standard – FRS 102 – as larger UK companies but using a reduced disclosure regime (section 1A) within the standard, or to apply an alternative standard – FRS 105. FRS 102 introduced some significant accounting challenges including more widespread use of ‘fair value’ accounting so there may be a temptation to use FRS 105 as fair value accounting must not be applied.
Continue readingIn recent years, the stock market has had its ups and downs. Add to this the serious loss of public confidence in pension funds as a means of saving for the future and it is not surprising that investors have looked elsewhere. The UK property market, whilst cyclical, has proved over the long-term to be a very successful investment. This has resulted in a massive expansion in the buy to let sector.
Continue reading