Is Cash Accounting Right For Your Business?
There are two main accounting systems to choose from; these are ‘cash basis’ accounting and ‘accruals’ accounting. Which of these methods you use will depend on the size and nature of your business, as they each have different advantages. In general, cash accounting is best for ease, while accruals accounting is superior in terms of […]
VAT Cash Accounting Explained
VAT cash accounting is one of a number of ways VAT registered companies can calculate their VAT liability. The VAT cash accounting scheme follows the same principles as cash basis accounting. It means businesses pay VAT on sales when they have received payment for the sale, and can only reclaim VAT once payment has been […]
How to Prepare Limited Company Accounts
Private limited companies in the UK have to prepare a set of accounts each year. Known as annual statutory accounts, they relate to the 12-month period ending on the company’s Accounting reference date (ARD). The ARD is the compamy’s official year-end as recorded with Companies House. The annual accounts are drawn up using financial records […]
How To Register For VAT (VAT Registration FAQs)
Whether you are starting up a new business, running an existing company or taking over a different organisation, you will need to ensure you are operating within the rules for VAT. If your business has or is expected to have a turnover above the VAT threshold, you will need to register for VAT using HMRC’s […]
Five Small Business Content Marketing Truths
Being competitive means being visible online, and for this you need content. Businesses of all sizes now understand the importance of content for effective marketing. Customers have spoken and they want content – whether it’s to be informed, educated or entertained. But for smaller businesses, there are real challenges in capitalising on online opportunities and […]
Why Marketers Should Have More Interest In Pinterest
Depending on your business and your audience, it could pay to look beyond the trusted staple of articles at more visual, and creative, ways to build engagement and traction online. Content marketing means more than articles. People consume content in various different formats – including images, video and audio, as well as text. Should Pinterest […]
SEO Doesn’t Have To Be Like “Juggling Lemons”
An effective content marketing strategy will see a website frequently updated with high quality content. Whether in the form of blogs, infographics, videos, news articles or landing pages, to perform, your content has to show quality and be optimised for search. The result – better performance in search rankings, more traffic to your website and […]
Content Strategy Pick N Mix [infographic]
How to make content marketing work a treat! There’s never been more variety in content marketing, as this infographic shows. While choice can only be a good thing, it also makes it even more important to know exactly what it is your audience likes and wants. The key is to choose the right combination of […]
Coronavirus: Business Support Grants
The UK Government is offering a number of grants and schemes to help businesses deal with the challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Wage grants Under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, employers can claim back up to 80% of wages for staff designated as ‘furloughed’, up to a maximum of £2500 per month per worker. […]
What Are The Latest Inheritance Tax Changes?
Inheritance tax changes can affect reliefs, exemptions and other ways you are able to plan for and manage your inheritance tax liability. This means ensuring your will and any other estate planning are up to date with the latest changes and take account of the latest changes and their impact on how much inheritance tax […]
Buying Business Premises
If you are considering buying business premises there are many financial, practical and legal aspects that you might want to consider before climbing onto the commercial property ladder. Below we examine some of the advantages and disadvantages of buying business premises, as against the alternative of leasing commercial property. We will also look more closely […]
What is Capital Allowance Tax Relief on Property?
Capital allowances can be an extremely valuable form of tax relief, allowing owners of commercial property in particular to claim qualifying items of capital expenditure as a tax deduction. Understanding how capital allowances work will be key to securing the maximum possible tax savings for your business. What is capital allowance tax relief? […]
How Much is Capital Gains Tax?
Capital gains tax (CGT) is a tax levied on the profits arising from the disposal or sale of an asset, such as a second home, a buy-to-let property or a business asset. The extent to which you are liable to capital gains tax depends upon a number of factors, for example, whether you are classed […]
How to Calculate Capital Gains Tax
The amount of capital gains tax you pay will depend on a number of factors, including your income, the type of asset in question, when the asset was disposed and whether any exemptions or reliefs apply. Below we look more closely at chargeable assets and how to calculate capital gains tax based on your particular […]
Is there Capital Gains Tax on Inherited Property?
The following guide looks at how capital gains tax on inherited property applies, including how to calculate gains made by the executors or personal representatives, or those who inherit property from the deceased. Capital gains tax for executors and personal representatives As a general rule, when someone dies there is no capital gains […]
Maximising Capital Gains Tax Allowance on Property
If you are a professional landlord, property investor, sole trader or business partner, your liability to capital gains tax can be significant. It is therefore vital to consider any capital gains tax allowance on property, maximising all available relief so as to minimise any potential tax bill when you come to sell or dispose of […]
Capital Gains Tax Relief (Reduce Your Liability)
Reducing your liability to capital gains tax (CGT) requires planning and careful use of the capital gains tax relief provisions. Below we look at some of the main forms of tax relief against CGT and how you can maximise their use so as to minimise your tax bill. What is capital gains tax? […]
Which Capital Gains Tax Rate Applies?
Understanding capital gains tax rates is crucial in determining your potential tax liability following the disposal of an asset. Below we consider different capital gains tax rates and how these apply. What is capital gains tax? Capital gains tax is a tax levied on the profit when you sell or dispose of an […]
Anatomy of Content Marketing [infographic]
How effective functioning of your content marketing drives online success While the concept of content marketing is generally well recognised and understood, effective implementation still eludes many businesses, leaving content performance and impact lacking. As the process of producing and sharing relevant and valuable information to target audiences, content marketing should be used to showcase your products […]
6 Horrible Hiring Mistakes & How to Avoid them!
Hiring mistakes can be extremely costly for organisations of all sizes. Recruiting new staff comes at a considerable cost in terms of both time and money, with some studies suggesting bad hiring decisions can cost an organisation between 20 and 30 percent of an employee’s annual salary. An awareness of common pitfalls will help you […]