Our business finance services

Bookkeeping & accounting

Keeping you fully informed on essentials

The last thing you want in your business is to have valuable time and resources tied up with routine bookkeeping and accounting.

That's something we can do for you, either at your office or at ours.

We begin by discussing your specific requirements with you and then we set up appropriate accounting procedures and controls and ensure your accounts are kept fully up-to-date and in compliance with statutory regulations.

But we don't stop there. We can also provide you with regular management accounts to keep you informed on essential areas such as:

• Cashflow
• Profitability
• Performance ratios
• Customer activity
• Credit control
• Budget comparisons

In addition we can also relieve your staff of the burden of preparing:

• Payroll administration
• VAT returns
• Bank reconciliations
• Annual accounts

Call 0844 504 3771 or mobile 07763 164 541 today to discuss how we can help you keep your books in good order.

Business planning

Planning for success

Everyone knows that a successful business must plan ahead, but all too often the pressures of keeping the business going on a daily basis mean that strategic planning is not given the attention it needs. The result is often rushed judgements, over or under-capacity, or missed opportunities.

Every business owner needs a planning adviser who has the time and space to take the long view and advise on appropriate courses of action before it is too late. With years of experience advising the local business community we have a wealth of experience and expertise for you to draw on. Contact us today for a planning review.

Business start-up

Most people who start up in business do so because they have a good business proposition and the enterprise and commitment to see it through, not because they are experts in the legal, financial, and fiscal aspects of running a business.

Indeed, these matters can often seem daunting, and even off-putting, to the budding entrepreneur. The good news is that you do not need to be an expert in these fields to succeed in business. All you need is the support of a team of trained experts.

That's where we fit in. Bring us your business ideas and we'll help you to evaluate them in a constructive and realistic manner. We can also help you:

• Decide on the most suitable structure for your business - sole trader, partnership, or limited company
• Prepare a business plan, cashflow projections, budgets, and trading forecasts
• Assess your finance requirements, advise on the best sources of finance, and draw up the necessary proposals
• Establish a good working relationship with your bank
• Complete any registration procedures with Companies House, Inland Revenue, or Customs and Excise
• Deal with company secretarial issues
• Set up a recording system for your internal use and for complying with statutory requirements

Start your new venture on a sure footing - call us for an initial consultation today.

Company secretarial

The last thing you need as a busy business owner is to use up valuable time and resources making sure you are complying with the Companies Act.

Moreover, with company legislation changing at the rate it does, you need to be sure you are fully aware of how the changes affect you and your fellow directors.

We can give you complete peace of mind in this area by carrying out your company secretarial duties for you.

Our services include:

• Company formations
• Preparation and filing of statutory returns
• Preparation of all documentation related to minutes and resolutions
• Maintenance of statutory books
• General advice on company law

Corporate tax planning

Corporation tax represents a substantial part of your trading costs. Moreover, the increased reporting obligations, robust investigation policies on the part of the tax authorities, and harsher penalties for non-compliance mean that an undue amount of your time and resources can be taken up collecting revenue for the Government.

We offer a range of services to help you minimise your corporate tax exposure and relieve you of the administrative burden of complying with tax legislation. These include:

• Determining the most tax effective structure for your business
• Taking full advantage of tax opportunities and reliefs
• Achieving the optimum capital or revenue tax treatment
• Reducing tax on disposals and maximising relief on acquisitions
• Making the most of tax opportunities specific to your industry
• Meeting the rigorous demands of compliance including corporation tax self assessment
• Acting on your behalf in discussions with the tax authorities

Efficient corporate tax planning can result in potentially significant improvements in your bottom line.

Payroll

Administering your payroll can be time consuming and burdensome, diverting energy and resources from the core activities of your business. And the task is made all the more difficult by the growing complexity of taxation and employment legislation and the accompanying regime of penalties for non-compliance.

We have dedicated staff who can relieve you of this burden by providing a comprehensive and confidential payroll service, including:

• Customised payslips
• Administration of PAYE, national insurance, statutory sick pay, statutory maternity pay, etc
• Completion of statutory forms, including year end returns, to issue to your employees and submit to the Inland Revenue
• Summaries and analyses of staff costs
• Administration of incentive schemes, bonuses, and ex-gratia and termination payments
• Administration of pension schemes

Even if you have only a few employees, you will make savings by engaging us to administer your payroll.

Self Employed

Our firm has an enormous amount of experience in dealing with self employed individuals and partners.

Whether this be a sub contractor in the construction industry, self employed trades people or partners of professional practices, we have the experience and know how, to deal with all aspects of self employment.

We will guide clients as to their responsibilities, other matters relating to VAT registration, payment of National Insurance Contributions, and will clearly make it aware to our clients the level of current and future tax liabilities. We are happy to accept information from our client in any form, including very basic records, i.e. the traditional paper bag full of invoices and paperwork, or the more experienced book keepers that provide written ledgers, excel spreadsheets or even computer generated back up copies. Whatever your current book keeping levels, we will always work alongside you and make the process of transferring information to us as simply as possible.

We have a large number of self employed clients and give an extremely personalised and informative service. One of our priorities is to always communicate to our client in a non technical, easy to understand manner.

For more information, please contact us.

VAT

Value added tax is one of the most complex and onerous tax regimes imposed on business - so complex that many businesses inadvertently overpay or underpay VAT.

The ever widening scope of VAT, the constant stream of detailed changes to the regulations, and the ever growing demands of Customs and Excise call for a trained professional eye to ensure that you do not fall foul of the regulations and do not pay the Exchequer more than you need to!

We provide an efficient cost effective VAT service, which includes:

• Assistance with VAT registration
• Advice on VAT planning and administration
• Use of the most appropriate scheme
• VAT control and reconciliation
• Help with completing VAT returns
• Planning to minimise future problems with Customs and Excise
• Negotiating with Customs and Excise in disputes and representing you at VAT tribunals

Call us today for a VAT healthcheck.