Our Services

We work with Individuals, Sole Traders, Partnerships, Charities and Limited Companies, advising on anything from Auditing and Company Accounts for your business to Personal self-assessment Tax Returns for Individuals and all associated aspects.

We have a wide range of services

Business Accounting

We offer a full range of business and professional services for any size of company. Using a variety of methods, we work closely with you to become an extra arm of your business. We support you in every way we can to make this potentially stressful area easier and quicker to manage.

Our dedicated team can help you on all levels, with a complete package of accountancy services that enable you to focus on running your business.

Business Start Up

The essentials of starting a new business are always based on a realistic business plan, and adequate finance. Most new business owners have the solid business proposition and plenty of entrepreneurial spirit. We help look after the legal and financial aspects.

With our combined years of experience, we can provide extensive direction and advice, to make sure the process runs as smoothly and simply as possible.

Whatever the size of your new business, we can advise on:

The form of the business (sole trader, partnership, LLP, limited company)
Company formation
Preparing projections, cash flow and business plan
Arranging finance
Bookkeeping tuition and implementing management procedures and systems
Tax planning

It’s not worth the risk of getting caught out by unexpected problems. Come and talk to us from the start, and present your business proposals. Then we can evaluate them in a constructive and realistic manner, and help make sure you get the best possible start.

Self Assessment

Many taxpayers struggle to understand complex tax returns and complete them correctly. In the first year of the Self Assessment regime alone, 775,000 taxpayers received £100 penalties for failing to submit their returns on time. 400,000 incurred further penalties because their returns were still outstanding six months later!

The constant flow of changes to tax legislation means returns are becoming even more difficult to understand, and there’s even more risk of incurring penalties through failing to complete returns on time or correctly.

We can save you a lot of time, worry and money by handling your self assessment tax return for you. We’ll do all the necessary computations, complete your return, and offer advice on how to minimise your tax liability.

Acting as your agent, we can deal directly with HMRC on your behalf and act for you at any meetings if you’re selected for a self assessment enquiry.

VAT

With the recent introduction of Making Tax Digital by HMRC, Value Added Tax is seen as one of the most complex tax areas for businesses. The goalposts are always moving, and there’s an ever-changing stream of regulatory details. HMRC demands more and more from businesses, which can add to the stress of organising your finances.

We aim to make this area as simple as possible for you to handle and understand. Drawing on years of experience and up-to-the-minute expertise, we’ll help you make sure nothing gets missed, and so you don’t fall foul of the regulations. Naturally, we’ll also make sure you pay no more than you are obliged to.

Our efficient and cost-effective VAT service includes:

Help with VAT registration
Advice on VAT planning and administration
VAT control and reconciliation
Completing VAT returns
Establishing processes to avoid future issues with HMRC
Representing you at VAT tribunals

Company Secretarial

The Company Secretarial function is often seen as an arduous task, often overseen by a family member or senior employee as Company Secretary. But this can create problems, as the designated Company Secretary may not have a full understanding of their official duties.

We can make sure statutory deadlines are met, and handle all your statutory obligations including the filing of accounts and Confirmation Statements (Annual Returns), as well as changes of directors and secretaries. As part of the service, we’ll also manage all the paperwork required for the payment of dividends and dealing with share transfers.

Our full company secretarial services include:

Company formations
Preparing and electronic filing of statutory returns
Preparing all documentation related to minutes and resolutions
Maintenance and storage of statutory books

Corporate Finance

Any strategic growth, or finding the funding for acquisitions, is rarely possible with cashflow alone. Whether you have a start-up business or are well established, the necessary finance is essential.

We can help with everything you need, by helping you decide on the most appropriate sources of finance. We’ll look through all the best options and help you make those difficult decisions.

We’ll help prepare the necessary business plans and forecasts, and have ideal expertise to help present your proposals to your chosen financial source. We can also arrange any disposal, M&A or MBO/MBI.

Our extensive network is here to help you. We can introduce you to the right people to help you get where you want to be.

Corporate Tax & Planning

Corporation tax is a major part of your trading costs. The increased reporting obligations, rigorous investigation policies of the tax authorities, and tough penalties for non-compliance mean this area can soak up a lot of time and resource.

We can help you complete and file business tax returns, and act as expert intermediaries in any disputes with the tax authorities.

As part of this service, we’ll help find the most tax effective structure for your business, by taking full advantage of tax opportunities and reliefs. It’s our job to make sure you achieve the best capital or revenue tax treatment, as well as reducing your tax on disposals and maximising relief on acquisitions. We’ll also make sure you gain full advantage of any industry-specific tax opportunities.

Audit

There’s much more to an audit than the annual year end and compliance visit. Accounting and audit regulations are arduous, but we’re here to deal with them efficiently, so that you can get on with running your business.

We’re qualified to deal with all statutory and bespoke audit assignments. As well as fulfilling all legal audit necessities, our audit approach gives us the chance to really see how your business is run. We spend time getting to know your business, then plan our work to test the systems you have in place.

Working with your accounting staff, we use a set criteria and pre-agreed timetable to make your annual audit as speedy and efficient as possible. We’ll also use the knowledge we gain to provide constructive feedback on your accounting and other in-house systems, and help improve your business even further.

Payroll

Payroll can be a time-consuming aspect of your company’s finances, so it’s often a relief to be able to hand it over to the experts. We can help you with preparing weekly and monthly payrolls, and make sure your business complies fully with the HMRC Real Time Information (RTI) and Auto Enrolment regulations.

Estate Planning

It can be difficult to think about planning for your death. But we all want to make sure we make adequate provision for family and friends.

No one knows what the future holds. So it’s important to make the necessary provisions now. Making arrangements as early as possible means you can take fullest advantage of the tax opportunities, and maximise the amount you leave your beneficiaries. You don’t want a substantial slice of the wealth you’ve worked so hard for to go to the taxman instead of your loved ones.

You also need to make adequate provision for yourself and your spouse in later years. Striking this balance calls for considerable skill and foresight – and a detailed knowledge of the tax regime.

Our discreet, expert estate planning service includes:

Drawing up and reviewing your will
Making full use of exemptions and lower tax rates on lifetime transfers
Optimising lifetime transfers between spouses
Transferring agricultural or business property
Transferring assets into trust
Arranging adequate life assurance to cover potential inheritance tax

Get your estate planning started right away, by contacting us for a preliminary review.

Personal Tax Planning

As the tax regime becomes more complex, with more focus on taxpayers’ individual responsibilities, everyone needs professional advice and support to optimise their tax position, and make sure they’re complying fully with the regulations.

Every pound of income tax you save means more income at your disposal. Every well-planned disposal of assets means minimal loss of capital gains. And every inheritance tax saving means more benefit for your beneficiaries.

We can provide you with year-round tax advice on:

income tax
capital gains tax
inheritance tax
trusts and estates
non-domiciliary tax issues

Make sure you’re getting the full advantage of the tax-saving opportunities open to you. Call us today for a personal tax planning review.

Retirement Strategies

We all hope to maintain the same standard of living in retirement as we enjoy while working. But to achieve that, you need to plan well in advance. Here are some important questions to ask yourself:

Exit strategies

If you’re in business, the first thing you need to consider is your exit strategy. Will you withdraw from the business, leaving it for the next generation, or do you hope to sell it? If you intend to hand the business over, do you have a workable succession plan? If you plan to sell, how will you value the business, find a suitable buyer, and so on? Are you aware of all the tax implications of the timing of disposals?

Pension provision

Do you have an adequate pension? The right type of pension? Are you aware of all the options open to business owners and directors? Are you making full use of all your allowances?

Savings and investments

Do you have the right balance between savings and investments? Is your portfolio split adequately between exposures?

Life assurance and long-term care

Do you have adequate life assurance, and have you made provision for long-term care and medical insurance for you and your family in later years?

We can help you answer all these questions and recommend solutions tailored to your particular needs.

Bookkeeping & Accountancy

We can relieve you and your staff from the troubles and burdens of in-house bookkeeping and accounting, including your annual accounts.

Working closely with you, we’ll develop a full understanding of your business and how you run it. Then we’ll tailor approach precisely to your needs, to deliver the most appropriate service for you.

One of the most important aspects of this service is preparing management accounts. These are vital to the continuity and success of your business. Again, we’ll discuss your requirements carefully with you, providing tailored information and constructive advice on a regular basis.

Trusts & Executorships

Trusts are a relatively easy and highly tax-efficient way to set aside assets for future beneficiaries outside the inheritance tax thresholds.

We can advise on the most suitable type of trust for you, set it up, and provide a full range of accounting services for trusts. We can also advise you on preparing your will, single or mirror. And where appropriate, we can act as trustees or executors.

Fee Protection

If you or your business is subject to an HMRC enquiry, the process of going through all your accounts can take some time – and potentially add significantly to your accountancy costs.

That’s why we’ve introduced a Fee Protection service, in partnership with a highly reputable insurance firm. Essentially, this is an insurance policy against the cost of an enquiry. So for a small annual premium, you save yourself the worry of suddenly having to deal with unexpected costs.

If you’d like to find out more about Fee Protection, please contact us.