Author Archives: Gillian French

Why Allowable Expenses aren’t always Black and White

expenses

When it comes to allowable expenses, things aren’t always as straightforward as we’d like. The idea of reducing your tax bill by claiming legitimate expenses is appealing, but what happens when those expenses fall into a grey area? In this blog, we’ll explore some of the trickier expenses that aren’t always black and white, and

How Do I Use Artificial Intelligence?

artificial intelligence

How I Use Artificial Intelligence (And Did I Use AI to Write This?!) Whether you’re a fan of it or not, artificial intelligence (AI) is here to stay—and it’s actually been around for quite a while. You might be using it daily without even realising it! Take Xero, for example. It’s been quietly using AI

Demystifying tax codes: a business owner’s guide to 1257L and 0T

tax codes

When you dreamed of running your own business, you probably didn’t kick your heels in delight for the day you’d have to deal with tax codes! While a good understanding of them is needed to avoid paying more tax than necessary, they’re really not as complicated as they seem. Let’s look at how to find

Dividend tax: what is it and how does it impact your business?

dividend tax

As a limited company owner, you’ll most likely pay yourself using a combination of salary and dividends. While it’s often the most tax-efficient way to withdraw money, be careful! Dividends have different tax rules compared to a normal salary. Don’t worry – we’re going to walk through what they mean for your business and how

Understanding Inheritance Tax: A (hopefully) Simple Guide

Inheritance Tax

Unfortunately, Inheritance Tax comes at a time when we are already having to cope with the grief of a lost loved one and having to think about this tax is a major stress to compound this. In addition, it’s a tax where some planning can be done via some simple measures if your loved one

Moving Your Investment Property to a Limited Company: What You Need to Know

investment property

Thinking about moving your investment property into a limited company? You’re not alone! Many UK landlords are considering this move and in fact recently some of our clients have been doing just that. Let’s break down the practical stuff and the tax consequences so you can make an informed decision.   Practical Stuff   1.Setting

Tax-Saving Tips for Small Business Owners

As an ambitious entrepreneur, you often feel like there aren’t enough hours in the week. You’re busy with running the day-to-day operations, managing team members and, well, life. It means you’re left with little time to stop and consider how you can save on tax. Yes, tax can be an absolute minefield if you’re unprepared,

What is MTD and how will it affect my business?

Making Tax Digital

What is MTD we hear you ask? No, it’s not “Month to Date”, “Metric Tonnes per Day” or even “Marine Technology Directorate”! We’re talking about Making Tax Digital.  The scheme was originally announced by HMRC in 2017, but it’s been years in the making (a bit like Avatar 2!).   What’s changing? MTD will require

Small business survival guide

small business survival guide

Starting a new business is rewarding, but it certainly comes with its challenges…to put it lightly! You’ve often got to contend with circumstances completely out of your control, all while spinning what feels like a hundred plates to manage the day-to-day. Although setting up a new business takes major legwork, there are key processes you