Author Archives: Gillian French

Who We Don’t Work With (And Who Might Be a Perfect Fit)

Two young businesswomen talking near the office building, having a small talk during the coffee break outdoors.

We love working with businesses that align with our values and approach. But we also know that not every client is the right fit—and that’s okay! Being upfront about this helps both of us save time and focus on businesses where we can really make a difference. In this post, we’ll share some red flags

Achieving Financial Goals in 2025: How We Use Xero to Drive Success

person behind glass with different coloured post it notes

The start of a new year is the perfect time to set clear financial goals for your business and is something we do at DNA every January. Setting goals is just the beginning – achieving them requires careful planning and the right tools. Here’s how we’re tackling 2025 with Xero as our secret weapon. Setting

Capital Gains Tax: Reporting in 60 Days

Capital Gains Tax Reporting

The 60-Day Rule: What You Need to Know In 2021, HMRC introduced a significant change for UK residents selling property (not your main home). Now, if you sell a property and make a taxable profit, you must: Report the sale to HMRC within 60 days of the completion date. Pay any CGT due within the

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