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What Are the Common Pitfalls in Succession Planning and How to Avoid Them? Succession planning is a critical process for ensuring the long-term sustainability and success of any business. However, it is fraught with potential pitfalls that can undermine even the best-laid plans. At 1 Accounts, we understand the intricacies involved in succession planning and […]

How Can Established Businesses Maximise R&D Tax Credits? Research and Development (R&D) tax credits are a valuable incentive provided by the UK government to encourage innovation and growth. These credits can significantly reduce a company’s tax bill or, in some cases, result in a cash payment. While often associated with start-ups and tech companies, established […]

What Steps Should You Take to Prepare Your Business for Sale? To Prepare your business for sale is a significant decision that requires careful planning and execution. Whether you’re a small enterprise or a larger organisation, taking the right steps can maximise the value of your business and ensure a smooth transition. Here’s a comprehensive […]

How Do Family Businesses Ensure Successful Succession Planning? Succession planning is a critical aspect for family businesses, especially in the UK, where they play a significant role in the economy. A well-thought-out succession plan ensures the longevity of the business, maintaining the family legacy, and securing the financial future of the next generation. Here’s a […]

What Are the Different Ways I Can Exit My Business? As a business owner in the UK, planning an exit strategy is crucial for ensuring a smooth transition and maximising the value of your enterprise. Whether you’re looking to retire, pursue new ventures, or simply step away, it’s essential to understand the various exit options […]

Preparing Your Business for Sale: Legal and Financial Checklist Are you considering selling your business? Whether you’re aiming for a fresh start, retirement, or pursuing new opportunities, selling a business is a significant decision that requires meticulous preparation. At 1 Accounts, we understand the complexities involved in this process. Here’s a comprehensive legal and financial […]

What is a Company Valuation? Understanding the value of a company is essential for various reasons, whether you’re planning to sell, seeking investment, or simply want to know where you stand in the market. This blog aims to demystify the concept of company valuation, to help you understand what you’re paying for and what the […]

What is Succession Planning? Succession planning is a vital strategy for businesses of all sizes, ensuring long-term stability and growth by preparing for future leadership transitions. At 1 Accounts, we understand the importance of a well-thought-out succession plan. In this blog, we’ll delve into the key aspects of succession planning, its benefits, and how you […]

Capital Gains Tax: Understanding the Latest Changes and Updates Are you looking for comprehensive guidance on Capital Gains Tax (CGT)? Understanding the latest changes and updates is crucial for effective tax planning and compliance. In this blog, we’ll break down the recent developments in CGT to help you stay informed and make smart financial decisions. […]

R&D Tax Credits Explained: Top Misconceptions and How to Avoid Costly Mistakes Research and Development (R&D) tax credits are a valuable tool for businesses investing in innovation. However, many businesses miss out on these benefits due to common misconceptions. This blog will clarify what R&D tax credits are, debunk common myths, and provide tips on […]

Capital Gains Tax Planning: Tips for Reducing Your Tax Liability Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is a tax on the profit when you sell (or ‘dispose of’) an asset that has increased in value. It’s the gain you make that’s taxed, not the amount of money you receive. Navigating CGT can be daunting, but with careful […]

Capital gains tax (CGT) is a crucial concept for anyone selling assets like property or stocks in the UK. This blog breaks down the essentials of CGT, explaining how it works, the current tax rates, and strategies to minimise your tax bill. Whether you’re a seasoned investor or a newcomer, understanding CGT can help you make informed financial decisions and save money. Read on to learn more about how to calculate your gains, use your annual exemptions, and take advantage of tax reliefs available to you. Stay informed and manage your investments wisely with our easy-to-understand guide.

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Discover the power of R&D tax credits! These government incentives can significantly reduce your tax liability, making it easier to invest in innovation. Whether you’re developing new products, advancing technology, or improving processes, R&D tax credits can provide substantial financial benefits. Learn how your business can qualify and claim these credits to stay competitive and fuel growth. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to enhance your R&D efforts and secure a brighter future for your company.

What Is A Payment On Account? Understanding the UK Tax System A common source of confusion in the world of taxes, especially for those new to self-employment in the UK, is the ‘Payment on Account‘ system. With this post, we aim to demystify this concept for you in simple and easy-to-understand terms. What Is A […]

We’re back with another blog post and this time we’re diving into a topic that isn’t everyone’s cup of tea – taxes. But don’t worry, we’re here to make it as enjoyable and straightforward as possible. Strap in and let’s demystify the new corporation tax rules together. What are the changes? As of April 1st, […]

Are you ready for some capital allowances fun? 🙌 🥳 Yeah, we know it’s not the most exciting topic, but stick with us because it’s important. Capital allowances are like the superhero of the UK tax system, providing businesses with tax relief on certain types of capital expenditure. However from April 2023, they’re changing!  Super […]

As we are in the middle of wedding season, it’s worth reminding everyone about marriage allowance. This extra bit of tax relief could be especially helpful to people now during the cost of living crisis. What is marriage allowance? Marriage allowance lets you transfer 10% of your unused personal tax allowance to your husband, wife, […]

If you complete a tax return you may have to pay your tax twice a year. This sounds like it should be bad, but it can be a helpful way of spreading your payments throughout the year. What are payments on account? Payments on account are made twice a year and are payments that you […]

If you are just about to become a sole trader, or have been one for a while, you might be wondering whether it is worth getting a separate bank account for your business. There is no legal requirement for sole traders to have a separate bank account for their business unlike Limited Companies which are […]

Depending on which service you are on, you will find that you receive requests from members of our team asking for copies of your bank statements.  You may receive different emails from different team members depending on the work they are undertaking for you.  Whilst we try to eliminate asking for the same information on […]

HMRC rules currently allow employers to spend up to £150 tax-free per employee per tax year, on events such as Christmas or summer parties. This has been the case since 2003. The tax and advisory firm Blick Rothenberg has called on the government to double this amount to £300 as they believe the current limit […]

Each year HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) undertake an enormous number of tax enquiries into individuals and businesses to check they have paid the right amount of tax. Since 2010 HMRC have strengthened their approach to enquiry work by using wider powers and sophisticated software and consequently a record £36.9 billion of additional tax revenue […]

When asked “What does an accountant do?” many people answer with accounts, tax or compliance work. While that’s true, what many don’t know, is that the good ones do so much more. The best accountants will become a part of your team; they will give you strategic advice to save money and boost revenue, they […]

From the 1st March, the VAT reverse charge scheme now applies to construction. If you work in the construction industry and are VAT registered, this applies to you, your suppliers and your customers. If you are not VAT registered or do not work in the construction sector you can ignore this blog but feel free to […]

The UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, UK Chief negotiator David Frost and EU negotiator Michel Barnier continue to offer differing messages to the public about Brexit, some are positive, some ambivalent and occasionally negative remarks about the negotiations. It is hard to see through the comments made and whether we can take them at face […]

Your self-assessment tax return is the document that is needed to calculate how much tax you owe personally. This return includes your dividends, employment income, rental income etc. One way to ‘stress out’ your accountant is to send them your tax return information in January. However, many people don’t understand why January is so stressful […]

…… AND WHY! It’s that time again ….. tax returns! From the 6th of April, accountants start to request information from clients. In this blog, we will go through what information accountants need and why. At 1 Accounts we request the below information from all of our clients via our Karbon software. A secure virtual […]

Working from home relief = FREE CASH Due to the current pandemic, many businesses have been working from home this year (ours included). It looks like those who can work from home will be until March 2021 at the earliest. We have also seen a change in attitude towards flexible working. It has become the […]

Ask HMRC to verify you had a new child which affected your eligibility for the self-employed income support scheme.  If you are self-employed or a member of a partnership, and having a new child affected the trading profits or total income you reported for the tax year 2018 to 2019, use the HMRC form to […]

“Should I buy a car or a van” is a question we frequently get asked at 1 Accounts. Our recommendation is usually van. This is because you can claim back the VAT and the taxable benefit in kind is usually much less than a car (unless electric). As the benefits of buying a van outweigh […]

Choose how and when you can delay making your second payment on account for the 2019 to 2020 tax year. You have the option to defer your second payment on account if you are: registered in the UK for Self-Assessment and finding it difficult to make your second payment on account by 31 July 2020 […]

VAT – REDUCED RATE OF 5% The government made an announcement on 8 July 2020 allowing VAT registered businesses to apply a temporary 5% reduced rate of VAT to certain supplies relating to: hospitality hotel and holiday accommodation admissions to certain attractions The temporary reduced rate will apply to supplies that are made between 15 […]

The deferral of VAT payments due to coronavirus comes to an end on 30 June and businesses need to take action to reinstate their direct debit mandates. The Institute of Chartered accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) Tax Faculty has reminded its members. The VAT payment deferral means that all UK VAT-registered businesses have the […]

Sole Traders to get second grant from the Government. The government’s Self-Employment Income Support Scheme will be extended, giving more security to individuals whose livelihoods are adversely affected by coronavirus in the coming months, the Chancellor announced on Friday 29 May 2020. Rishi Sunak announced the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme will be extended – with […]

The help and advice that is available from the Government is forever changing. This is the latest update we have on how to apply for the self-employed grant.  For those who are eligible, you will receive an EMAIL, not a letter as we had thought. Be aware that there are lots of phishing emails out […]

Capital Gains rules are changing! If you are a property investor or “accidental” landlord this is the blog for you. From the 6th of April 2020 the changes to Capital Gains tax rules will affect the sale of second homes and rental properties. . Capital Gains Tax Capital Gains Tax is paid at the following […]

Lately we have seen an increase in HMRC asking people if they have received rental income. This comes in the form of a ‘love letter’ from HMRC.

Don’t let the Christmas period get in the way of the self-assessment deadline! Christmas is always a busy time of year, but for us it doesn’t stop after the festivities are over. With the Self-Assessment tax return deadline on January 31st, January is our busiest time of year. A self-assessment tax return is required if […]

No one wants a Tax Investigation. It is true that as business owners we don’t want HMRC asking awkward questions and taking up our precious time by visiting us on a routine (or not!) compliance visit. This week two of our clients have been subject to compliance visits from HMRC, one for PAYE and CIS, […]

Is the Jaguar i-pace a good company car? Here at 1 Accounts in Haverhill and Cambridge we are often asked can I buy a car within the company?  The answer is of course yes. However when benefit in kind tax and class 1A National Insurance is explained our clients most likely either buy the car […]

Making Tax Digital – Are You Ready? July 2019 marks the period that you have to submit your VAT returns using HMRC’s new Making Tax Digital (MTD) regime. Already Accountants, VAT registered businesses and HMRC are struggling to cope. Take a look at Accounting Web’s report on how HMRC’s systems were already struggling in May […]

2018 Tax Returns A note from Paul This year has been really strange for me in preparing for January and completing over 160 Tax Returns in one month.  A Challenge that I was prepared for and it was 60 less than last year! Today is 25 January and we have 9 left to do which […]

Fact:  All of our clients are Making Tax Digital (MTD) compliant because they use the latest online accounting software provided by the market leaders – Sage and Xero. What is Making Tax Digital (MTD)? Making Tax Digital (MTD) is a government initiative which aims to transform the administration of tax to create a simpler, more […]