Your year end can cost you more than you think

Preparing your year end accounts can be costly your business – and that’s before you’ve event considered the financial aspect.

In finding, organising and making sense of your paperwork and records, there are time costs, emotional costs (usually stress!) and work-life balance costs to consider.

15% off your year end with us

Cross Accounting Services can help on all fronts. We love year end and so as a thank you from us, we’re offering 15% off your first year end fees with us.

So, you get to spend time doing the things you love at a reduced all round cost – and we get to spend time doing the things we love, thanks to you!

Call Nicola on 029 2065 3995 and quote reference CA15 to receive your discount or email her asking for more information also quoting CA15 Closing date 31 March 2014

Don’t be one of the £2 million people who leave the updating of their Self Assessment to the last minute, or worse miss the deadline altogether. Bite the bullet if you need help then pick up the phone to an experienced professional.

Many clients that come through our doors, still needing reminding of what information is required to complete their Self Assessment online without a hitch.

Please see my 6 point plan

Your UTR Number and National Insurance
To be able to submit a Self Assessment you first have to be registered with the Inland Revenue as Self Employed. They will then issue you with a 10 digit reference number call a UTR number. This can be done over the telephone 0845 900 0444

Or online, follow the link below.

https://online.hmrc.gov.uk/shortforms/form/CWF1ST?dept-name=CWF1&sub-dept

This takes about five to six weeks for the Inland Revenue to register you, you will then have to telephone them to get your 10 digit UTR number. This is not automatically sent to you.

The Government Gateway
To register for Self Assessment online which allows you to send your Self Assessment online, you are issued with a 12 digit reference number which is printed out, and a password gets sent to your nominated address. If you are using an Accountant they will give you an 64-8 form to sign so that they can act as your agent with the Inland Revenue. They will then be able to send off your Self Assessment online through their agency number.

Partnerships
There is mis-conception that Partnership accounts are as straight forward to submit as your normal Self Assessment. You can only send out a paper version if you do this yourself by the deadline 31 October. Or you can submit the form online provided you have professional software, your Accountant professional can assist you with this.

Do not leave these to the last minute or you may find a £100 fine per partner you weren’t expecting if you miss the deadline. This needs to be completed along with your normal Self Assessment as an individual.

Paperwork Required
Self Assessment covers ALL income you receive during the financial year, 6 April to
5 April for in the UK and the rest of the world. This is determined by your residency status, all UK residents are to disclose their whole income.

All records of purchases during the financial year including any equipment or capital expenditure.
VAT return’s if that’s applicable
Your full 12 months bank statements, personal and business including saving accounts.
If you have had other employment all P60’s or P45’s
Dividend and interest payments.
Benefit payments
Property income and foreign income
Selling of personal assets and stocks and shares

All other records of income not covered above.

What you get in return
We will provide you with a full record of your income for the year for your business, along with a tax computation recording all of your other income. This takes into account the relevant tax reliefs available. Ie

Your tax code, – your tax free allowance
Capital gains tax free allowance
Pension payments
Charity payments
EIS and venture capital schemes – Investments
Capital Allowances
Rent a room relief – Property income
Wear and Tear Allowance – Property income

Deducting any tax that you have already paid.

You may be liable for tax on your trade income, and national insurance.

This is not complicated if you give yourself plenty of time to get everything together. We take you through every step of the way.

Payment
You have to make payments on account if your turnover is over £70,000, these are taken at the 31 January deadline and 31 July. We will notify you of these deadlines as they approach.

Monthly you can set up a direct debit with the Inland Revenue

Bill Pay or cheque, any balances then can be settled through the online system Bill Pay, credit card charges apply or by cheque in the post, or through the Giro system at the Post Office.

Self Assessment can be submitted anytime after the 6th April, so if theres a refund due to you why wait until January to get the paperwork to your Accountant. You can do it anytime.

These records need to be kept for six years even if you returned to the PAYE system.

Give us a call today, and make it a stress free process. 02920653995 or email Nicola@crossaccountingservice.co.uk

This blog is intended for information purposes only and is only advice from past experience, you may have other suggestions of your own. It is not intended to be used to make all of your business decisions but as a guide only.

How Graphs Can Be Used For Your Business

Graphs can be used by Financial and Non Financial managers in a variety of ways.

Sales

Sales Managers have targets that are set for them by the company they work for.  They can track their sales in a variety of ways.

Our example shows Sales split by category/or segment and shown against budget. Targets that were set at the beginning of the year.

This graph also tells you the most popular and productive products on sale.
You can take this further and look at the margins of each product category, you might not sell a lot of something but if it returns a higher margin/profit rate, you don’t have to sell as many to get the same profit figures. There may also be seasonality in that product line.

Ie in hot weather a newsagent may sell a lot more drinks than bars of chocolate.
In cold weather the icecream freezer might go untouched. Easter, Half Term, Christmas. You would tailor your sales targets to match demand.

Apply this method to your particular product line.

 

Cashflow

You might want to set yourself a target bank balance for you to meet your overheads and make a profit.

The graph will show against budget whether you are meeting that goal.

It also gives indication of the business behaviour, see our example the graph shows above the line at first, then dips over February to April then comes back up.  Back into the target position and above.

If the graph had shown erratic it would give an indication of how well the manager is managing the business. In a planned approach, or finger in the air approach.

Gross Profit

This is a key figure in your accounts, it indicates whether you have made enough sales to now cover your overheads and make a profit.

Our graph shows a rise and then a sharp dip in May, this could be down to several factors.  The Sales themselves were generally low that month, an error in charging the right selling price for a new product line, an operational issue.

If you see a dip in any of these things, look for the reason, if easily explained, you could be putting action in to put yourself back on track.  Also look out for high peaks, these should be explainable.  ie a new contract, timing issues, seasonality, or it could be an error.

This blog is intended for information purposes only and is only advice from past experience, you may have other suggestions of your own.  It is not intended to be used to make all of your business decisions but as a guide only.

Tips To Cashflow Success

Cashflow funding of a business is key for its survival. A number of businesses fail within their first two years of trading, not because they didn’t have a good product or service, not because they didn’t have a market. They simply ran out of cash.

Sales Income

Prepare a detailed cashflow of your normal business trading, information from Sales already in your diary, if you have been trading for a few years. Use past history to project forward. For the new business set an achievable goal. Always look ahead a minimum of a year, three years if possible.

You may have peaks and troughs, downtime or seasonality, build these into your forecast.

Don’t forget VAT if that applies. Ideally shown it separately, and offset the VAT on purchases. Your sudden inflow of cash may belong to the Inland Revenue.

Your Costs

Main costs first

Materials
Wages
Rent
Travel etc.

At the bottom, how much do you have in the bank to start off with. Show the opening balance of the bank.

We always look at forecast cashflows, ie a budgeted one along with an actual one. As the months pass by update the cashflow with your actual figures and roll forward. So that you are always looking at a year to date. It does not necessarily need to be in line with your year end. Do a separate one for the year end if necessary.

By now you will know ahead of time your cashflow issues, peaks and troughs, you can now put a plan of action to make sure that you are covered in the troughs, and are saving in the peaks.

If you need a large amount of cash in six months time. Don’t leave the sudden influx of cash to the last minute. Build up over a period of time.

You might be wanting to buy capital expenditure, or take on more staff, it will help you predict when this can take place.

Look at your marketing to increase sales. Check your margins to make sure your sales cover your costs. Keep a close eye on the costs themselves.

Look at other options for finance other than your cashflows from the business.

Gain credit from your suppliers
Finance leases from the banks and other money lenders
A mortgage

Your credit score can even affect you being able to take on a large contract. You will still need the credit from your supplier to make that important sale.

By gaining credit it will increase your credit score and make you more attractive to lenders.

Nicola Cross
26/9/11

This blog is intended for information purposes only and is only advice from past experience, you may have other suggestions of your own. It is not intended to be used to make all of your business decisions but as a guide only.