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Should you sell online?

I read an article in The Telegraph recently in which it stated that online sales were up 19.2% in December 2013 compared to December 2012, and that a British Retail Consortium survey revealed that non-food online purchases had risen from 16.5% to 18.6%, meaning that almost one in five non-food purchases is made online.  This backs up the obvious; that online selling is and will continue to be a growing market.

Important tax issues in divorce or dissolution

The Christmas period is often a time when people feel a lot of pressure to have fun and spend quality family time. While many families are fortunate to have an enjoyable break together this is not, sadly, the case for all. The festive period can be a time which leaves some couples contemplating divorce or separation in the New Year. 

The tax aspects for a divorce or dissolution of a civil partnership are essentially the same. This article doesn’t cover the differing issues faced by couples not in a marriage or civil partnership who have decided to separate. 

Deadline looming for tax relief on commercial property deals

Whilst most accountants and many business owners understand about claiming capital allowances on loose plant items such as tables, chairs and fridges, capital allowances are often overlooked on “fixed plant” such as electrical and heating systems.

According to research by Deloitte, 96% of owners have not taken advantage of the available allowances, losing out on an estimated £70bn to £80bn.

Presenting at Xero roadshows and the introduction of files in Xero

I had the honour this week of guest speaking at the Leeds and Manchester Xero Roadshow events. The events were well attended with over 200 people in attendance.  It was an opportunity to share Armstrong Watson’s success as a Gold Xero partner with other parties interested in joining the Xero journey. For those that are not aware of Xero it is ground breaking cloud accounting software.

Can you claim capital gains tax relief on incorporation of your property letting business?

A recent tax case, Ramsay v HMRC (2013), has helped provide a bit more clarity in respect of when property letting classes as a business for capital gains tax purposes.

And Sebastian Vettel wins again…

I’ve just finished watching the last F1 race of 2013, the Brazilian Grand Prix, and to the surprise of nobody Sebastian Vettel won again. This was his ninth straight win in a row, his thirteenth of the season and a fourth consecutive world title for him and the Red Bull team. On the slowing down lap he was talking to his team over the radio and said “we have to remember these days; we have to enjoy them while they last”.

Advisory fuel rates for company cars

Following a change in the advisory fuel rates by HMRC, from 1 December 2013 the mileage rates applying to company cars are as follows:

10 things you need to know about Help to Buy

I am sure you are aware of the depressed housing market that has affected much of the United Kingdom during the last five years. Some of you may also be aware of initiatives that were launched by the Government this year to encourage some confidence in the property market. This initiative is called Help to Buy. 

There are two distinctly different Help to Buy schemes:-

Gifting to charity by individuals and companies

With the recent distressing disaster in the Philippines we have received a number of enquiries from clients wanting to make contributions.  Clients have been asking us the best way to go about this to maximise the amount they can give to charity.  We have therefore pulled together a recap of the very important Gift Aid rules for individuals, and also included details on how companies can make charitable contributions too.

How can your business access finance?

Recent Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) research showed the flow of new bank lending to SMEs which includes family and owner managed businesses fell by 23% between 2009 and 2012. One of the issues was the lack of awareness of alternative sources of finance amongst businesses. 

Our corporate finance team who work with clients to raise finance give their top 10 routes to accessing finance: