Potholes to avoid with a new start-up

In a recent post, we talked about five tax-saving tips you need to know if you’re starting a new venture, giving you valuable information whether you’re a seasoned start-up pro or completely new to the entrepreneurial world. In this post, we take it a step further and focus on the potholes you’ll need to avoid to help your start-up flourish during the “growing pains” phase. Avoid mixing your…

Buy-to-Let Landlords: Four Reasons to Hire a Specialist Accountant

The changing landscape of buy-to-let regulation demands specialist attention this year. Landlords are beginning to feel the effects of the government’s cut in mortgage tax relief and the abolition of wear and tear allowance while lending criteria around mortgages are stricter than in past years and interest rates are rising. 2018 is no doubt a confusing time for those investing in the private…

Working with an Accountant Specialising in Tech Startups, The Benefits

Technology startups are taking over the world, and here at Tax Agility we believe this can only be a good thing! The innovation coming out of tech startups, both here in the UK and around the world, is astounding, and it’s only going to continue. We’ve been working with tech startups for several years now, and in that time we’ve been blown away by the quality of operations we have experienced…

Experienced Accountants & Other Advisers Benefit SME Owners

If you’re a small or medium-sized business (SME) owner you may find that you can benefit by working alongside experienced advisers who have been there, done that (whether for themselves in the past, or for other clients) and can help you navigate the choppy waters of business. You don’t have to do everything on your own. Even if you’re in a partnership (or you’re planning on hiring an employee…

What is the 24 Month Rule for Contractor Expenses?

The 24 month rule for contractor expenses is a law that allows contractors to receive tax relief on travel expenses should you be required to travel from your home to a temporary working location for a period of 24 months (two years) or less. If you qualify for such relief it will be paid to you, tax free, directly by your employer. Under the law, travel expenses refer to all reasonable costs…

Summer Budget July 2015

Welcome to the 8th July Summer Budget edition of Tax Tips & News. In this analysis, we have mainly concentrated on the tax measures that will directly affect individuals, employers and small businesses. Summary Chancellor George Osborne has delivered the first Budget by a wholly Conservative government in almost 20 years. The March 2015 Budget provided some clues as to possible new…

Government to Reduce Charity Gift Aid Confusion

The model Gift Aid declaration form is set to undergo an expansive improvement in the coming months thanks to the Government’s commitment to stop charities, especially small charities who are more likely to use the form, from losing out on billions of pounds worth of Gift Aid. The National Audit Office (NAO) estimates that Gift Aid wasn’t used in donations worth approx. £2.3 billion. Though…

What is a SIPP?  SIPPs Explained

So, what is a SIPP? A Self Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) is a type of pension plan that you can set up alongside any existing pension plans you already have in place, with a view towards building a significant retirement pot over a long period. Designed to make saving for retirement that little bit easier; you may invest 100% of your net earnings up to £50,000 into a SIPP in the current tax…

How to Claim Expenses if You Work from Home

You’re not alone. Knowing what expenses you can and can’t claim back when working from home can be a headache for many of us, with the complexity of the issue often causing us to not claim back all the reliefs we’re entitled to. To help shed some light on this complex issue we’ve detailed below six areas that are often at the top of mind when trying to decide upon what expenses can and can’t…

SEIS Investment Injects £82m Into Start-Ups

The SEIS (Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme), put forward by Chancellor George Osborne in 2011 and formally launched in April 2012, is designed to help small, early-stage or start up companies raise equity finance by encouraging individual investors with the prospect of receiving 50% of their investment back as income tax relief. In the eighteen months since its introduction, over 1,100…