Guide to selling your business

Are you thinking about selling your limited business?

Maybe you’re considering retirement or going back into full time work?

If you want to sell all the assets that you’ve accumulated from a company which is no longer trading, then you may have to pay Capital Gains Tax. This applies when you’ve made a profit on the original price of what you’re selling.

The regular rate of Capital Gains Tax is 18%, or 28% for people paying more than the basic rate of income tax.

However, applying for Entrepreneurs’ Relief allows sellers to only pay a reduced rate of 10% on the sale. This incentive was introduced in 2008 to encourage people to set up and grow businesses, creating jobs and economic growth.

Guide to selling your business

For details regarding eligibility rates etc. take a look at www.gov.uk/entrepreneurs-relief/eligibility or call Omni Chartered Accountants for free of charge, impartial advice on 01902 837 408!

Don’t delay – file your self-assessment tax return today!

The self-assessment tax return is an unavoidable burden if you are liable for self-employed tax or have more complicated income tax affairs.

Both self-employed business owners and company directors must complete self-assessment tax returns. The right approach to your self-assessment tax return will minimise the aggravation and can reduce the income tax you end up paying.

Our guidance will help you understand the key issues you need to deal with. For help with the specifics, talk to Omni Chartered Accountants; our expertise should save you both time and money.

Registering for self-assessment

There are a number of circumstances under which you may be required to complete a self-assessment tax return. For example, if you:

• Are recently self-employed or have become a partner in a partnership;
• Are a company director
• Have untaxed income — perhaps from rental property — or complicated income tax affairs
• Have an income of £100,000 or more
• Need to pay capital gains tax
• Have expenses to claim

You can find out if you need to complete a self-assessment tax return on the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) website, or by giving us a quick call on 01902 837 408.

Don’t delay – file your self-assessment tax return today!

Before you can complete your first self-assessment income tax return, you will need to register with an accountant or with HMRC. You should register as soon as your circumstances change but certainly no later than the 5th October after the end of the tax year for which you need to submit a form.

Do I need an accountant?

You might think that a start-up or small business isn’t big enough to warrant an accountant.

But unless you’re an expert in tax and finance – or in short, an accountant yourself – this simply isn’t the case. An accountant provides your business with a great deal of essential support.

If you are just starting a business, your accountant will take the form of another business adviser. They will be able to give advice on your business plan and the tax issues of registering a new business.

Some accountants offer book-keeping services, but if they don’t or if you wish to handle this yourself, you can get help with setting up manual or computerised book-keeping systems. And most importantly, you need an accountant to assist on things like whether it is necessary to register for VAT or PAYE and the procedures involved.

As your business grows

An accountant isn’t just there to help you manage your money. Whether you are starting up or a growing business, they can advise you on the best way to arrange additional finance without putting your business at risk.

Once you have the finance in place there needs to be some control to ensure growth of your business is handled in the right way. Many of your concerns will be financial – adequate working capital, good stock control, invoicing and so on – an experienced accountant’s advice will be invaluable in such matters.

And can you honestly say that you are on top of all the essential business tax issues? Well probably not – but that’s an accountant’s job. Taxation is a large business expense and an accountant can effectively minimise these costs.

Finding a competitive professional chartered accountant

Omni Chartered Accountants, Wolverhampton, offer a highly competitive and professional service to clients across the UK. We pride ourselves in giving advice on a one-to-one basis and we are very happy to provide you with a free initial consultation – you can request a free of charge call back from our website or call 01902 837 408 – alternatively, click here to contact us online and we will come straight back to you!

What to do if you have had a letter from HMRC

Have you had a letter from HMRC?

If you have, don’t bury your head in the sand!

HMRC letters – whether they are expected or unexpected – can be stressful for the recipient.

The first thing to do is read it thoroughly, digest its contents and consider what it is about.

Is it asking you questions or is it stating facts? In any event, it will certainly include advice on any action that may be needed.

Whatever you do, DO NOT IGNORE IT.

Seeking advice about an HMRC letter

Whether you are an individual, a sole trader or a limited company, the letter will have been sent for a reason and it will require action to clarify, resolve or just provide required information the HMRC.

It needn’t be stressful and you are not alone, so take simple steps to understand and talk to the experts.

The HMRC website contains many useful links and FAQ’s - is a great source for getting a greater understanding and knowing what to do and when to do it.

Just don’t ignore or put off dealing with it.

If you are still unsure then give Omni Chartered Accountants a call on 01902 837 408 or click here to contact us - we are always happy to assist.