IHT 400: The Executor’s Nightmare That Doesn’t Have to Be
Here’s the truth nobody tells you about becoming an executor: you’ll spend more time wrestling with HMRC forms than grieving properly. The IHT 400 form—all 12 pages of bureaucratic bewilderment—sits there mocking you whilst you’re still figuring out how to access the deceased’s bank account. I’ve watched countless executors stumble through this process, clutching printouts […]
Business Advisory Accountants: The Secret Weapon for SME Success
Most small business owners treat their accountant like a reluctant dentist appointment – necessary, slightly uncomfortable, and mercifully brief. You hand over a shoebox of receipts in March, get your tax return sorted, and retreat for another year. But here’s the thing that keeps me awake at night: you’re missing the entire point. A business […]
VAT Accounting Guide UK 2025: Avoid Costly HMRC Penalties
Here’s something that’ll make you pause mid-sip of your morning coffee: 78% of UK businesses make at least one VAT-related error each year. And I’m not talking about missing a decimal point—I mean proper, HMRC-will-notice mistakes that can trigger investigations, penalties, and the kind of sleepless nights that no amount of chamomile tea can fix. […]
IHT Tax Traps: How to Avoid the 40% IHT Tax Rate in 2025
Death and taxes—the two unavoidable certainties in life, as the saying goes. But when these two intersect in the form of Inheritance Tax (IHT), things get surprisingly complex. I’ve spent years watching estate owners scratch their heads over IHT calculations, and honestly, who can blame them? The rules seem deliberately designed to confuse. Let me […]
Inheritance Tax Threshold: Changes and Planning Strategies
The letter from HMRC nobody wants to receive. That’s how most of us view anything related to inheritance tax. I’ve seen grown adults go pale at the mere mention of it – and frankly, I don’t blame them. The labyrinthine rules, the constantly shifting thresholds, and that nagging feeling that the taxman is going to […]
Cloud Accounting: Why London Businesses Are Making the Switch
The morning commute on the Northern Line. Rain that seems to fall sideways. That moment when your accountant sends over yet another folder of paperwork that needs signing before tomorrow. Some aspects of London business life seem impossibly stuck in the past. I was having coffee with a small business owner in Merton last week […]
The Ultimate Guide to Auto-Enrolment: Navigating Workplace Pensions in 2025
Ever been trapped in the corner at a dinner party when someone brings up pensions, and you feel that familiar urge to fake a phone call or sprint for the nearest exit? I’ve been there—nodding politely while mentally calculating how many prawn vol-au-vents I could stuff in my pockets before making my escape. But here’s […]
The Ultimate Guide to Modern Bookkeeping for UK Businesses
I once watched a brilliant entrepreneur—someone with an amazing product and infectious passion—go from celebrating a seemingly successful year to discovering they were £27,000 in the red. All because of messy bookkeeping. The look on her face still haunts me. Let’s be honest—nobody daydreams about bookkeeping. You probably didn’t start your business fantasising about reconciling […]
Tackling Your Self Assessment Return: A No-Nonsense Guide
Let’s face it – self assessment return don’t exactly spark joy. They lurk in the back of your mind for months, then suddenly it’s January and you’re frantically hunting for receipts you swore you kept somewhere. I’ve been there, done that, and finally learned how to make the process less painful. Self assessment returns aren’t […]
