Mortgage References for business owners

Applying for a new mortgage or re-mortgage can be a stressful and time-consuming task for anyone. At least for people in full time employment there is a good chance that their income will have been consistent over the last few years. Unfortunately, people running...

What should I do when employing someone for the first time?

The most important things are: You must pay at least the National Minimum wage. Get Employers’ Liability insurance as soon as you become an employer. Send a written job description (including Terms & Conditions) to your employee. When employing someone for over 1...

Can I claim tax relief on my car if I’m a sole trader?

 I use my car for my self-employed business – it cost £5,000*.  Can I claim tax relief? Yes – but it’s complicated – and it depends on the CO2 emissions of the car. For cars bought after 6th April 2021: Second-hand electric cars, and cars with CO2...

How does being married affect Capital Gains Tax (CGT)

When a person gives/sells shares, investment properties etc. to a spouse, the transfer is deemed to be at a no gain/no loss value – so no CGT to pay. By transferring a half share of an investment property to your spouse prior to selling it, you can double the tax-free...

Starting a business checklist – 20 things to consider

When starting a business there are a lot of things to think about and a checklist can be useful. The checklist below is not exhaustive but it does include tasks that are sometimes overlooked by people starting out in business.  It is always worth talking to an...

What shares should I issue when forming a new company?

Issuing large numbers of shares creates a debt to the Company and can remove the benefits of limited liability. When a Company goes into liquidation, shareholders can lose the value of their shares because they might have to pay the share capital personally to...