Taj Kang | Financial & Insurance
Freelance Advisor and Associate Director of Contractor Mortgages Made Easy, Taj Kang, surveys how the mortgage market is looking for contractors and freelancers.
Joanna Ptolomey | Managing business
Are some clients more trouble than they’re worth? Freelance information consultant Joanna Ptolomey reminds us that, when time and attention are your most precious asset, and time is money, not all clients are the same.
Her simple steps can help bring some balance back into your books and your business.
Darren Fell | Accountancy & Tax
If you have read our guide to the expenses freelancers can claim the following guide gives some in depth information on how to claim your business expenses.
Michael Rose | Accountancy & Tax, Starting Out
Negotiating yourself the best rate possible is crucial to your financial success as a freelancer or contractor. However, it is also one of the most daunting prospects if you have never done it before.
This guide outlines a few things to think about when trying to secure yourself the best deal.
One the most frequently asked questions when people start contracting or freelancing is ‘how much should I charge?’
As well as knowing what other contractors in your field charge you can also apply following factors to work out a rate of pay.
Paul Cleworth | Financial & Insurance
Successful long term investment is not just about buying low and selling high. Stock markets rise and fall, and share prices are vulnerable to everything from political news to the weather. Trying to find your way around – particularly during times of high volatility and uncertainty – can feel like negotiating a minefield.
So how can we make sense of such a confusing world? It is probably time to go back to basics – stock markets may rise and fall, but the rules of sensible investment remain constant. Wealth Matters’ Paul Cleworth gives us the low down.
Paul Cleworth | Financial & Insurance
In conjunction with PCG, Wealth Matters have been running a number of Contractor Seminars this year. When it comes to investing they’ve found quite a few questions keep repeating themselves among the 250-strong contractors in the audience. Today Wealth Matters’ Director Paul Cleworth answers these questions for a wider contractor audience.
Master-moaner and freelance freedom-fighter Malvolio takes a look at Tax and Employment Benefit Trusts (an alternative to Umbrella Companies that promise up to 25% more in your pocket).
Are these tax schemes a good idea for freelancers and contractors looking to earn a little more? Are they good for the UK?
Darren Fell | Accountancy & Tax, Guides
Got a great accountant but lousy software?
Or great software but an accountant who wants everything in Excel spreadsheets?
Crunch Managing Director Darren Fell explains why choosing an all in one accounting solution can save you a lot of time and hassle when it comes to your year-end.
Charlie Bradburn | Financial & Insurance
The PCG is a non-profit organisation that fights the freelance corner by lobbying government for better tax and regulation and promoting fair and ethical behaviour among recruiters. It also provides a host of tools and knowledge to its members to help them handle tax and regulatory matters properly.
PCG insider Charlie Bradburn tells us why they could be your greatest ally if you were ever to suffer a tax investigation and how their help-line can help you feel more at ease when confronted by a letter from the HMRC.
Kasey Brunt | Accountancy & Tax
Small business owners working from home should make sure they are claiming tax relief, an accounting firm says.
Target Chartered Accountants says business owners who work from home can claim several tax benefits, including mortgage interest.
In this economic climate there are few letters which are worse to receive than a letter saying that your client has gone into administration or bankruptcy owing you money. But the number of these letters being sent out is on the increase. As a freelancer or contractor you will rank behind the banks, the Revenue and employees for payment and the prospect of getting money out of a company at this stage is remote at best. How then to stop your debts going bad?
Kasey Brunt | Managing business, News
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has released a series of online video guides to help businesses and start-ups understand their tax requirements.
The guides cover a variety of topics, including VAT, corporation tax and PAYE.
They also cover areas such as importing and exporting, keeping accurate records, and things to consider when employing other people.
Presenter Dan Snow [...]
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) has launched a guide to help businesses plan downturn survival strategies.
The “Eight ways to survive the downturn” guide, which can be downloaded at www.icaew.com, aims to provide businesses with practical help and topics to help them through the credit crunch.
The guide includes information on managing [...]
A leading business organisation says small firms are still having trouble accessing finance, despite Government lending guarantees.
The Forum of Private Business (FPB) says its members have reported they are still unable to access finance from banks, despite the Government implementing schemes such as the Enterprise Finance Guarantee, designed to help small businesses access bank loans.
“These [...]
Small businesses go green Small businesses are ‘going green’ in a bid to save costs, an expert says. Erica Russell, a sustainable business advisor from Business Link, said many small companies were adopting recycling methods and using low-energy applications in an effort to cut down on costs.
“When switching off your lights could save you between 18 [...]
Kasey Brunt | Accountancy & Tax
Tax burden hurts small business HIGH taxes are hitting UK small businesses hard, new research has found. About 16 per cent of small business’ outgoings is spent on tax, according to financial business information firm Creditsafe.
This means tax is the third biggest expense for most small businesses, freelancers and contractors, behind wages and investment in stock [...]
FEMALE business owners remain optimistic despite the economic crisis, a survey has revealed.
The business risk survey, undertaken by the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, found 58 per cent of female business owners believe their business will grow in 2009.
And 13 per cent said they would take their business to an international level in 2009.
The survey [...]
Leif Kendall | Accountancy & Tax
With gloomy forecasts and images of screens full of flashing red numbers dominating the newspages we’ve been keeping a eye on what the state of the economy means to freelancers and contractors. And it’s not all bad news! Today Freelance Advisor and Web Marketing Consultant Leif Kendal gives us three reasons why freelancing might actually be a very good option during a recession.
Michael Rose | Accountancy & Tax
The Professional Contractors Group (PCG), which represents UK freelancers and contractors, has warned the Government against “heavy-handed action” which would remove tax relief on expenses. The warning particularly concerns freelancers who work through ‘umbrella companies’ which oversee the offering of a number of freelancers’ services on large or long-term contracts.
“PCG supports the presence of umbrella companies [...]
Phil Illingworth | Accountancy & Tax
“I’m busy earning as a freelancer, but what about all those Pension plans?” It’s a common freelance problem. You’re hard at work earning money from contracts, but you also know you need to keep an eye out for when you’ll be less busy earning. In this new Financial Management series, Senior Pensions & Retirement Consultant Phil [...]
Lesley Furber | Employment Advice
Your frequently asked questions – about Pay, Pensions, Freelancers, Working Parents, Dismissal, Redundancy, Fixed Term Contracts, Resigning, References, Bullying.
Lesley Furber | Employment Advice
See this advice on chasing late payments.
Lesley Furber | Employment Advice
Asking for a pay/rate rise is not a comfortable thing to do, and there is no ‘right’ way to do it. However, whatever your situation is, you must prepare for a conversation about your pay….. read on for more advice.
Michael Riazi | Accountancy & Tax
Accounts and Audit Manager Michael Riazi helps freelancers and contractors find the advice they need. Last month Michael gave some great advice on how to find an accountant that is right for our freelance business – this month he gives us ten things we should ask on our first meeting.
Before you choose an accountant… An accountant [...]
Andy talks to Darren Fell of Freelance Advisor, about some techniques for working out what you should be charging. Topics Covered:
The role of networking; Online resources; Finding the perfect price point according to your skill; Selecting the rate you [...]
Michael Riazi | Accountancy & Tax
In today’s current climate it is essential to choose every aspect of your freelance business dealings carefully. This applies not just to your clients and suppliers but also to your professional advisors – especially a good accountant.
The right accountant will meet all your business accountancy needs, from the preparation of accounts and dealing with tax [...]
Part 2 of an interview with Steve Crouch of SRC Chartered Accountants. Here Steve tells us about the types of expenses freelancers can claim such as those associated with working from home and some more general things to look out for.
Topics Covered:
The expenses a freelancer can claim; Expenses [...]
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