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The Law Society has warned that the Chancellor’s plans for new employee-shareholder contracts (‘shares for rights’) could actually cause more red tape rather than less, especially for small company owners, and should be deleted from the Growth and Infrastructure Bill.
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Contractor UK, a leading industry news site, has revealed the results of its annual readers’ survey, including the best contractor accountant award.
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The latest figures from the IMA show that public sector interim management projects now account for over two thirds of all assignments – the highest level since before the credit crunch.
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Emily Coltman, chief accountant at FreeAgent, has published two useful self-assessment checklists – aimed at limited company contractors and freelancers.
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With the self-assessment deadline looming once again, a leading accountant has provided his top ten tips to help contractors complete their tax returns correctly.
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Limited company owners should make sure they meet the annual self-assessment deadline at the end of this month, as penalties for late submission can increase significantly the longer a return is outstanding.
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Having been granted an increase in specialist funding, HMRC is offering the participants of certain tax avoidance schemes the chance to settle their tax liabilities via agreement, rather than facing litigation.
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If you want to set up a new limited company, you will need to have various pieces of information to hand in order to complete the incorporation process.
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The start of a New Year is often the push aspiring business owners need to set up a new company. With the number of new company registrations typically higher in the first quarter of each year than any other, 2013 may set new records as the economy slowly crawls out of recession.
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If you are a professional contractor or consultant, you may be required by your client to carry adequate business insurance, or you may decide to insure your company for your own peace of mind.
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The Office of National Statistics has released data showing that the rates of business births and deaths have moved back to near pre-recession levels. The study also reveals the 5-year survival rate for businesses.
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One of the most significant changes announced by the Chancellor in his 2012 Autumn Statement was a cut in the tax-free pensions contribution limits from the 2014/15 tax year onwards. How will this affect contractors and consultants?
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The Research & Development (R&D) tax relief system exists to encourage businesses to invest in innovation. Often misunderstood, and under-claimed by small companies, it can offer substantial benefits to qualifying firms.
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The expansion of the IR35 legislation to include ‘office holders’ – the first ever statutory change to the Intermediaries Legislation – should not be a concern for ‘genuine’ contractors, says a leading accountant.
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A new draft clause for inclusion in the Finance Bill 2013 explicitly extends the scope of IR35 to ‘office holders’ for the first time.
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Following the Government’s decision to abandon the ill-thought out ‘controlling persons’ proposals last week, perhaps the most relieved group of consultants are interims – who are often hired to influence board-level decision-making for end-clients.
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A specialist lawyer has warned that the increasing number of ‘zombie companies’ operating could lead to a surge in insolvency cases if HMRC and the banks start to take action against companies that are unable to pay their debts.
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One of the most significant announcements made during the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement was the temporary increase of the Annual Investment Allowance from £25,000 to £250,000.
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Following the introduction of new IR35 enforcement measures in May 2012, and ongoing efforts to clamp down on personal service companies in the public sector, it may come as some surprise that only a few lines in the supporting Autumn Statement documentation even mention ‘IR35’.
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