Guides
Straight answers to the questions people ask before they hire an accountant. Each one is reviewed and dated.
How to pay yourself as a company director
Salary, dividends and pension contributions for owner-directors in 2026/27, how they're taxed, and why the right mix depends on your company.
When does your business need a finance director?
The signs a growing business has outgrown its bookkeeper, what a part-time or interim FD does, and how to get FD support without a full-time salary.
How to switch accountants
Switching accountants is easier than most people think. Here's what happens, what you need to do, the best time to move and what to ask your new firm.
Moving from Sage to Xero
How a Sage to Xero migration works, how long it takes, what data comes across, and how to avoid the mistakes that cause problems months later.
Dealer composites explained
What a manufacturer composite is, why accuracy matters for franchised dealers, the common mapping errors, and how to turn it into reporting the board can use.
Interim finance director cover for car dealerships
Your dealership FD or accountant has left. Here's what an interim FD covers, how quickly they can start, and what to look for in motor trade experience.
What are management accounts?
Management accounts explained: what's in them, how often to produce them, the KPIs that matter and why lenders and investors ask for them.
Self Assessment deadlines for the 2025/26 tax return
The 31st January 2027 deadline, payments on account, paper returns, MTD quarterly dates and late filing penalties, explained in plain English.
Do I need to file a Self Assessment tax return?
A plain-English checklist of who needs to send HMRC a Self Assessment tax return, including side hustles, landlords, directors and the Child Benefit charge.
How much does an accountant cost in the UK?
Indicative 2026 fees for tax returns, sole trader accounts, limited company accounts, bookkeeping, VAT and payroll, plus what pushes the price up or down.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: are you in?
MTD for Income Tax started on 6th April 2026 for sole traders and landlords over £50,000. Here's who joins when, what quarterly updates mean and how to get ready.
Sole trader or limited company: which is better for you?
Tax, admin, liability and credibility compared for sole traders and limited companies in 2026/27, with the profit levels where incorporating starts to make sense.
How to raise finance for a small business
Loans, asset finance, invoice finance, Start Up Loans, angel investors, SEIS and EIS compared, plus what lenders and investors want to see before they say yes.
How to choose the right accountant
The nine checks to make before you sign with an accountant: qualifications, regulation, insurance, software, fees and service standards.
Do you need an accountant or a tax adviser?
What accountants and tax advisers each do, when you need a specialist Chartered Tax Adviser, and how to find the right one for your situation.
Accountant fee calculator
Get an indicative annual fee for your situation in seconds.
UK tax deadline calendar 2026/27
Every Self Assessment, MTD, VAT and company deadline in one place.