In article , Mike P the 1st
scribeth thus
On Sat, 8 May 2010 16:42:03 +0100, tony sayer
gently dipped his quill in the best Quink that money could buy:

In article , Mike P the 1st
scribeth thus
On Sat, 8 May 2010 11:10:05 +0100, tony sayer
gently dipped his quill in the best Quink that money could buy:

In article , Mike P the 1st
m scribeth thus
On Sat, 08 May 2010 10:49:05 +0100, Bruce
gently dipped his quill in the best Quink that money could buy:

On Sat, 08 May 2010 10:04:27 +0100, Mike P the 1st
m wrote:

Where can I get all those snippets of info as to what I can claim tax
relief on ?


http://www.thetaxguide.co.uk/Allowab...eductions.html
http://www.smallbusinesspro.co.uk/ta...-expenses.html
http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/fo...ad.php?t=34589
and:
http://tinyurl.com/388au4h
or:
http://www.smallbusiness.co.uk/chann...working/q-and-
a/29314/business-expenses-claimable-against-income-tax.thtml

Thanks for those links ... excelent.


Mike P the 1st


Haven't you got an accountant anywhere?, thats what there're normally
good at...

I have a bookeeper/accountant (first time) and I dont think she is
very good. I mentioned about claiming for a bit of heating/office etc
at home, and she started on about house business rates so best avoid
claiming for PC ..paper ..


office part of room etc..

She might be partly right there..

I was/am 2 yrs behind with tax return. so I was reccomemded to her.
After a month of having books, I dont believe she has even started.

Well chivvy her up then!..

Lesson learnt.

Mike P the 1st

I did !

She said she would have the first year done in a fortnights time. So
that is 6 weeks !

What peeved me at the start was that I had written everything down in
one of those WH Smiths accounting books.
All paperwork filed in order and in relevant folders etc etc.
She said that she would have to re write it into another accounts
book, costing £30 @ £14/hr for the whole job.

I blame myself, as I missed the online deadline and never got back
into it.
Am beginning to wonder if I should thank her for what she has done so
far and go elsewhere.


Mike P the 1st

Anyone you know who can make a recommendation?..

Perhaps she does a lot of builders.. You know, "make a start" sod off on
umpteen other jobs .. then you have to shout at them to come back and
finish off the "start" they made...
--
Tony Sayer

In article , Nightjar
"cpb"@ "insertmysurnamehere@?.? scribeth thus
tony sayer wrote:
I have a bookeeper/accountant (first time) and I dont think she is
very good. I mentioned about claiming for a bit of heating/office etc
at home, and she started on about house business rates so best avoid
claiming for PC ..paper .. office part of room etc..
It very much depends upon whether the room is primarily used for
business or for domestic use and whether it has been specially adapted
for business use. A desk in the corner of the lounge used occasionally
is not likely to attract business rates. A garage converted into a
dedicated office is. Then again, a business that justifies a dedicated
office in the garage may well recover more from claiming for its
expenses than it ends up paying in rates, particularly with small
business relief.

Colin Bignell

So if its your garage that the firms paying you for then thats counted
as your own personal income which is then taxed;?..

I'm not quite sure how that question relates to liability for business
rates.

Colin Bignell

Forget about bizz rates this was the simple concept of your firm paying
you and then U get taxed on that..

Mind you I mustn't tell you that .. didn't you know its a crime now to
advise anyone how they might pay less tax?...
--
Tony Sayer

On 9 May, 10:09, Bruce wrote:
On Sun, 9 May 2010 01:22:12 -0700 (PDT), JimK



wrote:
On 8 May, 23:08, Bruce wrote:
On Sat, 8 May 2010 08:25:09 -0700 (PDT), JimK

wrote:
On 8 May, 10:19, Bruce wrote:
On Sat, 8 May 2010 01:59:05 -0700 (PDT), JimK

wrote:
Back then Quicken (I think) was one that "felt" most OK (lots of
tutorials, documentation, examples, proper GUI etc).but was fairly
basic for us - may do what you want tho?

http://www.quicken.co.uk/

Important notice for Quicken Users:

Intuit UK has made a difficult business decision to discontinue future
development of Quicken products for the UK market. To help customers
affected by this decision, we will continue providing access to
Quicken customer support and online services through to the end of
January 2006.

Key Dates

Quicken withdrawn from sale: 31, January 2005
Phone support (Quicken XG, 2004) until: 31, January 2006
Email support (Quicken XG, 2004) until: 31, January 2006
Online support until: 31, January, 2006

Pedantic key text:- " years ago" "back then"
cheers
JimK

Pedantic key text: "may do what you want tho?" [your words]

Common sense answer: "No it bloody well won't!"

So why on earth did you suggest something that was taken off the
market five years ago?

Blindingly obvious answer for pedants : "because I didn't know it was
taken off the market 5 years ago".

Because you couldn't be arsed to check before recommending it?

where did i recommend it? Why would I recommend it?

I (and gasp *even* you) don't know the details of the OP's business -
it's upto him to investigate these things and see if they are any use
*to him*.... see other posters successfully using software that *you*
reckon is no good cos it's unsupported.....

Why did you recommend (oops "mention" then) something you have (by
your own usual half-witted admission) *no experience* with?

I bet you wait til the green man shows before crossing the road don't
ya?

Cheers
JimK

On Sat, 08 May 2010 17:19:15 +0100 Dave Osborne wrote :
As it is, with a spreadsheet, you can change the numbers any time you
like and if you amend a figure nobody will be any the wiser unless you
make a point of keeping different incremental versions/printouts of
your spreadsheet showing different amounts in the same cell.

QuickBooks, which I have used for 15 years in UK and Australian versions
has an optional audit trail and allows you to go back and correct errors
without needing to make a correcting journal entry. My UK accountant was
quite relaxed about this, pointing out that if I was on the fiddle the
most likely way would be through making cash sales and just never putting
them into the accounts in the first place.

Big plus of QB was switching accountants to one who could just take a
copy of my QB file and work from this - halved my accountancy bill.

--
Tony Bryer, Greentram: 'Software to build on' Melbourne, Australia
www.superbeam.co.uk www.eurobeam.co.uk www.greentram.com

On Sun, 9 May 2010 04:17:30 -0700 (PDT), JimK
wrote:

I bet you wait til the green man shows before crossing the road don't
ya?


Sorry, but no matter how low I stoop I could not possibly reach the
depth of your ignorance. Once again, I suggest you should try adult
education classes, because you surely need them.

On 9 May, 16:31, Bruce wrote:
On Sun, 9 May 2010 04:17:30 -0700 (PDT), JimK

wrote:

I bet you wait til the green man shows before crossing the road don't
ya?

Sorry, but no matter how low I stoop I could not possibly reach the
depth of your ignorance. Once again, I suggest you should try adult
education classes, because you surely need them.

avoiding the issues as usual bruce?
quitter

In message , Mike P the 1st
writes
On Fri, 7 May 2010 20:05:23 +0100, "Peter Crosland"
gently dipped his quill in the best Quink that
money could buy:

"Mike P the 1st" wrote in
message ...
Can anyone reccomend a business software package to keep simple
accounts on, to enable me to be a bit more organised at the end of the
financial year ?


Ask your accountant what he recommends.

Peter Crosland


My accountant is a technophobic ... she does not even have a ccomputer

There is no place for someone in that business nowadays who doesn't have
a computer and internet link



... I will be changing quite soon.

I bloody well hope so


Mike P the 1st

--
geoff

On Sun, 9 May 2010 10:10:51 -0700 (PDT), JimK
wrote:

On 9 May, 16:31, Bruce wrote:
On Sun, 9 May 2010 04:17:30 -0700 (PDT), JimK

wrote:

I bet you wait til the green man shows before crossing the road don't
ya?

Sorry, but no matter how low I stoop I could not possibly reach the
depth of your ignorance. Once again, I suggest you should try adult
education classes, because you surely need them.

avoiding the issues as usual bruce?
quitter


The only "issue" here is that your profound ignorance, coupled with
your arrogance, makes any intelligent discussion impossible.

On 9 May, 21:21, Bruce wrote:
On Sun, 9 May 2010 10:10:51 -0700 (PDT), JimK

wrote:
On 9 May, 16:31, Bruce wrote:
On Sun, 9 May 2010 04:17:30 -0700 (PDT), JimK

wrote:

I bet you wait til the green man shows before crossing the road don't
ya?

Sorry, but no matter how low I stoop I could not possibly reach the
depth of your ignorance. Once again, I suggest you should try adult
education classes, because you surely need them.

avoiding the issues as usual bruce?
quitter

The only "issue" here is that your profound ignorance, coupled with
your arrogance, makes any intelligent discussion impossible.

troll

In message
, JimK
writes
On 9 May, 21:21, Bruce wrote:
On Sun, 9 May 2010 10:10:51 -0700 (PDT), JimK

wrote:
On 9 May, 16:31, Bruce wrote:
On Sun, 9 May 2010 04:17:30 -0700 (PDT), JimK

wrote:

I bet you wait til the green man shows before crossing the road don't
ya?

Sorry, but no matter how low I stoop I could not possibly reach the
depth of your ignorance. Once again, I suggest you should try adult
education classes, because you surely need them.

avoiding the issues as usual bruce?
quitter

The only "issue" here is that your profound ignorance, coupled with
your arrogance, makes any intelligent discussion impossible.

troll


OI!

Do you two want to get a room, or something ?

--
geoff

On Sun, 9 May 2010 04:17:30 -0700 (PDT) JimK wrote :
I bet you wait til the green man shows before crossing the road don't
ya?

Here you're liable to an on the spot fine if you don't and a police
officer spots you. And, yes, they do hand them out periodically.

--
Tony Bryer, Greentram: 'Software to build on' Melbourne, Australia
www.superbeam.co.uk www.eurobeam.co.uk www.greentram.com

tony sayer wrote:
In article , Nightjar
"cpb"@ "insertmysurnamehere@?.? scribeth thus
tony sayer wrote:
I have a bookeeper/accountant (first time) and I dont think she is
very good. I mentioned about claiming for a bit of heating/office etc
at home, and she started on about house business rates so best avoid
claiming for PC ..paper .. office part of room etc..
It very much depends upon whether the room is primarily used for
business or for domestic use and whether it has been specially adapted
for business use. A desk in the corner of the lounge used occasionally
is not likely to attract business rates. A garage converted into a
dedicated office is. Then again, a business that justifies a dedicated
office in the garage may well recover more from claiming for its
expenses than it ends up paying in rates, particularly with small
business relief.

Colin Bignell
So if its your garage that the firms paying you for then thats counted
as your own personal income which is then taxed;?..
I'm not quite sure how that question relates to liability for business
rates.

Colin Bignell

Forget about bizz rates this was the simple concept of your firm paying
you and then U get taxed on that..

As a sole trader, I am the firm.

Mind you I mustn't tell you that .. didn't you know its a crime now to
advise anyone how they might pay less tax?...

That will comes as something of a surprise to my accounant and to my
pension investment advisor.

Colin Bignell

In article , Nightjar
"cpb"@ "insertmysurnamehere@?.? scribeth thus
tony sayer wrote:
In article , Nightjar
"cpb"@ "insertmysurnamehere@?.? scribeth thus
tony sayer wrote:
I have a bookeeper/accountant (first time) and I dont think she is
very good. I mentioned about claiming for a bit of heating/office etc
at home, and she started on about house business rates so best avoid
claiming for PC ..paper .. office part of room etc..
It very much depends upon whether the room is primarily used for
business or for domestic use and whether it has been specially adapted
for business use. A desk in the corner of the lounge used occasionally
is not likely to attract business rates. A garage converted into a
dedicated office is. Then again, a business that justifies a dedicated
office in the garage may well recover more from claiming for its
expenses than it ends up paying in rates, particularly with small
business relief.

Colin Bignell
So if its your garage that the firms paying you for then thats counted
as your own personal income which is then taxed;?..
I'm not quite sure how that question relates to liability for business
rates.

Colin Bignell

Forget about bizz rates this was the simple concept of your firm paying
you and then U get taxed on that..

As a sole trader, I am the firm.

You are still taxed unless you've found a way around that, if so e-mail
ASAP please..


Mind you I mustn't tell you that .. didn't you know its a crime now to
advise anyone how they might pay less tax?...

That will comes as something of a surprise to my accounant and to my
pension investment advisor.


http://www.bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/ho...talking-about-
tax.html

Colin Bignell

--
Tony Sayer

On 11/05/2010 10:01, tony sayer wrote:
In articleDYGdnWhz65pHa3XWnZ2dnUVZ8nZi4p2d@giganews. com, Nightjar
"cpb"@"insertmysurnamehere@?.? scribeth thus
tony sayer wrote:
In articleNKidnZsW_NZrDnjWnZ2dnUVZ8qNi4p2d@giganews. com, Nightjar
"cpb"@"insertmysurnamehere@?.? scribeth thus
tony sayer wrote:
I have a bookeeper/accountant (first time) and I dont think she is
very good. I mentioned about claiming for a bit of heating/office etc
at home, and she started on about house business rates so best avoid
claiming for PC ..paper .. office part of room etc..
It very much depends upon whether the room is primarily used for
business or for domestic use and whether it has been specially adapted
for business use. A desk in the corner of the lounge used occasionally
is not likely to attract business rates. A garage converted into a
dedicated office is. Then again, a business that justifies a dedicated
office in the garage may well recover more from claiming for its
expenses than it ends up paying in rates, particularly with small
business relief.

Colin Bignell
So if its your garage that the firms paying you for then thats counted
as your own personal income which is then taxed;?..
I'm not quite sure how that question relates to liability for business
rates.

Colin Bignell

Forget about bizz rates this was the simple concept of your firm paying
you and then U get taxed on that..

As a sole trader, I am the firm.

You are still taxed unless you've found a way around that, if so e-mail
ASAP please..


Mind you I mustn't tell you that .. didn't you know its a crime now to
advise anyone how they might pay less tax?...

That will comes as something of a surprise to my accounant and to my
pension investment advisor.


http://www.bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/ho...talking-about-
tax.html

I note that is a Daily Mail story (ie probably fiction).


--
Howard Neil

In article , Howard
Neil scribeth thus

On 11/05/2010 10:01, tony sayer wrote:
In articleDYGdnWhz65pHa3XWnZ2dnUVZ8nZi4p2d@giganews. com, Nightjar
"cpb"@"insertmysurnamehere@?.? scribeth thus
tony sayer wrote:
In articleNKidnZsW_NZrDnjWnZ2dnUVZ8qNi4p2d@giganews. com, Nightjar
"cpb"@"insertmysurnamehere@?.? scribeth thus
tony sayer wrote:
I have a bookeeper/accountant (first time) and I dont think she is
very good. I mentioned about claiming for a bit of heating/office etc
at home, and she started on about house business rates so best avoid
claiming for PC ..paper .. office part of room etc..
It very much depends upon whether the room is primarily used for
business or for domestic use and whether it has been specially adapted
for business use. A desk in the corner of the lounge used occasionally
is not likely to attract business rates. A garage converted into a
dedicated office is. Then again, a business that justifies a dedicated
office in the garage may well recover more from claiming for its
expenses than it ends up paying in rates, particularly with small
business relief.

Colin Bignell
So if its your garage that the firms paying you for then thats counted
as your own personal income which is then taxed;?..
I'm not quite sure how that question relates to liability for business
rates.

Colin Bignell

Forget about bizz rates this was the simple concept of your firm paying
you and then U get taxed on that..

As a sole trader, I am the firm.

You are still taxed unless you've found a way around that, if so e-mail
ASAP please..


Mind you I mustn't tell you that .. didn't you know its a crime now to
advise anyone how they might pay less tax?...

That will comes as something of a surprise to my accounant and to my
pension investment advisor.


http://www.bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/ho...talking-about-
tax.html

I note that is a Daily Mail story (ie probably fiction).


I'm 99% sure I saw that on the BBC and or the Times .. so?...

Suppose the incoming PM is going to need all he cash he can get .. and
more;(...
--
Tony Sayer

Howard Neil wrote:

On 11/05/2010 10:01, tony sayer wrote:
In articleDYGdnWhz65pHa3XWnZ2dnUVZ8nZi4p2d@giganews. com, Nightjar
"cpb"@"insertmysurnamehere@?.? scribeth thus
tony sayer wrote:
In articleNKidnZsW_NZrDnjWnZ2dnUVZ8qNi4p2d@giganews. com, Nightjar
"cpb"@"insertmysurnamehere@?.? scribeth thus
tony sayer wrote:
I have a bookeeper/accountant (first time) and I dont think she is
very good. I mentioned about claiming for a bit of
heating/office etc
at home, and she started on about house business rates so best
avoid
claiming for PC ..paper .. office part of room etc..
It very much depends upon whether the room is primarily used for
business or for domestic use and whether it has been specially
adapted
for business use. A desk in the corner of the lounge used
occasionally
is not likely to attract business rates. A garage converted into a
dedicated office is. Then again, a business that justifies a
dedicated
office in the garage may well recover more from claiming for its
expenses than it ends up paying in rates, particularly with small
business relief.

Colin Bignell
So if its your garage that the firms paying you for then thats
counted
as your own personal income which is then taxed;?..
I'm not quite sure how that question relates to liability for business
rates.

Colin Bignell

Forget about bizz rates this was the simple concept of your firm paying
you and then U get taxed on that..

As a sole trader, I am the firm.

You are still taxed unless you've found a way around that, if so e-mail
ASAP please..


Mind you I mustn't tell you that .. didn't you know its a crime now to
advise anyone how they might pay less tax?...

That will comes as something of a surprise to my accounant and to my
pension investment advisor.


http://www.bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/ho...talking-about-
tax.html

I note that is a Daily Mail story (ie probably fiction).

If you look at the HMRC web site, the draft legislation is entitled
'deliberate wrongdoing by tax agents'. So, you not only need to be a
professional advisor to be affected, you also need to be involved in
wrongdoing, which has always been construed as tax evasion, rather than
tax avoidance.

Colin Bignell

tony sayer wrote:
In article , Nightjar
"cpb"@ "insertmysurnamehere@?.? scribeth thus
tony sayer wrote:
In article , Nightjar
"cpb"@ "insertmysurnamehere@?.? scribeth thus
tony sayer wrote:
I have a bookeeper/accountant (first time) and I dont think she is
very good. I mentioned about claiming for a bit of heating/office etc
at home, and she started on about house business rates so best avoid
claiming for PC ..paper .. office part of room etc..
It very much depends upon whether the room is primarily used for
business or for domestic use and whether it has been specially adapted
for business use. A desk in the corner of the lounge used occasionally
is not likely to attract business rates. A garage converted into a
dedicated office is. Then again, a business that justifies a dedicated
office in the garage may well recover more from claiming for its
expenses than it ends up paying in rates, particularly with small
business relief.

Colin Bignell
So if its your garage that the firms paying you for then thats counted
as your own personal income which is then taxed;?..
I'm not quite sure how that question relates to liability for business
rates.

Colin Bignell
Forget about bizz rates this was the simple concept of your firm paying
you and then U get taxed on that..
As a sole trader, I am the firm.

You are still taxed unless you've found a way around that, if so e-mail
ASAP please..

So far as income tax is concerned, that is simple. Just ensure your
earnings are no more than the personal allowance.

Colin Bignell

On May 11, 6:19*pm, "Nightjar \"cpb\"@" "insertmysurnamehere wrote:
Howard Neil wrote:

On 11/05/2010 10:01, tony sayer wrote:
In articleDYGdnWhz65pHa3XWnZ2dnUVZ8nZi4...@giganews. com, Nightjar
"cpb"@"insertmysurnamehere@?.? *scribeth thus
tony sayer wrote:
In articleNKidnZsW_NZrDnjWnZ2dnUVZ8qNi4...@giganews. com, Nightjar
"cpb"@"insertmysurnamehere@?.? *scribeth thus
tony sayer wrote:
I have a bookeeper/accountant (first time) and I dont think she is
very good. I mentioned about claiming for a bit of
heating/office etc
at home, and she started on about house business rates so best
avoid
claiming for PC ..paper .. office part of room etc..
It very much depends upon whether the room is primarily used for
business or for domestic use and whether it has been specially
adapted
for business use. A desk in the corner of the lounge used
occasionally
is not likely to attract business rates. A garage converted into a
dedicated office is. Then again, a business that justifies a
dedicated
office in the garage may well recover more from claiming for its
expenses than it ends up paying in rates, particularly with small
business relief.

Colin Bignell
So if its your garage that the firms paying you for then thats
counted
as your own personal income which is then taxed;?..
I'm not quite sure how that question relates to liability for business
rates.

Colin Bignell

Forget about bizz rates this was the simple concept of your firm paying
you and then U get taxed on that..

As a sole trader, I am the firm.

You are still taxed unless you've found a way around that, if so e-mail
ASAP please..

Mind you I mustn't tell you that .. didn't you know its a crime now to
advise anyone how they might pay less tax?...

That will comes as something of a surprise to my accounant and to my
pension investment advisor.

http://www.bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/ho...talking-about-
tax.html

I note that is a Daily Mail story (ie probably fiction).

If you look at the HMRC web site, the draft legislation is entitled
'deliberate wrongdoing by tax agents'. So, you not only need to be a
professional advisor to be affected,

Not true. Read the draft itself.

you also need to be involved in
wrongdoing, which has always been construed as tax evasion, rather than
tax avoidance.

Not true. Read the draft.

It's frightening in its scope, regardless of the supposedly limited
intent.

MBQ

John Rumm wrote:
On 11/05/2010 18:19, Nightjar "cpb"@ insertmysurnamehere wrote:

http://www.bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/ho...talking-about-
tax.html

I note that is a Daily Mail story (ie probably fiction).

If you look at the HMRC web site, the draft legislation is entitled
'deliberate wrongdoing by tax agents'. So, you not only need to be a
professional advisor to be affected, you also need to be involved in
wrongdoing, which has always been construed as tax evasion, rather than
tax avoidance.

Alas the devil is in the detail as ever. They are defining a "tax agent"
as anyone they fancy basically:

"Tax agent
2 (1) A person is a tax agent if the person assists another person (a
'client') with
the client's tax affairs.
(2) A person may be a tax agent even if
(a) the assistance is given free of charge,
(b) the assistance is given otherwise than in the course of business,
(c) the assistance is given indirectly to the client or at the request of
someone other than the client, or
(d) the assistance is not given specifically to assist with the clientís
tax affairs, but the person giving the assistance knows it will be used,
or is likely to be used, for that purpose.

(3) Assistance with a client's tax affairs includes assistance with any
document
that is likely to be relied on by HMRC to determine the client's tax
position.
(4) Assistance with a client's tax affairs also includes
(a) advising a client in relation to tax, and
(b) acting or purporting to act as agent on behalf of a client in
relation to
tax.
(5) If a client is assisted by more than one individual in a firm or
business, each individual may be regarded as a separate tax agent."

Wrongdoing is:

"Deliberate wrongdoing
3 (1) A tax agent engages in deliberate wrongdoing if, with respect to
the tax affairs of one or more clients
(a) the tax agent does an act that is capable (directly or indirectly) of
bringing about a loss of tax, and
(b) the act is done deliberately, with the intention of bringing about such
a loss.
(2) It does not matter whether a loss is actually brought about."

and finally "loss of tax":

"'Loss of tax' means loss of revenue from tax, and includes a loss
involving a relief, deduction, repayment or credit of any kind."


Oh and just in case you thought this might get any parliamentary scrutiny:


"(6) An order under this section is to be made by statutory instrument."

Thank you for that. The link to the detail was broken when I looked, so
I could only go by the title. Of course, under English Law it will also
depend on what the Courts decide is wrongdoing.

Colin Bignell

On Tue, 11 May 2010 18:19:41 +0100, "Nightjar wrote:

If you look at the HMRC web site, the draft legislation is entitled
'deliberate wrongdoing by tax agents'. So, you not only need to be a
professional advisor to be affected, you also need to be involved in
wrongdoing, which has always been construed as tax evasion, rather than
tax avoidance.

With the new government things may change, from the full text of the
con/lib-dem deal at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politi...10/8677933.stm

"The parties agree that tackling tax avoidance is essential for the
new government, and that all efforts will be made to do so, including
detailed development of Liberal Democrat proposals."

Do they *really* mean avoidance or evasion?

Avoidance playing by the rules to reduce your tax bill - legal.
Evasion not playing by the rules to reduce your tax bill - illegal.

--
Cheers
Dave.

Dave Liquorice wrote:

"The parties agree that tackling tax avoidance is essential for the
new government, and that all efforts will be made to do so, including
detailed development of Liberal Democrat proposals."

Also "A new mechanism to prevent the proliferation of unnecessary new
criminal offences"

Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Tue, 11 May 2010 18:19:41 +0100, "Nightjar wrote:

If you look at the HMRC web site, the draft legislation is entitled
'deliberate wrongdoing by tax agents'. So, you not only need to be a
professional advisor to be affected, you also need to be involved in
wrongdoing, which has always been construed as tax evasion, rather than
tax avoidance.

With the new government things may change, from the full text of the
con/lib-dem deal at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politi...10/8677933.stm

"The parties agree that tackling tax avoidance is essential for the
new government, and that all efforts will be made to do so, including
detailed development of Liberal Democrat proposals."

Do they *really* mean avoidance ...

I do hope that is an error. However, I am pleased to see they plan to
scrap compulsory annuities at age 75. My pension has taken a lot of
planning and an annuity is definitely not part of it.

Colin Bignell

On Wed, 12 May 2010 22:48:36 +0100 (BST) Dave Liquorice wrote :
Do they *really* mean avoidance or evasion?

Avoidance playing by the rules to reduce your tax bill - legal.
Evasion not playing by the rules to reduce your tax bill - illegal.

You can tackle avoidance - basically by rewriting the rules.

--
Tony Bryer, Greentram: 'Software to build on' Melbourne, Australia
www.superbeam.co.uk www.eurobeam.co.uk www.greentram.com

Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Tue, 11 May 2010 18:19:41 +0100, "Nightjar wrote:

If you look at the HMRC web site, the draft legislation is entitled
'deliberate wrongdoing by tax agents'. So, you not only need to be a
professional advisor to be affected, you also need to be involved in
wrongdoing, which has always been construed as tax evasion, rather than
tax avoidance.

With the new government things may change, from the full text of the
con/lib-dem deal at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politi...10/8677933.stm

"The parties agree that tackling tax avoidance is essential for the
new government, and that all efforts will be made to do so, including
detailed development of Liberal Democrat proposals."

Do they *really* mean avoidance or evasion?

Avoidance playing by the rules to reduce your tax bill - legal.
Evasion not playing by the rules to reduce your tax bill - illegal.

The trick is to understand the avoidance, and change the rules to MAKE
it evasion.

Remember the great scams of the labour era in te 70's where income tax
was humongous, so everyone had tacit 'perks' instead..company cars, free
petrol,'business trips' to Marbella with the wife and kids.. and a lot more.

Making cars and fuel 'benefits in kind' reduced all that,.

Avoidance playing by the rules to reduce your tax bill - legal.
Evasion not playing by the rules to reduce your tax bill - illegal.


Or as they say what's the difference between Avoidance and Evasion?..


5 years;!...
--
Tony Sayer

Tony Bryer wrote:
On Wed, 12 May 2010 22:48:36 +0100 (BST) Dave Liquorice wrote :
Do they *really* mean avoidance or evasion?

Avoidance playing by the rules to reduce your tax bill - legal.
Evasion not playing by the rules to reduce your tax bill - illegal.

You can tackle avoidance - basically by rewriting the rules.

Which will only stop the avoidance happening in the same way that it is
happening now. It won't stop it, nor do I think it should be stopped.
Everyone should have the right to ensure that they pay the minimum
amount of tax that the law requires.

Colin Bignell

Mike P the 1st wrote:
.....
I have a bookeeper/accountant (first time) and I dont think she is
very good. I mentioned about claiming for a bit of heating/office etc
at home, and she started on about house business rates so best avoid
claiming for PC ..paper .. office part of room etc..
....

I've just had a chat with the VOA about a 12' x 8' shed I am putting up
in my garden, specifically as a store for my business. The gist of the
conversation was that the valuation officer was not really interested if
it was not going to change the nature of the property, i.e that it would
not be obvious to neighbours, by reason of increased traffic, noise,
etc. that I was running a business from home. He implied that the £100 a
year it would bring in, after small business relief, might not even
cover the cost of collecting it.

Colin Bignell

In article , Nightjar
"cpb"@ "insertmysurnamehere@?.? scribeth thus
Mike P the 1st wrote:
....
I have a bookeeper/accountant (first time) and I dont think she is
very good. I mentioned about claiming for a bit of heating/office etc
at home, and she started on about house business rates so best avoid
claiming for PC ..paper .. office part of room etc..
...

I've just had a chat with the VOA about a 12' x 8' shed I am putting up
in my garden, specifically as a store for my business. The gist of the
conversation was that the valuation officer was not really interested if
it was not going to change the nature of the property, i.e that it would
not be obvious to neighbours, by reason of increased traffic, noise,
etc. that I was running a business from home. He implied that the £100 a
year it would bring in, after small business relief, might not even
cover the cost of collecting it.

Colin Bignell

Perhaps its about time people were given rebates and incentives to work
from Home to lessen traffic pollution etc etc...
--
Tony Sayer

tony sayer wrote:
In article , Nightjar
"cpb"@ "insertmysurnamehere@?.? scribeth thus
Mike P the 1st wrote:
....
I have a bookeeper/accountant (first time) and I dont think she is
very good. I mentioned about claiming for a bit of heating/office etc
at home, and she started on about house business rates so best avoid
claiming for PC ..paper .. office part of room etc..
...

I've just had a chat with the VOA about a 12' x 8' shed I am putting up
in my garden, specifically as a store for my business. The gist of the
conversation was that the valuation officer was not really interested if
it was not going to change the nature of the property, i.e that it would
not be obvious to neighbours, by reason of increased traffic, noise,
etc. that I was running a business from home. He implied that the £100 a
year it would bring in, after small business relief, might not even
cover the cost of collecting it.

Colin Bignell

Perhaps its about time people were given rebates and incentives to work
from Home to lessen traffic pollution etc etc...

I suspect that most businesses that are suitable for running from home
already are.

Colin Bignell

Nightjar "cpb"@ insertmysurnamehere wrote:
tony sayer wrote:
In article , Nightjar
"cpb"@ "insertmysurnamehere@?.? scribeth thus
Mike P the 1st wrote:
....
I have a bookeeper/accountant (first time) and I dont think she is
very good. I mentioned about claiming for a bit of heating/office etc
at home, and she started on about house business rates so best avoid
claiming for PC ..paper .. office part of room etc..
...

I've just had a chat with the VOA about a 12' x 8' shed I am putting
up in my garden, specifically as a store for my business. The gist of
the conversation was that the valuation officer was not really
interested if it was not going to change the nature of the property,
i.e that it would not be obvious to neighbours, by reason of
increased traffic, noise, etc. that I was running a business from
home. He implied that the £100 a year it would bring in, after small
business relief, might not even cover the cost of collecting it.

Colin Bignell

Perhaps its about time people were given rebates and incentives to work
from Home to lessen traffic pollution etc etc...

I suspect that most businesses that are suitable for running from home
already are.


Businesses maybe: there ius still a huge resistance to home working from
middle management who think that management consists in solel making
sure staff are sitting at their desks, and having interminable pointless
meetings to justify their position. Rather than allocating work,
defining it, and ensuring its being done.


Perhaps this may change.
Colin Bignell

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Nightjar "cpb"@ insertmysurnamehere wrote:
tony sayer wrote:
In article , Nightjar
"cpb"@ "insertmysurnamehere@?.? scribeth thus
Mike P the 1st wrote:
....
I have a bookeeper/accountant (first time) and I dont think she is
very good. I mentioned about claiming for a bit of heating/office etc
at home, and she started on about house business rates so best avoid
claiming for PC ..paper .. office part of room etc..
...

I've just had a chat with the VOA about a 12' x 8' shed I am putting
up in my garden, specifically as a store for my business. The gist
of the conversation was that the valuation officer was not really
interested if it was not going to change the nature of the property,
i.e that it would not be obvious to neighbours, by reason of
increased traffic, noise, etc. that I was running a business from
home. He implied that the £100 a year it would bring in, after small
business relief, might not even cover the cost of collecting it.

Colin Bignell

Perhaps its about time people were given rebates and incentives to work
from Home to lessen traffic pollution etc etc...

I suspect that most businesses that are suitable for running from home
already are.


Businesses maybe: there ius still a huge resistance to home working from
middle management who think that management consists in solel making
sure staff are sitting at their desks, and having interminable pointless
meetings to justify their position. Rather than allocating work,
defining it, and ensuring its being done.

It is rather difficult to exercise people skills if you don't meet the
people who work for you and I would rate that as the most important
single part of a manager's job. A happy, well motivated staff are much
more productive and less likely to make mistakes.

Colin Bignell

In article ,
The Natural Philosopher writes:

Businesses maybe: there ius still a huge resistance to home working from
middle management who think that management consists in solel making
sure staff are sitting at their desks, and having interminable pointless
meetings to justify their position. Rather than allocating work,
defining it, and ensuring its being done.


Perhaps this may change.

It varies by company, and by industry sector.
There is still a lot of poor management in industry, but in the more
progressive industries, things are improving. I've worked for companies
which pushed home working really hard (such as Sun, who saved hundreds
of millions of $ by doing this and giving up real estate). Conversely,
I've worked for companies I won't name who had managers just as you
describe - these fail to attract and retain the best tallent. If you
are aiming to be the best company in your field, then you want the
best people in that field working for you. It doesn't matter where
you are based, most of the best people in the world in any field
won't be anywhere near you. If you don't have an option for remote
working, you won't be able to employ them.

The manager's main function is selection and motivation his staff.
If you get that right, almost everything else comes out in the wash.
This does require special effort when you have a dispersed team.
As a manager who's implemented remote working, I've had to make sure
the relationships and respect which would have existed naturally in
a team sitting together in the office works in the same way with
remote staff, and they they don't feel left out of anything. So the
office banter which goes a long way towards building this has to
move to a medium which works for remote workers such as email or IRC,
and you may have to explain to the IT department that yes, you do
expect your staff to be discussing what they did over the weekend in
email, because they would have been doing that if they'd been sitting
next to each other in an office. It's important to meet face-to-face
periodically, particularly initially when someone new comes on board.
This generates a level of lasting respect which is impossible to
match before you meet someone face-to-face, but which continues for
remote working afterwards. The flexibility that remote working can
bring can also be very useful, as the concept of 9-5 working is
pretty pointless. An example was one of my staff who was a new mum
would stop around 3pm to pick up from child minder, and then around
8pm after child has gone to bed, would start working again. It was
actually very handy to have someone available from 8pm-10pm to
handle work out of normal hours, and of course it cost me nothing
extra, and suited her ideally too.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

The flexibility that remote working can
bring can also be very useful, as the concept of 9-5 working is
pretty pointless. An example was one of my staff who was a new mum
would stop around 3pm to pick up from child minder, and then around
8pm after child has gone to bed, would start working again. It was
actually very handy to have someone available from 8pm-10pm to
handle work out of normal hours, and of course it cost me nothing
extra, and suited her ideally too.


Some Taxi companies are doing that now as its a real PITA for them to
get staff on Friday and Saturday nights for a few hours, so mum logs on
to the dispatch system has her phone on VoIP off the office system via
broadband and virtual office staff! and no commuting costs either no
extra office costs ....
--
Tony Sayer

Nightjar "cpb"@ insertmysurnamehere wrote:
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Nightjar "cpb"@ insertmysurnamehere wrote:
tony sayer wrote:


I suspect that most businesses that are suitable for running from
home already are.


Businesses maybe: there ius still a huge resistance to home working
from middle management who think that management consists in solel
making sure staff are sitting at their desks, and having interminable
pointless meetings to justify their position. Rather than allocating
work, defining it, and ensuring its being done.

It is rather difficult to exercise people skills if you don't meet the
people who work for you and I would rate that as the most important
single part of a manager's job. A happy, well motivated staff are much
more productive and less likely to make mistakes.


good grief. You must work in the public sector.

A managers JOB is to get productivity out of his department.

He doesn't need to solve interpersoanl problems if people don't meet!


Colin Bignell

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Nightjar "cpb"@ insertmysurnamehere wrote:
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Nightjar "cpb"@ insertmysurnamehere wrote:
tony sayer wrote:


I suspect that most businesses that are suitable for running from
home already are.


Businesses maybe: there ius still a huge resistance to home working
from middle management who think that management consists in solel
making sure staff are sitting at their desks, and having interminable
pointless meetings to justify their position. Rather than allocating
work, defining it, and ensuring its being done.

It is rather difficult to exercise people skills if you don't meet the
people who work for you and I would rate that as the most important
single part of a manager's job. A happy, well motivated staff are much
more productive and less likely to make mistakes.


good grief. You must work in the public sector

I've been running my own businesses for most of my working life.

A managers JOB is to get productivity out of his department.

The key to which is having happy, motivated staff. That will get
productivity up and sickness absence down.

He doesn't need to solve interpersoanl problems if people don't meet!

I do hope you are not a manager if you don't know that personal problems
are every bit as important as interpersonal problems. You need to know
who is having domestic problems, who needs flexibile working hours to
care for an elderly or ailing relative, who is brooding about a
milestone birthday, who is worried about the vet bills for a sick pet,
etc. etc. That means your staff have to trust and confide in you, which
is much easier if you meet every day.

Colin Bignell