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VAT for sole trader start-ups

May 12, 2015 8:37 am / Leave a comment

How to maximise your VAT reclaim

As any new business knows, you can incur significant costs at the outset before you get any income.  Most of these start-up costs will have VAT included and if you plan properly you should be able to recover this VAT as long as you are planning to make taxable supplies.

Save pounds on VAT

Plan ahead and reclaim everything

If you are setting up a business and can ahead, you can register for VAT from the date your business will start.  For most traders there is not any restriction on the date the business can start, but for some professional services eg barristers and advocates, no trade exists until they qualify.  To maximise the VAT to be reclaimed, the sole trader can register for VAT in advance of date of commencement, effective the date they are due to qualify.  This means that the VAT registration will be in place from the 1st day of trading and all sales invoices can be issued as VAT invoices.

Pre-registration VAT

There are specific rules allowing pre-registration VAT to be reclaimed, but any claims to recover pre-registration VAT must relate to the same trade and made by the same person.  A sole trader who incorporates the business is not the same legal person as the new company.  Any VAT suffered by the (unregistered) sole trader can’t be claimed as pre-registration VAT by the new company.

Get help with registering

Your accountant will be able to register you for VAT and recommend the best scheme for you.  It can take a few weeks for HMRC to process applications, but accountants who are registered as agents with HMRC are likely to have a quicker turnaround time.  For advice on registering for VAT and setting up your invoices, please visit the Alterledger website.

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Top 5 reasons why Mums are starting businesses

April 16, 2014 7:53 pm / Leave a comment

Busy mother with her baby

Research by Direct Line shows that 65% of Mums with children under the age of 10 are considering starting their own business, why?

1. Allow me to spend more time with my children     20%
2. Cost of child care if I worked away from home      16%
3. Flexibility of being my own boss                            14%
4. Lifelong ambition to start my own business          12%
5. Don’t/didn’t like my current job                                1%

Reasons according to Financial Reporter

New figures suggested that full-time annual childcare costs for two children are now at £11,702, with almost half (49 per cent) of mothers surveyed believing they would be better off financially to start a business from home and save on childcare fees.

Here are 20 business you could start:

  1. Get a lodger – Under rent-a-room a taxpayer can be exempt from Income Tax on profits from furnished accommodation in their only or main home if the gross receipts they get (that is, before expenses) are £4,250 or less
  2. Ironing and Laundry Services – Always popular and you can start with friends and family
  3. E Bay Trading – as E Bay say… The first task is to sort through those bulging drawers and messy cupboards, finding stuff to flog. Get a big eBay box to stash your wares in, and systematically clear out wardrobes, DVD and CD piles, the loft and garage. Use the easy 12-month rule of thumb to help you decide what to offload: Haven’t used it for a year? Flog it.
  4. Blogging – Blogging has taken off and many businesses are looking for people to write blogs for them
  5. Candle Making – You can sell the candles on line and its easy to buy the wax and things you need to make the candles
  6. Car Boot Sale – As with E Bay but without going on line
  7. Cake Making – Make sure everything is labelled correctly and you comply with Health & Safety issues
  8. Data Entry – The internet makes it easy to enter data from where ever you are
  9. Social Media – Similar to blogging, businesses need help to manage Twitter, Facebook and Linked In
  10. Website Design – If you have the expertise, go for it
  11. Sales Parties –  Cosmetics to Ann Summers, there is a long list of opportunities
  12. Sewing and Clothes Alterations – Perfect before and after Christmas
  13. Jewellery – Making and selling jewellery is always popular and great for Christmas presents
  14. Car Repairs – Assuming you have the skills needed and comply with legal requirements
  15. Pet Care – Walking dogs or grooming is popular
  16. Virtual Assistant – Also personal organiser or personal shopper
  17. Wedding Planner – You could start by creating a blog about your expertise
  18. Direct Sales – For example http://www.direct-sales-opportunities.com/uk.htm
  19. Computer Repair – Great provided you have the skills
  20. Marketing – Telesales to leaflet design and freelance writing

If you’re thinking of starting a busines please ask us for help https://business-accountant.com/contact-us/

steve@bicknells.net