Final Dividends Explained By Accountants

Final Dividends Explained By Accountants

Final Dividends are payments from company profits to shareholders after the financial year ends. The company’s Articles of Association determine how the company approves the dividend. Under the standard model articles, directors recommend the amount and...
Interim Dividends Explained By Accountants

Interim Dividends Explained By Accountants

Interim Dividends let a company distribute profits before shareholders approve a Final Dividend. Under standard model Articles of Association, directors can decide to pay Interim Dividends. Therefore, shareholders normally do not need a separate resolution. Companies...
Dividends Explained By Accountants

Dividends Explained By Accountants

Dividends are payments that a limited company makes to its shareholders from its profits. These profits remain after the company pays all expenses, taxes and other financial commitments. When shareholders receive a dividend, they gain a direct return on their...
Surplus Cash in Your Business

Surplus Cash in Your Business

Surplus cash can give a business valuable breathing room. A current account offers convenience, but many accounts pay little or no interest. Therefore, spare cash may earn more elsewhere. You need to balance three things: Return Access Security You should never chase...
Depreciation Made Simple

Depreciation Made Simple

Depreciation is the reduction in value of a business asset over time. If you purchase a laptop today, it will gradually become less useful and less valuable over the next few years. This loss in value happens for many reasons: Regular use Aging Wear and tear New...
Capital Expenditure Made Simple

Capital Expenditure Made Simple

Capital Expenditure is the money a business spends on long-term assets that support operations over several years. These assets include: Buildings Equipment Machinery Technology Moreover, these assets allow businesses to stay competitive and plan for the future. It...
SIC Codes Made Simple

SIC Codes Made Simple

SIC Codes are five-digit numbers that describe a company’s main area of economic activity. These codes therefore help categorise businesses into industry sectors and are useful for official statistics and government planning. Companies House manage SIC Codes and...
Hire Purchase Explained By Accountants

Hire Purchase Explained By Accountants

Hire Purchase is a finance agreement for buying goods over time. Instead of paying the full amount upfront, the buyer pays through instalments across an agreed period. Most hire purchase agreements include: A deposit at the start Fixed monthly repayments Interest...
Your Company Registration Number

Your Company Registration Number

A Company Registration Number (CRN) is a unique eight-character identifier assigned to every limited company and Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) registered with Companies House. Think of it as your company’s fingerprint, as it remains the same for the...
Terminal Loss Relief Explained By Accountants

Terminal Loss Relief Explained By Accountants

Terminal Loss Relief is available when a business permanently stops trading and makes a loss in its final 12 months. You can carry back trading losses from the last year of trading and offset them against profits from the previous 3 years. This can reduce your...
Business Asset Disposal Relief

Business Asset Disposal Relief

When you sell or close your business, the profits you make may be subject to Capital Gains Tax (CGT). This tax can significantly reduce your final earnings. Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR) helps lower that burden by allowing eligible business owners to pay a...
Business Asset Rollover Relief

Business Asset Rollover Relief

If you sell a business asset, you will likely face a Capital Gains Tax bill. However, if you plan to reinvest the proceeds into another business asset, you may be able to delay paying the tax by claiming Business Asset Rollover Relief. What is Business Asset Rollover...
Gross Profit Margin Explained By Accountants

Gross Profit Margin Explained By Accountants

Your Gross Profit Margin shows the percentage of sales revenue that remains after you subtract the Cost of Goods Sold (COGS). Simply, it tells you how much profit you keep from each pound earned before you pay overhead costs. For example: A Gross Profit Margin of 60%...
Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable

Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable

Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable help you answer two questions: How much do I owe? How much am I owed? When you understand both clearly, you can make better financial decisions and keep your business running smoothly. Accounts Payable Accounts Payable is the...
Subsistence (Per HMRC EIM30240)

Subsistence (Per HMRC EIM30240)

Subsistence is the cost of meals and necessary expenses during business travel. These costs must arise because an employee works away from their normal place of work. In other words, the expense must links directly to a qualifying business journey. For instance,...
Articles of Association Made Simple

Articles of Association Made Simple

Articles of Association act as your company’s internal rulebook. They set out how the business runs and define the roles of directors and shareholders. They create a clear structure for decision-making so everyone involved understands their rights and...
Double Entry Bookkeeping

Double Entry Bookkeeping

Double Entry Bookkeeping forms the foundation of modern accounting. It records every transaction twice. One entry appears as a debit and the other appears as a credit. This shows how each transaction affects your business in two ways. In other words, money always...
Gross Profit Explained By Accountants

Gross Profit Explained By Accountants

Gross Profit shows how much money a business earns from its core activities. It measures the difference between sales revenue and the direct cost of producing goods or services. Simply, it shows how much money remains after covering production costs. This figure...
Net Profit Explained By Accountants

Net Profit Explained By Accountants

Net Profit is the money left after you pay all business costs. These costs include: Materials Wages Rent Interest Taxes Simply, it is your “bottom line” which shows what you actually keep from your sales once everything gets paid. This figure reflects the...
Debits and Credits Explained By Accountants

Debits and Credits Explained By Accountants

Debits and Credits form the backbone of accounting. Once you understand them, you can record transactions with confidence and accuracy. You will also gain a stronger understanding of how your business finances operate. Explaining Debits and Credits Every financial...
Trivial Benefits Explained By Accountants

Trivial Benefits Explained By Accountants

Trivial benefits are small gifts or perks an employer gives to an employee. They offer a simple and effective way to reward employees. To qualify as a trivial benefit, it must meet all of the following conditions: It costs £50 or less (including VAT) It is not cash or...
Working Papers Explained By Accountants

Working Papers Explained By Accountants

Working Papers are documents that accountants prepare while completing a client’s work. They support the information included in accounts and tax returns. These records provide evidence that the accountant completed the work correctly. Additionally, they help...
Management Accounts Explained By Accountants

Management Accounts Explained By Accountants

Management Accounts are internal financial reports which help business owners and senior managers monitor performance. They contain detailed financial information as well as commentary and analysis. Businesses usually prepare them either monthly or quarterly. Unlike...
Overheads Explained By Accountants

Overheads Explained By Accountants

Overheads are the ongoing costs required to run your business. However, they do not link directly to one product, service or job. Simply, these costs support your business as a whole. You should still pay them even if sales slowed down for a period. When a bakery...