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Free Guides for new and growing businesses from HRBS - fixed fee accountants and business advisors

Welcome to tips.hrbs.biz

Keith Silman, Managing Director of Yorkshire fixed fee accountants and small business specialists High Royd Business Services Limited Hello, my name is Keith Silman and I would like to thank you for taking the time to visit our free hints and tips resource here at tips.hrbs.biz .

HRBS is a firm of pro-active accountants based in South Yorkshire with clients all over the UK.

All returns and accounts are e-filed using IRIS, the market leading accountancy software.

At HRBS we embrace technology and have invested in IRIS, the UK's market leading accounting and company secretarial software for accountants to provide efficient, professional and cost effective services to our clients.

We use e-filing wherever possible for our client's personal self-assessment tax returns, VAT returns, PAYE returns, EC Sales Lists and for our limited company clients, their year end accounts, Annual Returns, Companies House filing and HMRC corporation tax computations and returns.

Skype us!.

We provide our clients with video conferencing and book keeping/taxation support using Skype and WebEx meetings. Save your time, money and the environment and use Skype to have face to face meetings with us at HRBS.biz.

Free tax saving guides.

Our guides have specially written by me to provide jargon-free help and support to all of you either in business, currently thinking about making the first step into self-employment or considering "Going Limited".

All of the tips and documents on our website are provided free of charge and without any obligation to become a client. They are provided as general guidance and do not constitute professional advice.

You will notice a few advertisements and external links on the site, particularly in the tax-deductible expenses article. They have been specially researched to give you offers, discounts and other ways of reducing your costs that you may not already be aware of.

Recent Guides (click the link to open in a new window).

  • Online accounting systems

    Online accounting software, known as "Software As A Service" (SaaS) is accessible via your web browser via a secure session. Thats it! No software to install, no backups, no hardware upgrade required.


    Click here to read this HRBS.biz guide

  • Thinking of starting a business?

    If you are turning a hobby into a business or starting a whole new venture, here are some tips to help you get up and running without falling foul of the (UK) tax authorities. You will need to register with HMRC as a new business within 3 months of starting to trade. Otherwise you will be fined £100 (or more if they find out about you before you register). Registration is quite simple and can be done over the phone.


    Click here to read this HRBS.biz guide

  • VAT for affiliate marketeers

    The VAT rules as they apply to UK affiliate marketeers are quite complicated. In particular, what needs to be taken in to account when checking whether or not you need to register for VAT. Read this free HRBS.biz guide to see how the UK VAT rules affect you.


    Click here to read this HRBS.biz guide

  • Flat Rate VAT For Affiliate Marketing

    The UK and EC VAT rules are quite confusing and this HRBS.biz guide gives an easy to read insight into how the flat rate scheme applies to affiliate marketing. Using the UK flat rate VAT scheme is quite often beneficial for affiliate marketeers. Many in the affiliate marketing sector have low overheads and in particular small amounts of input tax (VAT charged on purchases).


    Click here to read this HRBS.biz guide

  • Maximise use of your basic rate tax band

    We recommend to all our clients that they maximise the use of their basic rate band. This can be done by declaring interim dividends to take total taxable income upto the maximum at which the basic rate will still apply. As dividends have a 10% tax credit attached, this tax credit can be used to effectively pay your personal tax liability on the dividend.


    Click here to read this HRBS.biz guide

  • EC Sales List (ECSL) for services supplied to other EU member states

    As of 1 January 2010, the requirement to report to HMRC the value of sales to other EU member states was extended to include services whereas it previously only applied to the sale of goods. The ECSL rules applies to all VAT-registered businesses in the UK who supply goods and/or services to a VAT-registered customer in another EU country. The ECSL is a statistical return, usually submitted quarterly, used by the UK government to prepare intra-EU sales figures. Read this guide to find out how to complete your ECSL.


    Click here to read this HRBS.biz guide

  • Save Tax and National Insurance with your limited company

    It is possible to reduce your (UK) personal tax and national insurance by running your business via a limited company. The amount you can save will depend upon several factors including the company's profitability, your personal circumstances and the amount of funds you wish to withdraw from the business. Download our free excel spreadsheet to calculate how much tax and National Insurance you could save by running your business via a limited company. The spreadsheet uses the 2011/12 tax and National Insurance rates to help you plan your tax ...


    Click here to read this HRBS.biz guide

  • Adwords, Microsoft Adcenter, Facebook And VAT Registration

    The current VAT registration threshold is £73,000 of "taxable supplies" for the preceeding 12 months (changed from £70,000 on 1 April 2011). To calculate your taxable supplies, non UK expenditure on advertising and other services should be added onto your UK turnover. This is because, for VAT purposes, these services come under the Reverse Charge rules, and VAT is accounted for by the recipient of the services (ie you, the customer) in their VAT return.


    Click here to read this HRBS.biz guide

  • Self Assessment Tax Return Checklist 2010-11

    To help you collate the information you need to prepare your self assessment tax return for 2010/11 we have prepared a useful checklist for you to download. HM Revenue & Customs must receive your tax return by 31 January 2012 to avoid a penalty. The earlier you prepare your accounts and tax return the better. You can claim any refunds promptly to help your cashflow and where tax is due; you will have plenty of time to plan your tax payments.


    Click here to read this HRBS.biz guide

  • How to register your new PAYE scheme

    This article and video gives easy to follow, step by step instructions on registering a new PAYE scheme with HMRC. A new scheme can be registered either online at www.hmrc.gov.uk , by telephone ( 0845 60 70 143) or in writing. Once your scheme is registered you will receive notification of your new scheme in writing and it will be given two reference numbers.


    Click here to read this HRBS.biz guide

  • Charge rent for use of your home office

    As a company director you can charge your company a rent for using a room in your home as an office. The rent that you charge is in respect of the reimbursement of costs incurred. This way the rental income and costs on your tax return will be equal which means that there would be no personal tax due. However, the company would have received a tax deduction for the rent and you would have received a contribution towards your costs.


    Click here to read this HRBS.biz guide

  • Tax deductible expenses

    This tip gives a brief list of the types of expenditure you can claim, some of which you may already be deducting, some may be new to you and applicable to your business. As a general tip, if you are using a credit card to pay for business costs, have a separate one in your name for business use, so that your personal expenditure is kept out of the business. Cashback or Reward cards are ideal, especially if you pay them off in full.


    Click here to read this HRBS.biz guide

  • How to choose your accountant

    An accountant is not a legal requirement but you may consider that some external expertise may be helpful to keep you on the right side of the UK tax authorities, maintain proper accounting records and advise you on how to minimise your tax and National Insurance.


    Click here to read this HRBS.biz guide

  • VAT Flat Rate Percentage Changes January 2011

    The HRBS.biz easy to read guide to the standard rate VAT increase to 20% from 17.5% and changes to the UK flat rate scheme percentages and how to use them in your business. To help you we have listed the old and new flat rate VAT percentages. If you are in your first year of VAT registration, a 1% discount is available off the flat rate percentages.


    Click here to read this HRBS.biz guide

  • Flat rate VAT scheme

    The UK VAT Flat Rate scheme simplifies your VAT Return and could make you some extra profit! We have created a handy calculator for you to quickly calculate whether you would be better off joining the scheme.


    Click here to read this HRBS.biz guide

Smooth Slider

HRBS are small and micro business specialists.

We provide a high quality, pro-active service at a reasonable fixed fee to clients all over the UK.

Our philosophy is simple ... we support new and developing businesses.

We help our clients to use suitable accounting systems and controls so that they know how their business is performing and have the information available to minimise their tax and National Insurance bills.

Competitive, fixed fees.

Our fees are very competitive and are published here on our website, unlike most firms of accountants who keep their fees under wraps.

"Keith is quite simply a breath of fresh air! Keith's innovative fixed priced accounting allows us to easily plan our accountancy costs for the year ahead. Fast response times, efficient systems and reliable and accurate information give us the confidence to get on with our business rather than worry about accounting. I have no hesitation in recommending Keith (HRBS) and his services and feel pleased to have finally found an accountant I don't begrudge paying for!"

Consistent, personal, pro-active service.

All accounting and taxation work is done by a qualified and highly experienced accountant, and not delegated to unqualified staff nor outsourced as is increasingly the case with many accounting practices.

You are guaranteed a consistent, personal service from an accountant who takes an interest in you and your business.
"Choosing HRBS was a really good business decision. My previous accountants used junior and inexperienced staff and my contact at the firm often changed which meant that no one had a handle on my business or even seemed interested!"

"I deal with Keith directly. He has quickly identified ways of improving my profitability whilst at the same time reducing my admin load ... very important for a one-man business like mine."

Join the cloud - we offer a choice of online accounting solutions.

Our partnerships with Clear Books, Kashflow, Winweb, Liberty Accounts, FreeAgent Central and Xero enable us to provide the right online accounting software for your business. Online accounting is platform independent so you can use it with PC, MAC or Linux and do your book keeping or check your accounts on the move from a laptop, netbook, Ipad or internet cafe ... wherever you are in the world!

New to book keeping? Receive guidance and support from experienced specialists.

We provide friendly and expert support and guidance via telephone, email, Skype and WebEx to make it extremely easy and cost effective for you to keep your books up to date online. Our clients submit their VAT returns from within the accounting software. Simples!

The more you take control of your accounting systems, the better informed you are about your business enabling you to plan for your future.

Fixed fees ... better service.

Some of our clients have reduced their fees by over 30%, have more pro-active support and above all, understand more about their business than they did with their previous accountants.

If you currently use a city or town centre firm, consider how often you meet them face to face, whether you really need your accountant to be local and, above all, whether you want to pay higher fees to subsidise their high profile offices.

Online and remote accounting with expert support via telephone, email, Skype and WebEX could be good for you, your pocket ... and the environment.

We help you to understand your business.

Our aim is to help you to run your business more efficiently and profitably. My approach to business is hands-on and we will help you understand how to run your business and take control of its (and your) future ... and, as an added bonus, save tax and National Insurance whilst you do so.
" The first year as a company director was a learning curve which Keith made much easier with clear advice, this made the transisition from part time affiliate to full time company director much easier. Since the company formation, I have sought advice of all kinds of other issues (from a company car to medical insurance), from which I have received sound financial advice."

We provide a full range of accounting and tax services.

Our services have been designed to support our clients, taking the burden of day to day administration away from them, so that they can focus more of their time and skills on developing their business.

We can take care of book keeping, payroll, VAT returns, liaise with HMRC throughout the year, prepare management accounts, calculate dividend entitlement and provide all dividend documentation as well as preparing the year end accounts, tax returns, computations and PAYE returns etc.
" You have been an exceptional help to me and my business, going above the call of duty to assist me in the understanding and processes of running the financial side of a business."

Contact us for a free, no obligation chat.

To find out more about what we can offer to you and your business, feel free to visit our main site at HRBS.biz.

If you can spare 5 or 10 minutes, give me a call on 01226 379000, Skype hrbs.biz or send me an email.

If you'd like to know how much you could gain by changing your accountants to HRBS, please fill in our form and attach a copy of your accounts, spreadsheet or accounts reports. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

Once again, thank you for visiting and I look forward to working with you.

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