Capital Allowances

Beware the trap in new Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) rules

From 1st April 2012 (6th April for unincorporated businesses), the AIA reduces from £100,000 to £25,000. This may, at first sight, appear to be somewhat academic for many small businesses. However, if a business has an accounting period spanning 1st or 6th April 2012, as appropriate, then there is a potential trap involving smaller amounts, which can be demonstrated by an example:

A business makes up its annual accounts to 30th September.

If the business spends in the six months to 31st March 2012 £60,000 on purchases of machinery, computers or the like, it will all qualify for AIA as the expenditure is below the time apportioned maximum of £62,500, even though the expenditure exceeds the £50,000 limit for the period.

BUT, for the second six month period, the rules are different.

If the same business spends its £60,000 capital budget during the six months to 30th September 2012, AIA will be restricted to the limit of £12,500.

As shown by the example, the timing of capital expenditure will be critical in determining the extent of available AIA.

For further information, ask your usual Cook and Partners contact, if you have one, or David Wye, our in-house tax specialist.

VAT Flat Rate Scheme (FRS) can deliver big savings to small businesses

For small businesses, VAT returns can be a time-consuming and complicated administrative nightmare.

Keith Barker of regional-based chartered accountants, Cook & Partners, says that there is a simpler, alternative basis of preparing VAT returns that could benefit certain businesses.

“The Flat Rate Scheme could potentially benefit many small businesses that have a turnover of no more than £150,000 per year (excluding VAT)”, he said. “It is particularly suitable for businesses where there are few expenses which include VAT,” he added.

“Under the scheme, registered businesses just pay to H M Revenue & Customs (HMRC) a percentage of their VAT inclusive turnover. However, they are unable to claim any VAT incurred on purchases or expenses,” Keith explained. The percentage applied to the turnover is set by HMRC and varies according to industry sector; for example it is 14.5% for a computer consultancy business.

Keith added that “the main benefit is the ability for businesses to retain the difference between the VAT charged to customers and the VAT paid over to HMRC using the appropriate industry percentage. If businesses are not incurring much in the way of input VAT, little is being foregone by adopting the FRS.

There are other potential benefits for businesses adopting the FRS, particularly within the first year of VAT registration.”

If anyone is interested in considering the FRS and would like further information, they can either contact Keith at keith.barker@cookpartners.co.uk or on 01438 721877 or, if they have one, their usual Cook & Partners adviser.

Company Cars: An update

The rules concerning capital allowances available to businesses and employees’ benefits in kind for having company cars are not getting any less complicated!

Depending upon the CO² emissions rating, cars can attract allowances at a standard rate, which is set to reduce from April 2012, or at a reduced or ‘special’ rate, which will also fall in 2012/13.

The good news is that expenditure on new cars with emissions not exceeding 110 g/km or which are fully electric, will continue to attract 100% first year allowances until April 2013.

Benefit in kind charges start at 0% in respect of electrically propelled cars and then increase according to bandings of CO² emissions from 5% (8% diesel) for cars with emissions ratings of 75 g/km or less up to a maximum of 35%, where the percentages apply to the original list price or forecourt cost of particular vehicles when they were new regardless of when they were bought!

It should be noted that the lower benefit percentages will be changing from April 2012.

The benefit in kind cost of the provision by an employer of private car fuel continues to be very penal. There are now hardly any circumstances in which it would make good tax sense for an employer to meet the cost of fuel for private mileage. The benefit is based upon a flat rate of £18,800 multiplied by the emission percentage, such that for a 120 g/km petrol car the benefit would be £1,880, whilst for a 225 g/km petrol car it would be £6,580.

Drivers who use their own cars for work purposes may now be reimbursed at £0.45 per mile for the first 10,000 business miles per tax year, the rate having been increased in April 2011 for the first time in nine years! Business mileage in excess of 10,000 per year can still be claimed at the rate of £0.25 per mile.

Somewhat surprisingly, there remain some tax planning opportunities so far as company cars are concerned. If you would like any advice in this regard or in respect of forthcoming changes, please contact our in-house tax specialist David Wye, or your usual Cook & Partners adviser, if you have one.

Introducing our PA’s – where would we be without them?

Here at Cook and Partners we are privileged that our staff retention is very high, in our most recent staff attitude survey we rated very highly as a place where staff felt valued, understood what was required of them in their roles and where they enjoyed working.

Here is a little about some of our senior support staff

Sharon Hart is Mike Cook’s PA and has been employed by Cook & Partners since 1989.

She splits her working week between the Hertford and Stortford offices.

In her spare time, Sharon does voluntary work for a spinal charity.

Nicola Cook is 34 years old and has been married to Adrian for nearly 12 years they have two children Amber and Harrison. Nicola joined Cook and Partners in September 2007 as a receptionist. In the last two years she has been trained to be the PA to Colin Wilkinson. This is Nicola’s first main office career and she says that she really enjoys the work she does. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family, socialising with friends and playing darts.

Janet Williams - Has been PA to Mark Jones for the past 10 years. As Mark is only in the Hertford office three days a week she says she enjoys the best of both worlds a varied and interesting job, and also plenty of time at home. She has been married to Alan for 39 years and they have two daughters and four grandchildren. In her spare time she makes greeting cards which she sells for charity, she enjoys reading, family history, walking and of course spending lots of time with her grandchildren.

Helen Tween - Following a thirteen year career break whilst she brought up her daughter, Helen joined Cook and Partners back in September 2001. She works in the Stevenage Old Town office for Keith Barker as secretary/receptionist. Helen is married and her daughter is now 22. Helen enjoys holidays in the UK in her camper van, but much of her spare time involves the kit car scene; she runs a very successful club which has its own website. She also likes to spend time walking her Cairn terrier, gardening, cooking and eating out. Helen also admits to having a large collection of teddy bears.

Here at Cook and Partners we are able to offer a highly personal service where clients, partners and team members build relationships that last for a long time, our support staff look forward to talking to you again soon.

Health Warning: Cashflow can kill Your Business

Failing to properly manage your businesses Cashflow can often have disastrous effects on your business and in some cases put businesses into liquidation. Lack of knowledge about when cash is coming in and when it is due to go out, whilst not complicated it is often overlooked when businesses are looking to expand, acquire new orders or simply fulfilling existing customers requirements. But if you do not factor this into running your business then you could be out of business.

By following this basic guide you can help your business flourish and will have a better understanding of how you can keep the cash flowing in your business:

• Watch the numbers at least weekly by reviewing the cash flowing in and out of your business – you don’t want any surprises.
• Hold onto money longer. Try negotiating with suppliers to extend your credit terms.
• Change your billing terms; can you invoice on delivery or in advance? Or if you do provide credit try shortening your terms.
• Keep on top of debtors
  
  
• Follow up your invoice with a call to ensure receipt and ask if payment will be made by your due date.
• Establish a friendly relationship with the accounts dept or person who controls the cheque book! They may pay you first if you are in regular contact.
• Can you be creative with your staffing costs – you need to retain skills but need a short term solution to help the cash flow look at other options; offer unpaid leave, arrange a pension holiday or annualise hours instead of having standard hours per week.
• Are you able to outsource; consider working collaboratively with an aligned business opposed to purchasing new equipment to fulfil an aspect of your work?
• If things are tough don’t bury head in the sand.
  
  
• Seek help and discuss with your accountant, bank or someone your trust to provide you support and fresh your ideas.
• Be realistic don’t pretend or hope that your cash flow will just get better - it wont without you being in control, proactive and on top of it.
• Look for ways to liquidise your assets eg redundant stock and fixed assets into cash rationalise and manage your stock.

Bogus Publication Scams

There appears to be an increase in attempts to lure companies into advertising in bogus publications, these scams appear indiscriminate in the target but are related to advertising in, or for the sponsor of a ‘good cause’ publication, by claiming some connection with a worthy cause such as a local hospital or school, hospice, sports association and charities it gives the supposed publication some credibility. Often the caller asks for the company to contin­ue the support it has offered in the past, an alternative approach is where a repeat invoice just arrives; the intention is that it lands on the desk in a busy department, is processed especially if the amount is fairly small and thereby slips through the net without question.

When challenged the caller may refer you to the publishers website which may look genuine and professional, they may offer to send you copies of previous publications which of course do not always arrive and then chase a week or so later saying that the deadline is due and your confirmation is required immediately – a ‘last opportunity for this publication’ close is attempted.

Sometimes an alleged previous edition is sent out, which tend to reflect a poor quality publication which may well have been printed on a desktop printer.

Another regular scam relates to business listings within published directories, electronic directories (CD-ROMs’) or on websites. Beware of ‘official looking’ invoices from trade directories asking for your fax, internet and email details. These may appear to be simple requests inviting a free listing but watch out for the small print commitments to pay hundreds of pounds for an entry. If you reply it is claimed that you have entered into a contract for an expensive, yet worthless listing obliging you to pay.

The Office of Fair Trading will be keen to hear from you if you believe you have been a target for this fraudulent activity, and they offer this three point summary to help companies avoid such frauds.

• Don’t agree to place an advert over the telephone unless you are absolutely sure about the publisher you are dealing with.
• Don’t take the callers word for it that you have placed an order previously or that someone in your organisation has agreed to take an order.

Insist on seeing written details and a copy of the publisher’s full terms and conditions before placing an order.