2007 - July
Your accountant referred you to a scheme to avoid income tax. Do you have to provide details to the Taxman on your 2006/7 personal tax return?
July 31, 2007 is the new deadline for Tax Credit renewals. Basically, you are asked to notify the Taxman of your income for 2006/7. Could this result in him chasing you for money in August?
How not to fill in a VAT return?
You’ve prepared your VAT return using the figures from your computer reports. Then you discover that it hasn’t picked up all the input tax for the period. What should you do?
A colleague has told you that his staff have in the past participated in a cycle scheme. However, his company is no longer offering the scheme citing “tax issues” as the problem. What are these tax issues?
One of your children is off to college in September and they need a place to live whilst studying. Is there a way you can help them out and save tax into the bargain?
There can be good commercial or management reasons for having separate companies. How can you switch profit from one to the other in order to save some Corporation Tax?
A recent court case looked at whether the costs of attending courses as required under a contract of employment were tax deductible for an employee. What about courses you go on as a director?
Before you finally sign on the dotted line you might use heads of agreement to help speed up the process. Are there any hidden pitfalls?
The next round of changes under the new Companies Act take effect on October 1, 2007. How might these changes affect you and your company, and how should you prepare for them?
In recent years, several very high profile directors found themselves in deep trouble for failing to follow proper accounting guidelines (remember Enron?). So how can you play it safe when it comes to capitalising assets?
VAT? Just pay what you can afford
Finding the cash to pay the VATman what’s due can be a problem. Wouldn’t it be nice if your company only had to pay what it could afford? Could cash accounting be the answer?
Directors and their safety responsibilities
Is it true that there’s no legislation that says you have to undertake proactive health and safety management within the company? And if not, how you can protect your personal position as a director? What does the latest case say?
Several invoices are outstanding and as far as you’re concerned the customer simply can’t be bothered to pay. Then out of the blue they raise a whole load of issues as to why they won’t pay. What’s your position?
The cost of minimum order quantities
You’re considering selling a new product through your company in order to boost business? To make it a success you need to keep the ordering costs under control. What are the key factors to consider?
According to a number of different surveys, adults in the UK are drinking more alcohol than ever before. Is this something that you need to address?
What should you do if one of your staff decides they don’t want to use their office chair, but an inflatable exercise ball instead? Far fetched? Not at the University of Bath it isn’t. What should you do if you find yourself in a similar situation?
Staff are moaning about the temperature and lack of air in your office - they’ve even started wedging a fire door open. You know this shouldn’t happen, but you don’t know what else to do. What options are available?
You recently noticed that your maintenance team isn’t replacing all of the bolts on some machines. They claim it saves time as they’re not necessary. What issues does this raise and how should you deal with them?
If one of your staff announces she’s pregnant, you must take reasonable steps to ensure neither she nor her unborn child is put at risk. To help you stay on the right side of the law, why not use our free document?
Being a nuisance could cost you
A colleague has informed you that since the fire laws changed, enforcement action can be taken if the Fire & Rescue Service has to respond to false alarms. Is this the case, and if so, what can you do to avoid it happening?
Managing safety on satellite sites
You’ve become aware that safety isn’t managed to the same standards on all of your sites - especially not the smaller ones away from your main base. What are the potential issues and how should you deal with them?
Paying commission against sales achievement is a popular method of rewarding success, but as tribunal statistics confirm, it can be also be the source of disputes if not structured or worded correctly. So how can you get it right?
Injured but not sick. Able to work?
An employee is injured and is currently absent on company sick pay. As he’s not really “ill”, can you ask him to do some paperwork despite the fact that he has a GP’s certificate signing him off? Are you able to challenge the certificate?
One of your employees is OK at her job, but she often grumbles and can be a bit surly with customers. You’re not sure if these are misconduct issues or how to deal with the situation. So how should you play it?
Employees often ask for time off for reasons other than holiday. So, what are your rights as an employer? When can you refuse their requests and do you have to pay them for the time off?
The High Court has held that the government hasn’t correctly implemented a new EU Directive into sex discrimination law. What could this mean for you?
When words alone aren’t enough
Like many employers, you probably have a staff handbook into which you put all manner of policies and rules. But following a recent case, is this enough to protect your position?
After a disagreement, one of your employees told you to “shove your job”. As you’d be quite happy to see the back of him, can you hold him to it? If not, how should you play it in order to avoid any legal difficulties?
You’re thinking of moving your “working at home” space out of your spare bedroom and into a summerhouse at the bottom of the garden. What is the most VAT-efficient way of handling this relocation?
If you rent out a flat you should be looking for ways to minimise Capital Gains Tax when you sell it. Spying on your tenants could provide part of the answer. How come?
Refinance your business to pay for your hobbies
Buy-to-let landlords and business owners may be able to reorganise their finances to get tax relief on loans to finance their hobbies and other non-qualifying activities. How does this work?
You’re planning to take on some summer casuals to help. But what exactly are the tax and NI consequences of this? Can’t you just pay them out of the till or petty cash tin and be done with it?
New justification for spouse’s salary
Not sure if the salary you pay your spouse is going to survive the Taxman’s “excessive for their duties” challenge? Here’s a new way you could justify paying them more than the going rate. What’s involved?
For working parents, childcare vouchers can be a tax-efficient way to meet the costs of looking after children. Were there any upgrades to the voucher scheme in the 2007 Budget affecting what you can receive in 2007/8?
July 31 is the next big payment day for income tax. Could you be getting a bill before you go on holiday this year?
From time to time you have tussles with the landlord (or his agent) over the level of service charges. But now their demands have got out of hand. As the director responsible, you need to know your position? Do you have to pay?
The Taxman’s requesting your personal credit card records. As they have nothing to do with your company can’t you show him the red card?
You’re about to run a big direct marketing campaign. You did the same thing last year without a problem, but you’ve heard that the Information Commissioner is planning a blitz. If this is right, how can you stay off his radar?
You’re always on the look-out for ways to reduce the tax bill on company cars. A colleague has suggested that having a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) at your disposal could save you tax. What’s the full story here?
As the director responsible for health and safety, you ensure that everyone’s workstation has been assessed. As a result, one employee says you have to pay for her sight test every six months and a new pair of specs. Is she right?
As a director, part of your work for the company involves giving professional advice. For years you’ve assumed that if you ever made a mistake, the company would be liable. Is this really true?
One of your staff is moaning about glare on their computer screen, saying it gives them a headache and makes working difficult. How seriously should you take their complaint and how can you solve the problem?
In two extreme cases, accidents have resulted from staff working excessively long hours. What happened and how can you avoid a similar experience?
You need to risk assess your office
Your insurers have recently sent one of their assessors to your site to review your health and safety arrangements. One demand was to do a risk assessment for your office. Is this really necessary, and if so, what should it cover?
“You’ve got to provide me with sun cream - it’s personal protective equipment.” This is a direct quote from a subscriber’s member of staff. How should this be dealt with and are there solutions which should definitely be avoided?
New legislation from Europe was introduced on June 1, 2007. It’s known as REACH and is focused on chemicals and their usage. What potential impact will it have on your business and what do you need to do to comply with it?
The less obvious effects of the smoking ban
You’ll be aware that in July, England will be the last country in the UK to enforce a smoking ban. Although you’ve got the signs etc. you’ve heard it might create other health and safety issues. So what are they?
How long should it take to evacuate?
A colleague has told you that you need to make sure all of your staff can evacuate your premises within two minutes of the fire alarm sounding. Is this really the case, and if so, how can you ensure you achieve this?
Do you know your “aspects” from your “impacts”?
An inspector recently completed an inspection on your site, during which they used the terms “aspects” and “impacts”. Not wanting to appear ignorant you didn’t ask what they meant. So what do they mean and how are they used?
All change at the Environment Agency
The Environment Agency (EA) is currently planning to reorganise a number of its functions. What’s happening and how could this affect your business?
Your responsibility to the end
A recent case has highlighted the dangers of employing a less than scrupulous waste contractor. What happened and what steps should you ensure you’ve taken to avoid similar problems?
A colleague has started marketing their product as a green alternative - they’ve even got an “Ecolabel”. What is it and is it something that you should consider for your products?
Pick up the phone, not the car keys
According to a recent survey, using modern communication systems rather than travelling to meetings etc. will save you time and money, as well as helping the environment. What are the findings and what should you be doing?
A colleague has suggested that covering your windows with a reflective film is a far cheaper and greener alternative than having air conditioning systems blasting out. But is it actually any good?
In its attempt to encourage businesses to become more energy efficient, the government is offering tax breaks to those who purchase certain energy saving plant or machinery. What’s on offer?