2008 - January
From April 6 2008, a new law will make it difficult to save tax by paying dividends to your spouse. What should you be doing now to get around this?
Tax increases from April 6 2008 are going to hit company car drivers really hard. You might not be able to change your car but is there anything else you can consider as a way to mitigate this tax hike?
If you are in the flat rate scheme (FRS) for VAT and you have to give a customer a refund/credit note, what VAT rate should you use, particularly if you’ve moved business groups to a different FRS rate since making the original sale?
If you have a joint savings account can you just split the interest between you as you like? Will just putting the most tax effective split of that interest on your respective tax returns get you into trouble with the Taxman?
Trusting the Taxman to get it right?
Next month the Taxman will start issuing PAYE tax codes for 2008/9. The code is a shortened method of defining your total tax-free pay for that year. So how do you go about checking you’ve got the right amount of tax-free pay for 2008/9?
The withdrawal of Indexation Allowance from April 5 2008 could significantly increase the amount of Capital Gains Tax (CGT) you pay on assets you have held for long periods. How can you preserve this allowance without selling your investments?
Time to book this year’s training courses
You’ve been told that employee training costs are allowable if they are incurred wholly and exclusively for the benefit of your business. If it’s you who wants to undertake the training in 2008 what’s your and the company’s position?
The police have stated that they’re to investigate the potential liability of companies for serious road traffic accidents. So what should be your position?
Your accountant has messed up over your tax calculation and you now owe the Taxman £5,000 more (personally) than you’d been led to believe. What can you do? Can you get your accountant to pay?
You’ve heard that under the new Companies Act you stand to benefit from a range of measures aimed at cutting red tape etc. If this is this correct, won’t you first have to amend your company’s articles of association?
If you’re able to offer an employee an alternative job rather than the door, it’s really important to understand what the law requires of you (and the employee). What lessons can you learn from a new appeal case?
As a company director, you naturally have a great interest in your financial situation. You’ve been thinking about getting some advice about your future plans. So what’s out there if you want the best?
With many quarters predicting doom and gloom for the residential property market and buy-to-let landlords having to sell their investments to service debts, could now be a good time to buy?
What did your employees get for Christmas?
Christmas is, of course, the season of giving. Not only did you give yourself and your staff some nice presents, but you received a whole stack from third parties too. Could this create a tax problem for you?
Is hearing protection required?
A subscriber’s employee was diagnosed with substantial hearing loss which, in their opinion, meant that they should be exempt from wearing hearing protection in a mandatory protection zone. Should this be allowed?
Display screen equipment “users”
You’ve heard that you only need to worry about the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 if your staff are classified as “users”. What does this mean, and is this really the case?
During a recent inspection it was suggested that you should do more to manage the risks in a couple of areas. Does this mean work should stop until improvements are made?
The Crown Prosecution Service has recently issued new sentencing guidance to courts for dangerous driving offences. How could this affect you?
A recent case has shown that you will make things much worse by either neglecting to tell enforcement officers vital facts, or worse by lying and trying to cover things up. What happened, and what can you learn from this case?
Contractor competence assessment
You’ve heard that since the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2007 came into force, you are now better off using a third party to assess the competence of any contractors that you use. Is this really the case?
Annual health and safety review
It’s the start of the new year and you’ve decided to review where you are at with safety management. It’s a good idea to know what things you should be looking at, so why not use our guide for assistance?
The latest update of NVU, the popular open source HTML editor, dates from 2005. So it’s probably better to use Kompozer, a more recent editor based on the same NVU. Let’s check.
iTunes has lost its monopoly on major label music. New site 7Digital even claims to be the UK’s ‘leading digital media delivery company’. We check it out.
Working and planning more efficiently
There are more and more applications that aim to improve your efficiency. Here are two that you might find useful: an online e-mail assistant and a time management tool.
Miro, the all-in-one video player
Would you like to watch videos online without having to scour dozens of websites and without having to use various video players? The free Miro tool offers a solution.
BigString: e-mail with hidden extras
The new webmail service BigString lets you send secure messages and add enjoyable mail effects. Is it a practical alternative for Gmail or Hotmail?
Making the most of your printer
Everyone uses printers - either at business or at home. Most printers are quite versatile, but here are some extra tools for boosting your printer’s capabilities.
Perhaps you’ve heard about “macros” but you think they are too complex for you. Here’s how to use macros in Microsoft Office and other programs.
Hi, I’ve got a technical question…
Services such as Experts Exchange can help with your computer problems. Recently, a newcomer appeared: US-based SupportSpace. How expert is it?
If you’ve decided to buy a pet or want help with an existing one, there’s plenty of advice online. We found sites offering care advice for pets, tips for keeping them healthy, best buys for pet products and advice on travelling abroad.
There are lots of brain-training puzzles for game consoles which help you to keep your brain in condition. But the Internet also hosts a lot of brain-training games, and they don’t cost you a penny! These are some of our favourites.
Cutting the cost of depression
You have a member of staff who’s been signed off with depression. You’ve heard the average time off with this condition is 30 days. How can you reduce the impact on your company and ensure that you spot any future problems?
Having followed the correct procedure, you dismissed an employee. Now, you’ve received a letter from his solicitor listing grievances going back two years. How should you respond?
Without prejudice negotiations
In trying to negotiate settlements, it’s common for employers to use off the record communications that are “without prejudice”. But at what stage can you use this tactic? What’s the latest case say?
Why care is needed with flexible working requests
If an employee makes a request for flexible working, e.g. having returned from maternity leave, you’re supposed to take it seriously and follow a set procedure. But what happens if they fail to follow the correct procedure?
Sexual orientation discrimination cases are coming through thick and fast. Following one involving a lesbian, what should be your position?
One of your employees made a big mistake with an order which led to a customer losing money. They now want you to sack him, or they’ll take their business elsewhere. What’s the legal position in this situation and how should you play it?
The payment of discretionary bonuses is a touchy subject with employees quick to claim if they’re unhappy with the amount. Following a new case, what must you do in order to show that any payment (or non-payment) is a just decision?
If you need to move profit from one trading company to another just to be able to pay a dividend to shareholders, there are VAT traps for the unwary. So how do you keep the VATman at bay?
You will already be aware of the benefits of taking an annual dividend in lieu of a bonus from your company, perhaps to cover the cost of Christmas. However, how often can you legitimately take a dividend?
The Taxman has recently changed his approach to what he calls compliance visits. If he sends you a letter telling you he wants to come, what’s the best way to handle the visiting inspector?
Do you know how much Capital Gains Tax (CGT) you are going to pay for 2007/8? This tax year closes on April 5 and there is nothing you can do about it after that. So what should you be doing to minimise your CGT bill?
Are you are obliged to pay for a full audit of one aspect of your accounts, just because the Taxman is trying to meet his targets? Is there a way to avoid such a request for a 100% verification?
New angle on working from home
What’s the best way of charging your company for use of your office at home? And if you own several companies can you bill each of them?
A colleague has told you that he keeps his part-time employees’ wages to below £8,500 pa. This way he can top up their earnings with benefits-in-kind which are tax-free at this level. Is this something you could do?
Corporate blogging - the pitfalls
A fellow company director has just told you he’s set up a blog to promote his company. It’s something you’ve been thinking of doing but what are the risks and pitfalls of this type of publicity?
Leaving the company in safe hands
You’re about to take a well-earned winter break. But the business is bigger than ever before and you’re concerned about leaving it in someone else’s hands. What can you do to protect your and the company’s position whilst away?
If the experts are right, 2008 could be a tough year for many businesses. If you’re forced to make cost savings, you may look to your staff. Can you simply lay them off until things improve again?
You’ve thought about taking up a new hobby - flying for example. However, your existing draw from the company is all accounted for. Could your company pay for it instead? What’s your best option?
Common sense on commission for agents
You took on an agent to sell your goods a year or so ago. Things aren’t working out and you now want rid of him. You’ve offered him a month’s commission, but he says he’s entitled to two years’. What does the law say?
New legislation is about to take effect which protects companies which fall into rent arrears. What do you need to know to benefit?
Personalise your car fuel rate
Aren’t you feeling the pinch every time you fill up your company car? You get a mileage rate for all business journeys but that doesn’t really cover the cost of the fuel at current prices, so what can you (and your company) do about it?
To many, recycling is a vital part of going green, but recent research has indicated that it might not always be as good for the environment as we have been led to believe. So should you ditch your recycling bins?
You’ve heard that you should have a plan to help you manage any potential environmental impacts. What is this and what are the benefits or possible downsides of having one?
It’s the New Year - time to go green
Now that the festive season is done and dusted, you’ve decided that it’s about time your business did more to enhance its green credentials. So how do you turn over a green leaf successfully?
Winter is here and you’ve decided that it’s about time to get some rock salt to clear walkways and paths of ice on your site. However, a colleague is insisting that you shouldn’t because it can cause pollution. Is this really the case?
If an inspector from the Environment Agency walks on to your site, would you know how to deal with them, especially if they mention enforcement action? If not, why not follow our guide?
A fencing company has recently been prosecuted and fined by the Environment Agency because they ignored warnings about bonfires. Are they illegal, or was there another reason for this case to be brought?
Do you have to let an inspector in?
You’ve been hearing conflicting theories about what you should do if an inspector turns up unannounced at your premises. Do you have to let them in, or can you say, “Not today, thank you”?
Don’t be ignorant to the risks
A survey completed for NetRegs has identified that more SMEs are starting to address environmental issues, but those that aren’t will pay the price for their lack of action. What’s happening?
Low-risk businesses are being inspected
When the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order came in, the Fire and Rescue Service indicated that they would be focusing on high-risk businesses only. Now, over a year on, their net is being cast wider. Who could be in line for a visit?
According to recent research, those suffering with lower back pain should continue to work and stay active. What are the findings and how can you avoid any potential problems?
Asbestos is in the news again following the prosecution of the parent company of the high street retailer Blacks. What happened, why did the case end up in court and what should you be doing to avoid a similar experience?
A colleague is convinced that there’s a standard way of presenting risk assessments. However, you thought otherwise. Is there a standard way of doing it or can your assessments be in a format to suit your business?
You’ve made a New Year resolution to clear your site of rubbish and junk. As there are so many large and heavy objects, you’ve decided to hire a small mobile crane to lift them into skips. Is this a wise idea?
Are you in a radon affected area?
The Health Protection Agency, in conjunction with the British Geological Survey have produced a map which identifies which postcodes may be affected by radon. What is it, and what, if anything, do you need to do to reduce any risks?
What would you do if an agency worker (a temp) put in a grievance claim? Like many employers you’d probably ignore it assuming that as they’re not an employee you needn’t bother. Why might this be dangerous?
Suppose you want to burn a series of digital photographs onto a DVD so that you can show them to friends or family on their television. How do you create such a photo DVD?
Where does pregnancy fit in with parental leave?
A female employee can apply for unpaid parental leave of up to 13 weeks per child. But what happens if you’ve agreed arrangements for this leave and then she announces that she’s pregnant? What does a recent ruling say?
An employee suspected of gross misconduct has just admitted their guilt. You both know that this will end in dismissal so why bother with all those tedious and time-consuming procedures?
LinkedIn is currently the most popular social networking site for professionals and entrepreneurs. But there are other players as well...
Can we deduct pay for a hangover?
One of your employees recently took a day’s sickness leave. When asked for the reason, he admitted that it was due to a hangover. Are you within your rights to withhold company sick pay?
You’re holding a disciplinary hearing during which the employee behaves so badly that you decide it amounts to gross misconduct so you dismiss them there and then. Would you be justified in doing this?
Disciplinary procedures not working
According to new research, the statutory disciplinary and dismissal procedures are still causing big problems for employers. What’s the latest?
There’s been a lot of press attention focusing on proposed changes to how GPs issue sick notes to employees. What’s the latest news and how can you best get the current situation to work for you?
A new year has arrived and perhaps you fancy a new job? We got on our bikes and looked at what the leading recruitment sites can offer you.
Suppose you want to give your website a facelift or want to create a brand-new website… Instead of reinventing the wheel, you can find a lot of online templates which you can use for your site, and many of them are free.
After a few months, your hard disk will have collected countless superfluous files. Here are some tips and tools for removing useless ones. This will liberate disk space and make your computer run that bit faster.
Online backups: the pros and cons
In our previous issue, we reviewed several programs for creating good backups of your system in an efficient way. As this is a vital matter, we’re going to have a look at a few online alternatives.
Google Translate is no longer using Systran - which is used by almost all of the online translation services - but now applies its own technology. Does this make Google better than, for example, Babel Fish?