umbrella Articles

Missed the First Loan Charge Settlement Deadline? Don’t Despair
marketing | 3 October 2018
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HMRC is targeting contractors that have participated in disguised remuneration ‘loan schemes,’ and time is running out to avoid an enormous tax bill next year. 

If affected contractors fail to make a settlement with HMRC by 5 April 2019, any outstanding ‘loan’ tax payments could be tacked onto their 2018/19 tax bill.

Unfortunately, the first settlement deadline has already passed. HMRC had instructed contractors to register their interest in settling and fill out relevant documentation before 30 September.

BBC Presenter Forced to Use PSC
marketing | 10 May 2018
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Joanna Gosling is the latest BBC presenter to complain that the public service broadcaster forced her to operate through a limited company, exposing her to HMRC legal action.

Alongside BBC colleagues David Eades and Tim Willcox, Gosling is appealing against a £920,000 tax bill, which HMRC argues is owed in back income tax and National Insurance contributions.

HMRC claims that the presenters were within the IR35 rules and operating in ‘disguised employment’.

The court heard that the three presenters were “pushed by the BBC” into creating the personal service companies. These companies allowed the corporation to avoid paying employers’ National Insurance contributions and came with very few benefits.

 

Billy Barnett Wins Umbrella.co.uk February Employee of the Month

“Congratulations to Billy Barnett, a hard-working member of the Customer Services Team and the February Employee of the Month. Billy is extremely customer focussed and certainly a character within the office. We often have to discuss his work attire! Currently he’s soldiering on wearing one work shoe, one trainer and is blaming this on a ‘dodgy ankle’.  Well done Billy.” – Sarah Postlethwaite, Customer Services Manager

Watch out for this HMRC call scam
marketing | 10 March 2018
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HMRC is warning people to be on high alert after numerous reports that cold calling scammers are pretending to be the tax authority.

HMRC says that it has seen a sharp increase in the number of recorded message scams hitting people across the UK.

The scammers appear to be calling people randomly with an automated message which says that you are under HMRC investigation after failing to pay a tax bill. 

 

Start a contractor website on a shoestring
marketing | 5 February 2018
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Not all contractors need a website, but in certain industries it can strengthen your reputation and may help bring in new clients.

You have to be careful that costs don’t spiral out of control, however, and one way of doing that is to set yourself a shoestring budget to build your website on. Here are our top tips.  

Congratulations to Kirsty Bisset who is our August Employee of the Month

Kirsty’s consistently high quality and quantity of the accountancy work she churns out for Umbrella Accountants is much appreciated by clients and colleagues alike. 

Kirsty is a regular winner of our ‘Accounts Smasher of the Month’ award and has always been ready to offer advice and support to her accountancy team mates. 

Well done Kirsty for this long overdue recognition, and keep up the good work!

Congratulations to Charlotte Harper - April Employee of the Month

Congratulations to Charlotte Harper who is Umbrella’s Employee of the Month for April.  Charlotte has recently moved across to assist the Company Formations department which in addition to her current role has added new responsibility for welcoming our new clients to Umbrella Accountants and ensuring that they receive the best possible experience.  She has taken on the additional tasks without hesitation and has been doing a fantastic job.  Keep up the good work.  

How Much Will April Dividend Cut Cost You?

A cut in dividend allowance will cost some contractors more than £1,000 per year when it takes effect from April.

The allowance on dividends will be cut from £5,000 to £2,000 as the chancellor continues his raid on self-employed finances.

This means that individuals will not pay taxes on the first £2,000 of dividend income, regardless of what non-dividend income they have.

HMRC Wins IR35 Case against BBC Presenter

HMRC won its first IR35 ruling in seven years, as former BBC presenter Christa Ackroyd lost an appeal covering tax years between 2006/07 and 2012/2013.

In Christa Ackroyd Media (CAM) Ltd vs. Revenue & Customs, HMRC successfully argued that the ‘Look North’ presenter owed more than £400,000 in income tax and National Insurance Contributions.

The win is significant for HMRC because it is the first in a string of IR35 appeals against BBC personalities. 

What to do if you can’t pay your income tax bill on time

The self-assessment deadline is less than a week away on January 31.

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