Latest News

Considering selling your business?

Selling your business can be daunting especially knowing how to make it an attractive proposition whilst optimising shareholder value - Armstrong Watson’s corporate finance and tax teams are here to help.

Protection of payment by credit card in light of Thomas Cook collapse

I was very sad to hear last week the news of the liquidation of Thomas Cook with the mammoth loss of thousands of jobs and the continuing disruption, cancellation and upset to hundreds of thousands of holiday goers.

Whilst ATOL protection for many of those who booked holidays through registered travel agents will look to cover losses for the travel and accommodation covered under the policy, this dire situation also reminds us of the protection offered when paying by credit card.

Time to Pay Arrangements – A Time to Reflect?

Whenever there is uncertainty, a lack of customer confidence is never far behind. Unfortunately, that can lead to increased cash flow pressures on businesses as they struggle to meet their obligations to suppliers and HM Revenue & Customs (“HMRC”) and when cash is tight, HMRC often fall to the bottom of the pile.

New ‘Off Payroll Working Rules’ and HMRC responsibilities

IR35 is a piece of legislation originally introduced in 2000 to ensure those individuals hired by a business, who would ordinarily be deemed ‘employees’ - if they had been engaged directly - broadly pay the same amount of tax and National Insurance as employees.  Businesses for many years have always been obliged to undertake the ‘self-employment v employed’ test but IR35 specifically fell on the individual (worker) who provided their services through an intermediary (e.g. through another a company) to another person or entity. 

Chartered Financial Planning team with a wealth of knowledge and experience

Armstrong Watson Financial Planning and Wealth Management are one of  a very select number of firms who hold the coveted Chartered status showing a mark of trust, capability and professionalism.

Protecting the value of your money

The rate of inflation is important as it can impact your investments and to avoid losing value your savings and investments, inflation needs to grow at the same rate as prices are rising.

Armstrong Watson Takes on Record Number of New Trainees

Armstrong Watson Accountants, Business and Financial Advisers has taken on a record number of new starters, with the appointment of 11 chartered accountancy trainees and 20 trainees studying AAT/ATT across 5 of the firms offices in Glasgow, Carlisle, Northallerton, Skipton and Leeds.

10 reasons to make a will

What do Abraham Lincoln, Howard Hughes, Pablo Picasso and Jimi Hendrix all have in common? Apart from being famous, they all died without making a will. However it’s not just the rich and famous that don’t get around to making a will. Recent research indicates that more than 50% of UK adults don’t have a will. I often remind clients to make or update their will to ensure that their estate is left to the people they want it to go to. This is advice which cannot be repeated too often.

Here are ten good reasons to make a valid will:

Self Assessment – Time to get your tax affairs in order

As the summer holidays draw to a close and with a definite feel of Autumn in the air, it’s a clear reminder to all accountants that our busiest season is rapidly approaching. If you are within the Self Assessment system under which individuals are required to self-assess their tax liability in a tax return there are a few deadlines to consider.

UK Tax Implications post Brexit

Jim Meakin discusses the tax implications for UK businesses following Brexit on 31st October 2019.