Latest News

Four features to consider when accepting card payments - plus big VISA Debit fee changes

Having recently read in The Telegraph that this weekend saw the tipping point in which more payments transactions were made by non cash methods than cash, I thought it would be good to do a follow up on my recent blog “Nine reasons why you should consider accepting card payments” on the main features to consider when choosing a card payment machine, and talk about recent fee changes for accepting VISA Debit cards.

Armstrong Watson gains exclusive endorsement by The Law Society

Armstrong Watson has achieved a high accolade by becoming the only firm in the North of England to be exclusively endorsed by The Law Society for the provision of accountancy services to law firms throughout England’s Northern Regions.

Should I stay or should I go?

Three areas to be aware of when considering your UK residence status

New residency rules came into force from 2013/14 onwards which, at first glance, appear to offer a simpler way of determining your residency status. This is important as if you are deemed to be non UK resident, you will not be subject to UK tax on your foreign income. However, whilst the rules offer greater certainty over your position, they are also very prescriptive, making it easy to fall foul of the rules.

Here are three areas to be aware of if your residency status is in question:

Is there a £2,000 grant available for your business?

Would your business benefit from increased profitability, better cash flow forecasting / budgeting or a general strategic review?  If so then there is potentially a grant of up to £2,000 available for your business. The Government launched Growth Vouchers last year to help businesses grow during the current difficult financial environment however they are running out fast so time is of the essence to apply.

Addressing the lack of pensions knowledge

Below are some of the most common responses that people give when asked about their views on pensions:

‘That’s ages away, I’m only young’

‘I’ve worked all my life and paid my full stamps so I’ll get the full state pension’

‘My business is my pension’

‘I’ve got buy-to-let houses that will provide me with an income’

The difference between guidance and regulated advice

Exciting times are imminent. The changes affecting the way in which over 55s access their pension benefits, announced in the 2014 Budget and Autumn Statement, are merely weeks away from implementation.

Details have finally emerged on the new Guidance Guarantee, which is costing a reported £35 million and will now be called Pension Wise. This is the government’s initiative to provide all pension savers with free and impartial guidance consultation, in order to assist them in making an informed decision on how best to use their pension savings.

Five steps to a clean break

Whilst Christmas may feel like a distant memory, it can be a stressful time for many people and it is sadly true that more couples find themselves contemplating divorce or separation in the New Year. We discuss in this article five areas of law and tax that you may wish to consider on separation.

The tax and legal aspects for a divorce or dissolution of a civil partnership are essentially the same. Unmarried couples will have different issues and much less legal protection/intervention and this article is not able to cover their issues. 

What will you do differently in 2015?

As many New Years resolutions fade into distant memory, it is an excellent time to reflect on both what went well in your business last year as well as what you could do differently to achieve greater success in 2015.

It is often said that in business, “failing to plan” can amount to “planning to fail”. While that is a fairly dramatic statement there is some truth in it and having a clear plan for the year ahead will give advantage, in what remains a tough and competitive trading environment.

Business travel and subsistence: Getting it right

We are often fielded questions surrounding the correct treatment of business travel and subsistence costs when speaking to clients. Quite often, people have done their homework well and don’t have anything to worry about. However, when it does go wrong, the cost to a business and its employees can be significant. There are many rules surrounding the treatment of business travel and subsistence costs and so it’s not a wonder that people do occasionally get it wrong.

Business are still struggling to raise finance for property or property development

We are finding that despite a general increase in business finance activity, many clients are still finding it difficult to raise finance when it comes to commercial property.

Purchasing new property or investing in property development can often be an essential element in a business’s plan to grow, yet when it comes to raising the finance for this, it can be a difficult and not always successful process.