Press Room

A selection of Press Releases can be found detailed below:

December 2006
How Will Gordon's Final PBR Affect You and Your Business

The last pre-budget report (PBR) from Chancellor Gordon Brown was surprising brief, yet contained many key points, according to Shepshed based accountancy firm Marlow Associates. While green issues dominated, underlying these were major financial and tax implications for local businesses and individuals to address.

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December 2006
Pre-Budget 2006 Report

This year’s Pre-Budget Report is almost certainly Gordon Brown’s last as Chancellor. On this occasion, his March 2006 Budget predictions for growth and borrowing have proved reasonably accurate, even if overall borrowing is still at an uncomfortably high level. While Mr Brown’s speech itself contained very few surprises, the supporting material issued by the Treasury and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) revealed a wide variety of important tax measures.

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December 2006
New Companies Act Now Law

The Companies Act 2006 has finally received Royal Assent. The Act aims to simplify and improve company law and will take two years to implement.

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The production of your latest year-end accounts is where most firms of accountants stop – but at Marlow’s this is where WE really just get started!!

Question – did those year end accounts improve your business in any way other than ensuring you met the statutory filing deadlines to avoid a penalty?

Answer – probably not! - But wouldn’t it be even better to let us help you in the following areas where we have developed structured advice sessions:

Click on the A4G logo for more information

 

December 2006
Are You a Prisoner in Your Business?

True Story: “Life’s not much fun these days” said the businessman to his accountant surveying his latest annual figures. The accountant tried to sympathise as he focussed on the profit figure, which exceeded £200,000. “I haven’t got time to do anything here and our social life is non-existent”. His wife scowled across their half-decorated living room.

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December 2006
Working On Rather than In Your Business

If you want to improve and grow your business read on. If not, then we understand. You have far too much to do and no one suitably qualified to take the workload from you.

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December 2006
Saving Time, Improving Results

Setting up a documented set of systems in your organisation can be a long and laborious task.

The benefits will be huge and will start the moment you take your first steps down this road. You will find things out about your business that you didn’t know. Ways in which the role of one member of staff can impact on another in ways that even they did not realise.

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November 2006
VAT Fuel Charge Set to Rise

The EC has finally agreed the UK’s proposal to align the output VAT charge with the benefit in kind charge on the provision of private fuel assessable on the individual. The proposals and legislation were announced in the 2005 Budget and will be implemented from May 2007.

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November 2006
Benefits in Kind on Private use of Computer Equipment

The Finance Act 2006 abolished the £500 tax exemption for the private use of computer equipment provided by an employer to an employee. This removed a tax-free incentive by which employers had been able to offer their employees tax-free home use of computer and related equipment such as scanners and printers. The reason for the withdrawal of the incentive was that some employers had been using the exemption to provide their employees with packages including MP3 players and games consoles.

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The production of your latest year-end accounts is where most firms of accountants stop – but at Marlow’s this is where WE really just get started!!

Question – did those year end accounts improve your business in any way other than ensuring you met the statutory filing deadlines to avoid a penalty?

Answer – probably not! - But wouldn’t it be even better to let us help you in the following areas where we have developed structured advice sessions:

Click on the A4G logo for more information

 

November 2006
Accounting for Growth

Annual accounts are such a chore. Corporation Tax to pay, Companies House deadlines to satisfy and if your turnover is big enough the burden of an audit to worry about. What’s more, despite having worked harder and harder all year the accounts seem to indicate that very little profit has been made. As for the accountant, well you didn’t understand a word he said.

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November 2006
Spotting Trends

It is said that there are four stages to a business: new, growing, maturity and decline.

In the first two stages, each set of annual accounts might be barely recognisable from the previous years. Turnover is increasing as are overheads and new products and services can have dramatic effects not to mention the effects of the occasional bad decision.

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October 2006
More Benefits for Clients at Local Accountants

The Shepshed accountants Marlow Associates have implemented an impressive new software programme.

Designed to be easy for clients to use, More software significantly reduces paperwork, allowing an accountant’s time to be focused on helping clients save tax and plan finances whilst also improving clients’ records to reduce the risk of problems with tax and VAT investigations.

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October 2006
National Minimum Wage Changes

Many legislative changes are confined to April and October each year. 1 October 2006 sees the introduction of a number of changes not least of which are the increases to the national minimum wage (NMW) rates."

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October 2006
UK Facing Skills Crisis

Over the last few months we have reported how employers are finding it difficult to find employees with the relevant skills. According to the TUC the only way to solve the skills crisis in the UK is for businesses to provide more training to their employees.

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The production of your latest year-end accounts is where most firms of accountants stop – but at Marlow’s this is where WE really just get started!!

Question – did those year end accounts improve your business in any way other than ensuring you met the statutory filing deadlines to avoid a penalty?

Answer – probably not! - But wouldn’t it be even better to let us help you in the following areas where we have developed structured advice sessions:

Click on the A4G logo for more information

 

October 2006
Profit is Sanity
What if?

What if we were to increase our prices by 10%? How much business could we afford to lose before we actually had less profit than before?

What if we gave ourselves a marketing budget of £10,000? How many extra sales would we have to achieve to recoup the extra cost?

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September 2006
Employers Incorrectly Advised of Underpayments

HMRC have published guidance on their website that they have incorrectly advised some employers they have underpaid their PAYE/NIC payments for the year ended 5 April 2006.

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September 2006
HMRC Letters

As in previous years, HMRC offices will be sending out letters over the next few weeks with advice for small businesses on calculating business income for the purposes of self assessment. The letters have been criticised in the past for giving the impression to taxpayers that there was something wrong with their tax returns.

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The production of your latest year-end accounts is where most firms of accountants stop – but at Marlow’s this is where WE really just get started!!

Question – did those year end accounts improve your business in any way other than ensuring you met the statutory filing deadlines to avoid a penalty?

Answer – probably not! - But wouldn’t it be even better to let us help you in the following areas where we have developed structured advice sessions:

Click on the A4G logo for more information

 

September 2006
The Silent Salesman

So things are looking bad; the order book is empty and the company is losing money. The accountant says “sack the salesman and slash the advertising budget”. The sales director disagrees and says that it’s only extra sales that will get the company out of trouble.

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September 2006
Creating Mailshot Not Junk Mail

The industry success rate for mailshots is less than one third of 1% and getting a response may take more than five or six attempts. Only by maintaining that contact will someone gain confidence about using your services. With today’s technology the costs of this approach will be more than outweighed by the benefits provided you organise your approach properly.

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August 2006
Advisory Fuel Rates for Company Cars

HMRC have announced new rates for journeys on or after 1 July 2006. These rates apply to company car drivers who are reimbursed for business miles driven. The rates can also be used by company car drivers who claim all their fuel costs and then reimburse their employer for their private mileage.

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August 2006
Low Pay Commission to Consider Small Businesses

The Low Pay Commission (LPC) has been advised to consider the impact of any increase in the national minimum wage on small businesses, which is a change to the current remit of their considerations. The government has told the LPC that it must look carefully at the impact the decision will have and to make ‘particular reference to the effect on pay, employment and competitiveness in the low paying sectors and small firms’.

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The production of your latest year-end accounts is where most firms of accountants stop – but at Marlow’s this is where WE really just get started!!

Question – did those year end accounts improve your business in any way other than ensuring you met the statutory filing deadlines to avoid a penalty?

Answer – probably not! - But wouldn’t it be even better to let us help you in the following areas where we have developed structured advice sessions:

Click on the A4G logo for more information

 

August 2006
Are You A Prisoner of Your Business?

True Story: “Life’s not much fun these days” said the businessman to his accountant surveying his latest annual figures. The accountant tried to sympathise as he focussed on the profit figure, which exceeded £200,000. “I haven’t got time to do anything here and our social life is non-existent”. His wife scowled across their half-decorated living room.

 View Article

 

August 2006
Working On Rather Than In Your Business

If you want to improve and grow your business read on. If not, then we understand. You have far too much to do and no one suitably qualified to take the workload from you.

The day-to-day reality for most people running small businesses is that they spend most of their time working in the business rather than on the business.

But what has all this got to do with the comedian Harry Hill?

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August 2006
Saving Time, Improving Results

Setting up a documented set of systems in your organisation can be a long and laborious task.

The benefits will be huge and will start the moment you take your first steps down this road. You will find things out about your business that you didn’t know. Ways in which the role of one member of staff can impact on another in ways that even they did not realise.

 View Article

 

August 2006
Get More from Marlow with their New Mortgage Service

Shepshed based accountants Marlow Associates has joined forces with Blossom Financially Mortgages & Loans to offer a brand new mortgage service.

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August 2006
New Appointment at Marlow Associates

Shepshed accountants Marlow Associates has expanded their team with a new client adviser.

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July 2006
Is the Tax Man Calling You?

A Shepshed based firm of Chartered Accountants is advising local businesses to be aware of a recent announcement by HM Revenue and Customs which could see them encouraged to discuss alleged tax breaches.

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July 2006
Business Mileage Tax Claim Clarification

Leicestershire based accountants and business advisers Marlow Associates are advising local businesses to be aware of further clarification issued by HM Revenue and Customs regarding reclaiming tax on business mileage.

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June 2006
Marlow Associates Launch Wealth Management Advice

We are pleased to announce the launch of a brand new dedicated financial services division.

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June 2006
Proposed Trust and Tax Return Changes

Last month we reported on the proposed inheritance tax (IHT) changes for trusts. The professional bodies are lobbying HMRC and the government to reconsider the rules and we will keep you in touch with developments. If you have a trust, created before Budget day, there is no need to take any immediate action as the IHT charges will not generally take effect until 2008.

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June 2006
P11D Dispensations

Last month we reported that forms P11D which report details of employees’ benefits in kind and expenses have to be with HMRC by 6 July. Some of you will no doubt be trying to collate the necessary information to prepare these forms which is a time consuming process.

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May 2006
Benefits In Kind Forms P11D are Due

It is time to start gathering together the information to complete the forms P11D which report to HMRC details of benefits and expenses provided to employees and directors in the tax year to 5 April 2006. The forms have to be submitted to HMRC by 6 July so you have some time to track down the relevant information and to complete the forms.

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May 2006
New Inheritance Tax Rules

The chancellor, Gordon Brown has revised his proposed Budget measures in respect of trusts, following protests by the life assurance industry and MPs amongst others.

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May 2006

Question – did those year end accounts improve your business in any way other than ensuring you met the statutory filing deadlines to avoid a penalty?

Answer – probably not! - But wouldn’t it be even better to let us help you in the following areas where we have developed structured advice sessions:

Click on the A4G logo for more information.

May 2006
Getting the Right People

May 2006
Horses for Courses

May 2006
Be Professional

April 2006
Capital allowances for smaller businesses

 

April 2006
Business rates

April 2006

Question – did those year end accounts improve your business in any way other than ensuring you met the statutory filing deadlines to avoid a penalty?

Answer – probably not! - But wouldn’t it be even better to let us help you in the following areas where we have developed structured advice sessions:

Click on the A4G logo for more information.

April 2006
Paying the legal minimum

April 2006
Keeping your tax liabilities to the legal minimum

April 2006
Slaughtering the sacred pension cow

April 2006
Getting the Green Light on Your Tax Affairs

April 2006
Should You Audit Your Audit Procedures?

March 2006
Budget Report Summary 2006

Gordon Brown presented his tenth Budget on Wednesday 22 March 2006. Will it prove to be his last? Has he won public and parliamentary support for his bid to become Prime Minister?

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March 2006
SMES Happy Being Small

Research shows that three quarters of small business owners believe their quality of life has improved since they started their own business.

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March 2006
Employer Pension Contributions

From A Day, 6 April 2006, the new pension regime will finally take effect. We have previously reported on the introduction of the new rules and HMRC have recently published their draft internal guidance on whether or not employer pension contributions will be deductible for tax purposes.

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March 2006
Employment Status Tool

HMRC have made available on their website an employment status indicator (ESI) tool which allows contractors to check HMRC’s interpretation of the employment status of potential workers.

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February 2006
Don't Rest on Your Laurels when it comes to Finance

The deadline for self assessment and company tax returns may have just passed, but that doesn’t mean small businesses can rest on their laurels.

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February 2006
Arctic Systems - Revenue to Appeal to the Lords

Last month we reported on the Court of Appeal decision in the Arctic Systems case. Just in case you need a reminder, the case concerned a company owned by a husband and wife and hinged on whether dividends paid by the company to the wife (who was not a higher rate taxpayer) could be taxed instead on her husband (who was a higher rate taxpayer).

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February 2006
Car Benefit Calculations

The Revenue have produced updated guidance in the Employment Income Manual on how car benefits are calculated. The guidance sets out the basis for the calculation using the list price of the car and an appropriate percentage normally based on the CO2 emissions of the car.

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February 2006
VAT Receipts and Employee Mileage Claims

In last month’s enews we reported on the changes to the procedures for input VAT recovery by employers on employees’ mileage allowances. Customs have issued further clarification of the evidence required to support a claim for input VAT recovery.

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January 2006
Arctic Systems - The Verdict

At last, a bit of Christmas cheer! No, not from Gordon Brown’s Pre-Budget Report on 5 December, which contained more convoluted ways of raising tax, (but we have come to expect that from the Chancellor!) but from the Court of Appeal.

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January 2006
VAT Receipts and Employee Mileage Claims

HM Revenue & Customs has announced changes to the procedures for input VAT recovery by employers on employees’ mileage allowances. In future employees will have to produce a garage VAT receipt to support the claim for expenses made.

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January 2006
How Small Companies Can Get Paid

With slow payment and insolvent debtors being two of the biggest problems facing small businesses, we are advising local companies to take advantage of a beneficial service.

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