Despite all our best efforts, criminals are targeting SMEs with increasingly clever email scams. Businesses need to be incredibly cautious when making payments to suppliers and to be especially aware if they receive new bank details to pay to.
We have recently been contacted by several businesses who have fallen foul of an email invoice scam. We advise our clients to be vigilant to ensure their hard-earned money isn’t finding its way into a criminal’s bank account!
The article below highlights some of the key scams currently being used and the best ways to protect yourself and your business.
Guidance for SMEs
Tax Free Childcare – Last Chance……
Research and Development Cash Injection….
One of the benefits from the Research and Development (R&D) tax relief is that it provides support not only for profitable companies but also those companies who may also be struggling to make ends meet.
Understanding your business’s true potential.
As many businesses have discovered, growth not only takes a strong vision but also a clear business strategy. The difficulty in building this strategy occurs in navigating an ever-changing financial environment.
VAT: Flat Rate vs Standard Rate Schemes
VAT: Flat Rate vs Standard Rate Schemes
Value Added Tax is a sum of tax paid against the value of an item. The VAT figure is added to the cost of most commercial transactions and it’s become so familiar that it often gets overlooked.
Ignoring Auto-Enrolment? Read On…
Between fines and catch up bills, if you haven’t enrolled your staff yet but should have then you need to get moving. Here’s what you need to know.
The secret to getting an amazing accountant at a local rate…
When it comes to selecting an accountancy firm, businesses can feel a little overwhelmed by the range of choice presented on the local market. It is easy to be intimidated by approaching a larger accounting firm.
The importance of understanding technological advances for business
Why business owners need to face up to the challenge of Mobile and Smartphone growth
Why We’re All Moving to The Cloud
In Britain, where we are often subjected to four seasons in one day, we could all be forgiven for wanting to see the back of clouds for good. However, there’s a new cloud on the scene and it’s one that business owners need to embrace…
How Open Banking Can Empower Businesses To Grow
“Open banking” is a new directive which was introduced in the UK in January. It has the potential to fundamentally change the way companies manage their finances, access capital and make strategic decisions.
Track your mileage with the Cottons App!
Do you claim for business mileage – and spend hours Googling the places you’ve visited to work out the miles you’ve covered?
The Spring Statement 2018: A Comprehensive Summary
A comprehensive summary of the Spring Statement 2018.
Why Businesses Need Annual Budgets And Forecasts To Supercharge Their Growth
Budgets and forecasts are the business equivalent of Satnavs. If you don’t know what to aim for and what your goals are it will be impossible to reach your end destination.
Alternative Sources Of Finance For Early Stage And Growing Businesses
It is common for ambitious businesses to require capital or debt financing in order to help them grow their top line revenues prior to them becoming profitable. Since the financial crisis, it has become even harder for SME businesses to access debt finance and growth capital. However, over the last decade, a plethora of different funding options have emerged, facilitated by generous tax breaks from the Government as well as technological developments.
The Tax Challenge
Here at Cottons Chartered Accountants, we understand what it is like to be a small business.
Maximise Savings by Using Tax Relief Schemes
Reviewing your finances throughout the year provides sufficient time before the end of the tax year, at the beginning of April, in order to make sure that you are fully utilising all of the tax reliefs which are available to you.
