Different Types of Business Structures

Your business might go through a variety of structures over its lifetime so it’s always helpful to know what different options there are and what implications they can have.

Types of business structure

The most common types you’ll probably know of are sole trader, partnership or company. But there is more than one type of partnership and company to consider.

Sole trader

A sole trader is a single business owner selling a product or service. However, they can still employ people and use subcontractors. This type of structure is the simplest and involves the least amount of administration work.

You must still keep accounting records and meet your legal obligations. Sole traders are personally liable for any debts of the business. Rather than paying corporation tax, sole traders pay tax on the profits of the business and this is reported through self assessment.

Partnerships

Similar to a sole trader but there must be at least two of you. It’s highly recommended that you have a written agreement between all of the partners.

Partners of a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) have a reduced financial liability. This structure is popular with property businesses and professional services.

Limited company

Unlike sole traders or partnerships, limited companies are separate legal entities meaning you’re not personally liable for its debts.

You need to consider which type of company is right for you:

  • Company limited by guarantee
  • Company limited by shares
  • Community interest company
  • Public limited company

To give a brief overview, a company limited by guarantee is the smallest company structure and is usually chosen by not-for-profit organisations. Members are usually the directors and it can be easier to change personnel as one director leaving does not majorly change the shape of the company.

Shareholders of a company limited by shares are liable for the company’s debts up to the amount they each have invested. Unlike a PLC, this type of structure gives the owners more control over who has the shares and thus controls the company.

A community interest company is not set up for private profit so you’re unable to take funds out via shares or dividends. However, it can still pay salaries and reinvest its profits back into the business.

A public limited company has shares which are publicly traded and sold. The business needs to be reasonably successful to go down this route as a minimum of 50,000 in share capital is required.

Notifying authorities & paying taxes

Sole traders and partnerships report to HMRC using tax returns whereas companies must also report to Companies House.

Regardless of the size of the company, annual accounts, corporation tax returns and confirmation statements must all be filed. Corporation tax currently stands at 19% of taxable profits. If you’re an employee as well as a director, you’ll have the usual employment taxes to report as well.

If you sell your shares in the company, you may be liable for capital gains tax. However if conditions are met, you can qualify for entrepreneur’s relief thus reducing any capital gains tax liability.

VAT however is based on the annual taxable turnover rather than the legal structure of the business. So if you’re a sole trader, partnership or company and your turnover surpasses £85,000 the business is legally obligated to register for VAT.

Contact us

If you’d like some advice on business structure personalised to your requirements, call us on 01254 583515 or fill out the form below to arrange a free, no obligation initial appointment.

Remember Remember…the 31st January

The 31st January is the self assessment tax return deadline for both sole traders and partnerships. If you are the owner of a new sole trade or partnership you may not have submitted one of these tax returns yet, but don’t worry, we have all the information you need.

Why Sole Traders and Partnerships?

Sole traders and partnerships do not submit corporation tax returns every year like Limited companies would. The tax on your profits will not be directly charged to the business, the tax also will not appear on your financial statements, however it will be charged directly to you on your self assessment tax return.

So how will I be taxed on my profits?

Every year you will need to fill out a self assessment tax return in your name, this will have to include your business income and expenses and any other income you may have received personally. Basic rate for tax on profits is 20%, however if your profits reach above a certain threshold you may have to pay class 2 and class 4 national insurance. If you own a partnership then your profits will be split between the partners in accordance with your partnership agreement.

Other Useful Information

There are lots of things you may need to know when filling out a self assessment tax return but some things are a lot more common than others. Below I have listed some of the more common occurrences:
• Any tax you have paid through the payroll in another employment will be taken off your tax liability.
• Everybody will have a personal allowance which is £11,850 for 2018/19 tax returns, this will be taken off your overall profits and income before your tax liability is calculated.
• Any dividends received from other Limited companies will also need to be included on your tax return, however you will receive a separate dividend allowance on this, for the 2018/2019 tax year the dividend allowance is £2,000

Egan Roberts joins national network of Handpicked Accountants

We are delighted to announce that we have been selected to join the UK’s most reputable firms on the Handpicked Accountants website.

As a leading accountancy firm in Ribchester, Lancashire, we have been recognised for our personalised customer service and specialist knowledge of the industry. Established in 1986, our team of chartered accountants and business advisors have developed our services over the years to embrace technology.

We specialise in delivering our services to start-ups, academies, medical professionals, manufacturing businesses and SMEs.

As a registered auditor, we also carry out audits for a number of businesses across the country.

Our services include bookkeeping, VAT returns, tax planning, tax returns, payroll and accounts management using cloud based software, Xero.

The team at Handpicked Accountants choose only the strongest performing accountancy firms to participate in their network. Handpicked Accountants features specialist firms which have been tested for reliability and knowledge, filtered down to location to make the online customer journey more efficient.

As a provider of Xero accounting software, we can ensure that you have 24/7 access to your accounts from any device. The shared dashboard will also mean that you will be able to view the same financial data as your accountant. Xero is compatible with Making Tax Digital so you are able to complete VAT returns and submit other financial documents directly to HMRC.

David Tattersall, Head of Client Relations at Handpicked Accountants, said: “After careful consideration, we are really excited to announce that Egan Roberts is now part of the Handpicked Accountants family. The team have years of experience dealing with small business owners, so you can be reassured that the Ribchester based business can be depended upon.
“We aim to simplify the process to source a local accountant which fits the bill in terms of trust, reliability and high service standards. The Handpicked Accountants website makes it easy to filter for accountants in your local vicinity, helping you take control of your financial affairs.”

Our profile can now be viewed on the Handpicked Accountants website.

If you would like more information about our services, an initial meeting and quotation free of charge with no obligation then call us on 01254 583515, email accounts@egan.co.uk or complete the form below.

Make your list and check it twice!

The Christmas markets opened this week, but what about January? You might not be thinking about it yet but your accountants are!

While your children sit down to start their lists to Santa, you should join them and complete your tax return checklist.

Running your business and planning Christmas leaves little time for all of that admin work…but the tax return deadline at the end of January will be here before you know it.

Complete your list now and you’ll have one less task to think about!

Not sure where to start? Here’s a simple list to help you on your way.

 

  1. Employment income
  2. Employment benefits e.g. car benefit
  3. Pension income
  4. Interest income
  5. Dividend income
  6. Property income and expenses
  7. Trade income and expenses
  8. Child benefit received
  9. Charitable donations
  10. Pension contributions

 

Read more on self-assessment here.

Every checklist is unique and personal to you. So if you would like some help or advice on completing yours, contact us on 01254 583515 or fill out the form below and we’ll get back in touch with you as soon as possible.

Who you gonna call? Egan Roberts!

 

Don’t get spooked over starting up your business this Halloween. One of our specialisms here at Egan Roberts is working with start-up businesses to help you succeed without the nightmares!

 

Whether you’re at the very beginning of your journey or part way through and think you could use some extra help, we’re here for you.

 

Here are some essential tasks that you might not have thought about yet:

  • Inform HMRC that you are trading
  • Register for self assessment
  • Begin your record keeping, however small you think that receipt is
  • Appoint your accountant
  • Decide the legal structure of your business
  • Set up a business bank account
  • Ensure your software us compatible with Making Tax Digital

 

At Egan Roberts we have experience in multiple accounting softwares and we are all Xero Certified Advisors.

 

If you’re unsure about what records you should be keeping, read our blog here.

 

For more information on Making Tax Digital we have the following blogs available to explain it without the jargon:

 

If you would like to discuss your new business further, please call us on 01254 583515 or visit our website to book a free meeting.

Free HMRC App

HMRC launches an app to assist with personal taxation

The newly issued HMRC app enables individuals to find information about their tax, National Insurance, tax credits and benefits on the move. Suitable for both Apple and Android devices, users will need their Government Gateway credentials to access the information.

For accountants like us who act as tax agents for individuals and for whom we will never have full access to the client’s personal tax account this provides easy way to enable clients to show us, ‘on the move’, otherwise unavailable information without having to access it via a computer/internet.

Full details can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-official-hmrc-app/the-free-hmrc-app

You can use the HMRC app to estimate your tax, manage your tax credits, access your Help to Save account, or work out your take-home pay.

Used by more than 550,000 people per month, the app puts you at the heart of your tax matters and financial life.

What the HMRC app enables you to do

You can use it to:

    • view your tax code and an estimate of the tax you need to pay
    • see your income and benefits
    • check your National Insurance number
    • view your tax credits payments schedule
  • renew your tax credits
  • access your Help to Save account
  • use our tax calculator to work out your take home pay after Income Tax and National Insurance deductions
  • track forms and letters you’ve sent to us
  • get 6-digit access codes to make your HMRC accounts more secure

 

Getting started

Download the free HMRC app now from:

 

How to sign in

The first time you sign in, you’ll need to enter your Government Gateway ID and password. If you haven’t got these, go to the Government Gateway website and register as an individual.

Whenever you use the app again, depending on what your handset supports, you can sign in using:

  • a 6-digit PIN
  • fingerprint authentication
  • facial recognition

 

Setting up a personal tax account

You can use the app to set up a personal tax account by giving us your name, National Insurance number and date of birth.

If we need to verify your identity, we’ll ask for details such as your passport number and information about your salary.

Sign in to your Help to Save account

The Help to Save service went into a trial phase known as ‘private beta’ in January 2018. It is being rolled out gradually so that it can be tested and developed.

If you’ve already opened a Help to Save account as part of the trial, you can use the app to:

  • check your Help to Save account balance and bonus
  • keep track of how much money you’ve paid in each month
  • see how much money you can still pay in before the end of each calendar month
  • set regular reminders to add to your savings
  • view all your payments and withdrawals

If you want to do other tasks, such as pay money in, it is easy to sign in to your Help to Save account using the app.

Safety and security

HMRC takes cyber security very seriously – see how we are keeping you safe online.

Help and support

If you have a problem with your account that you can’t solve using HMRC’s online resources, contact us for help.