Not vey impressed with InTouch

[Alan @ BroomeAffinity]

Has to be said, it's the first time I've heard a bad word about InTouch.

Although I do know from years of experience that client expectations often don't match reality. This is seldom the accountant's fault. Especially in my case :-)

[northernladuk]

Why do you need a payslip? And I'd disagree with the use of the word "most" - I've never had an accountant generate one for me every month, although they have done it by request when I've needed one for a mortgage application. If the facility isn't there, then what you ask is an additional manual task that wasn't in the scope of the contract - did you ask at the start and if so what were you told?

I would concur. Same experience here

So your gripe is that they expect you to pay them the fees you agreed to, enabling them to set the fee level appropriately and average it equally across the months? Does the end of year work decrease if you only invoice 8/12 of the year?

Correct as well. There is also the fact they are still available for contact and advise during this period. The fact you don't use it is neither here nor there. The other option is they start billing you per call and I am sure many contractors will not like that idea at all. It also covers them advising you on personal taxation just as JSA as you pay them to do you business accounts. Anything else is technically above and beyond but they still help.

There is one poster, yes. Are you expecting your accountant to be fully versed in the benefits system as well? FWIW, my previous accountant was of the same opinion, so I claimed nothing in the seven months I had no contract (and was still paying the full price of the service, which was more than double the InTouch charges). Personally, I see it as wrong to be claiming when I'm still working; others don't.

Same again.. but remember this is personal taxation, they deal with your business so there is going to be a disconnect there. The fact they didn't just say not our problem should be seen as a benefit.

When they reviewed the contract, what did they say?

I'd be interested but either way accountants do accounts, contract specialists do contracts. I don't expect any cross over and happy to deal with the specialists in each area. It's a benefit I don't use and I'd suggest others don't despite the accountants insisting they are just as good. Just my personal thought.

One man's meat is another man's poison - I've found them excellent and they have always provided me with timely advice and answered everything that I've needed them to do. Are they perfect? No. But if you're waiting for perfection then you'll have a long wait. When mistakes have been made, they have always been rectified quickly, accurately, and with no cost to myself - which is all I can ask since I don't expect them to be infallible.

I would have gone to InTouch when I left SJD but as it happens the one person I trusted at SJD left to work on the start up Gorilla Accounting so I went with the person I trusted. Mistakes happen, SJD were great but tripped up once in awhile, it happens.

No, it's not true. Good luck with your new accountant.

I agree.

[psychocandy]

Only because technically (and ethically but thats a more personal choice) you shouldn't claim JSA. A contractor is both a company director and salesman as well as a contractor. When you aren't contracting you are selling yourself (the salesman bit).

Yes there are a few people on here who claim to do it but to be frank the opinion of others regarding the people who claim is so low....

Complete crock of tulipe. Ethically- puleaze you'll be telling me to drive an electric car to save the pandas next.

Technically you can do it. Yes I claim when I can. Do I care what others on here think - nope, I care more what my cat thinks about me.....

[eek]

Not vey impressed with InTouch

Complete crock of tulipe. Ethically- puleaze you'll be telling me to drive an electric car to save the pandas next.

Technically you can do it. Yes I claim when I can. Do I care what others on here think - nope, I care more what my cat thinks about me.....

Technically you can. In fact please do it the next time you've got a problem as you would match a very interesting criteria set

Given the clues I've posted on here for months I'm really surprised you haven't guessed who my end client is

[tractor]

....

Technically you can. In fact please do it the next time you've got a problem as you would match a very interesting criteria set

Given the clues I've posted on here for months I'm really surprised you haven't guessed who my end client is

Given you have a remarkable ability to identify bulltulip, I would guess DEFRA

[psychocandy]

OP. One thing I will comment on - the JSA. Reason they didnt do it and told you it can get messy is because they couldnt be arsed to find out and couldnt be arsed to do the paperwork. Pure and simple.

InTouch person on here - you will agree this is true?

I'd be a bit put out about this if my accountant had this attitude. Regardless of the rights and wrongs of claiming JSA, they have a duty to advise you - in this case they couldnt be arsed it seems.

To put the record straight, and Im not getting into this moral bulltulip again - if you dont want to claim then dont - I'll do what I want, you do what you want END OF STORY.

Here are the FACTS:-

1) You can claim JSA if you're a contractor. Perfectly legal and above board.

2) Its not means-tested so you can get contribution-based JSA for 12 months.

3) You can't pay a salary from your limited in this time (obviously).

4) You need a P45. Job centre dont always ask for. (Item 1 - Your accountant couldnt be arsed).

5) You can then pay extra salary when/if you're back in contract to catch up to still pay optimum salary during the tax year. Needs manual adjustments (Item 2 - you're accountant couldn't be arsed).

6) It CAN be hassle. Sometimes you get stupid JobCentre staff and there are a lot of forms to fill in. After it all running, its literally one minute signing on every fortnight.

7) Two weeks worth £150 is not worth all the hassle but after 3 months on the bench and you didnt bother claiming its nearer £1000 you've coughed up. They wont backdate it.

8) They wont expect you to take a job as trolley boy in Tescos - they will leave you alone.

9) Not sure on this one but its probably best not to pay dividends whilst on JSA if you can help it. Probably allowed but its just going to cause hassle.

10) Smugly sitting there and boasting on the forum that you'd never claim wont pay your mortgage.

Time to get an accountant like Nixon Williams who, in my case, could be arsed to help out, do the work, and find out the info for me.

[psychocandy]

Technically you can. In fact please do it the next time you've got a problem as you would match a very interesting criteria set

Given the clues I've posted on here for months I'm really surprised you haven't guessed who my end client is

DWP? :-)

[tractor]

OP. One thing I will comment on - the JSA. Reason they didnt do it and told you it can get messy is because they couldnt be arsed to find out and couldnt be arsed to do the paperwork. Pure and simple.

Snip.

Regardless of the rights or wrongs and morality, what I don't get is why anyone would expect their accountant to advise them on JSA. Why do you not just go to the Job Centre and ask your questions? Most of what you need to know is on the web anyway and for edge cases, there are plenty of numbers to call if you can't find your way to the JC.

Then to compound the laziness, people come here complaining because their accountant didn't deliver their dole money on time. Sheesh.

[eek]

DWP? :-)

Shall I just say some of the points above are wrong and leave it at that.

You won't have a problem if you do it once. Return visits could be a very different experience

[TheFaQQer]

OP. One thing I will comment on - the JSA. Reason they didnt do it and told you it can get messy is because they couldnt be arsed to find out and couldnt be arsed to do the paperwork. Pure and simple.

I asked them about the mileage efficiency of my car so that they could advise me on whether to claim mileage or not - and the lazy feckers couldn't be arsed to find that out either!