Sense-checking my financial/Ltd company thinking!

[LondonContracting]

Hi all!

Hugely appreciate all of the expertise on this forum. Long time reader, first time poster. Just keen to make sure I've got the below correct.

I started contracting in January 2026, and have a Limited Company setup. I have the following income streams:

• A monthly 'salary' from a US-based client of up to £6,000 per month. This should be just under £50,000 by the end of the tax year as I will be stopping it in September.
• A number of other contracts which total around £64,000.
• Separately, my wife has also started being self-employed and invoices around £4,000 per month.

I have a few questions or ideas that I'd appreciate sense-checking around:

1. Can my wife join my Ltd company and put her income under it? Her client is fine to 'pay' my company - it's quick to get setup in their system.
2. For the £64,000 - can I put £60,000 of this into my SIPP, via AJ Bell?
3. For the salary, I'm worried about this being seen as disguised employment. Should I be setting up a payroll for myself, or is just keeping c.£8,000 to one side to pay HMRC at the end of the tax year fine? I'm worried about ensuring I'm paying National Insurance correctly.
4. For the salary, I was planning on putting this as a sole trader submission to HMRC and not via my Limited Company. Or would it make more sense to put this into the company?

I have an accountant from previous years of maintaining a very low-earning Ltd company, but will be looking for a new one I think - but just keen to get my understanding straight first.

Thank you...!

[courtg9000]

Hi all!

Hugely appreciate all of the expertise on this forum. Long time reader, first time poster. Just keen to make sure I've got the below correct.

I started contracting in January 2026, and have a Limited Company setup. I have the following income streams:

• A monthly 'salary' from a US-based client of up to £6,000 per month. This should be just under £50,000 by the end of the tax year as I will be stopping it in September.
• A number of other contracts which total around £64,000.
• Separately, my wife has also started being self-employed and invoices around £4,000 per month.

I have a few questions or ideas that I'd appreciate sense-checking around:

1. Can my wife join my Ltd company and put her income under it? Her client is fine to 'pay' my company - it's quick to get setup in their system.
2. For the £64,000 - can I put £60,000 of this into my SIPP, via AJ Bell?
3. For the salary, I'm worried about this being seen as disguised employment. Should I be setting up a payroll for myself, or is just keeping c.£8,000 to one side to pay HMRC at the end of the tax year fine? I'm worried about ensuring I'm paying National Insurance correctly.
4. For the salary, I was planning on putting this as a sole trader submission to HMRC and not via my Limited Company. Or would it make more sense to put this into the company?

I have an accountant from previous years of maintaining a very low-earning Ltd company, but will be looking for a new one I think - but just keen to get my understanding straight first.

Thank you...!

WOW! OMG!

Seriously: phone round your mates at the pub/golf club/tufty club/masonic lodge, get introduced to a very good accountant and run through it with them and pay the accountant some good cash to help you out! Make sure you bring the wife along!
I've seen so many posts like this on here, it makes me cringe!
PS: What was wrong with your last accountant?

[LondonContracting]

WOW! OMG!

Seriously: phone round your mates at the pub/golf club/tufty club/masonic lodge, get introduced to a very good accountant and run through it with them and pay the accountant some good cash to help you out! Make sure you bring the wife along!
I've seen so many posts like this on here, it makes me cringe!
PS: What was wrong with your last accountant?

Why does this one make you cringe, out of interest?

My current accountant I only use for an annual Self Assessment and to prepare some very minimal Ltd accounts because he seems quite stretched.

[malvolio]

Why does this one make you cringe, out of interest?

My current accountant I only use for an annual Self Assessment and to prepare some very minimal Ltd accounts because he seems quite stretched.

I'm with Court on this one. It would take too long to answer all the things that are either plain wrong or potentially wrong in your questions. There are good accountant recommendations on here, go talk to one of them and get professional advice while you can still sort out the mess.

[DolanAccountancyAshley]

We offer no‑obligation, free initial consultations and can give you some further guidance on your questions. Please feel free to get in touch.

[jamesbrown]

Why does this one make you cringe, out of interest?

My current accountant I only use for an annual Self Assessment and to prepare some very minimal Ltd accounts because he seems quite stretched.

You don't know what you don't know

As above, I'm not sure it's even worth commenting as it will turn into an essay on how not to do things. There are almost as many red flags in your post as words. If this is real, congratulations - find yourself a good accountant that can hold your hand just enough to not be at risk from ITEPA Pt. 2 Ch. 9 (I generally don't recommend them anymore tbh, but you really do need one). More importantly, educate yourself because accountants blunder too and some of the stuff you are asking points to a general problem with the way you are conceptualising your "business" as a vehicle to aggregate your miscellaneous (nefarious? ) activities.