Accountants - am I missing something?

[xoggoth]

Yeh, I've met fellow contractors who say they only pay £400 pa and get a good service, darned if I know where one finds them. Most charge £800+ and give a crap service.

[Iron Condor]

I have a chartered accountant who charges 340+VAT for my Ltd accounts.

But doesnt do any VAT or PAYE for me or my personal tax return either.
He works out of a home office, a side extension on his house, so his costs are very low.

I give him a couple of spread sheets at the end of the year and he does the accounts and prepares the corp tax return. This probably takes him half a day to do!

His service is average, if i had a higher income, and needed to find more ways to reduce my tax liablity (over and above just dividends), i would look for someone better and less afraid of HMRC.

[blacjac]

are u vat registered ?

No she's not VAT Registered, she just does her own VAT returns online for a laugh.....

[SandyDown]

who charges 35-400 a month

does your current accountant charge your for references ?
can you ask him for an up to date tax position at any time of the year ?
are u vat registered ?

if he does all the following you are getting a good deal

Never had to ask him for references, but am sure he'll do it for a fee or even free!! Do you ask for references on a regular basis?

Why would I want up to date tax position? I mean I can estimate my own tax position, I believe some people here have the software where you download statements and put in expenses and it would estimate tax position - I am thinking of getting the software (been thinking for a while) but honestly who can't roughly estimate their taxes?

As per my previous post, I do my own VAT online, however I use the flat rate VAT, so yes it is a lot simpler - I calculate each month's VAT automatically in a spreadsheet whenever I invoice the client.

A friend of mine recommended her accountant strongly (operating offshore) he is very good in dodging / playing the HMRC, he gaurantees contractors to retain 80% of what they earn... however charges £350 to £400 a month, now that to me negates the 80% income retention gaurantee... right?

[xoggoth]

Why would you ask your accountant for references? What does he say, this bloke/lady is great at filling in his/her excel sheets?

[vhadiant]

Why would you ask your accountant for references? What does he say, this bloke/lady is great at filling in his/her excel sheets?

Mortgage/credit/visa applications etc.

[NotAllThere]

Nope, never been asked for an accountants reference for those.

[blacjac]

I have.

But only as we didn't have 3 years accounts.......

[THEPUMA]

It's pretty common actually.

We don't charge for it on the basis that I can't be bothered.

[hgllgh]

Most charge £800+ and give a crap service.

yep ... thats been my experience ... which is why I ditched them