Reply to: Accountancy Firms

[tractor]

I am about to change accountants i think...
Would you expect a phone call if you had not submitted your book keeping in time for a VAT return?
I have not been working so much so neglected to check my emails and missed my vat return by a day. I would have hoped the accountants would have called to say they hadn't received it.. or am I expecting too much ? lol

Yes.

It is your mum's job to make sure you are on time, not your professional advisors.

[dbairduk]

I am about to change accountants i think...
Would you expect a phone call if you had not submitted your book keeping in time for a VAT return?
I have not been working so much so neglected to check my emails and missed my vat return by a day. I would have hoped the accountants would have called to say they hadn't received it.. or am I expecting too much ? lol

[Dan@OrangeGenie]

FreeAgent Accountants

We provide all our clients with a FreeAgent login. Our accountants can come and meet you face to face to explain it too?

[Forbes Young]

Which accountants from those mentioned support FreeAgent?

If you want to use FreeAgent we can handle that :-)

Graeme Bennett ACMA MBA

[jmo21]

As above, picking accountant based on highest take home pay is a farce IMHO. Either it simply won't be achieved, or if it is it'll be by encouraging you to make questionable expense claims.

In truth, all the names mentioned above will do a decent enough job for you.

FreeAgent and Cater Allen will be a winning combination. If you do go that route, make sure your accountant fully understands FreeAgent to ensure you get the best from them/the software.

Which accountants from those mentioned support FreeAgent?

[typod]

lol, quality, that will spice things up.

[TheFaQQer]

Don't give them any ideas! The last thing I need is another stalemate and indecision on my part.

You'll have to extend it to Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock

[typod]

How to Win at Rock-Paper-Scissors - Statistical Modeling, Causal Inference, and Social Science Statistical Modeling, Causal Inference, and Social Science

Don't give them any ideas! The last thing I need is another stalemate and indecision on my part.

[TheFaQQer]

I fully agree and it's not my main driver, it was just an observation. I suspect it was due to people using 48/52 week calculations after some digging myself. I think both NW and InTouch will be fine and I am sure Crunch will as well. At the moment I think I will just get them all to play rock, paper, scissors and see who wins

How to Win at Rock-Paper-Scissors - Statistical Modeling, Causal Inference, and Social Science Statistical Modeling, Causal Inference, and Social Science

[Jessica@WhiteFieldTax]

I've seen one firm give a rather astronomical take home figure based on a 52 week working year, and by assuming your day rate would go up 25% in that time!

If they were a regulated firm then that would be, I eel, unprofessional, and deserving of a complaint. The rule books are fairly clear on misleading promotional material.

The egregious claims of some of the unregulated outfits are quite frustrating.

[typod]

As above, picking accountant based on highest take home pay is a farce IMHO. Either it simply won't be achieved, or if it is it'll be by encouraging you to make questionable expense claims.

In truth, all the names mentioned above will do a decent enough job for you.

FreeAgent and Cater Allen will be a winning combination. If you do go that route, make sure your accountant fully understands FreeAgent to ensure you get the best from them/the software.

I fully agree and it's not my main driver, it was just an observation. I suspect it was due to people using 48/52 week calculations after some digging myself. I think both NW and InTouch will be fine and I am sure Crunch will as well. At the moment I think I will just get them all to play rock, paper, scissors and see who wins

[Maslins]

As above, picking accountant based on highest take home pay is a farce IMHO. Either it simply won't be achieved, or if it is it'll be by encouraging you to make questionable expense claims.

In truth, all the names mentioned above will do a decent enough job for you.

FreeAgent and Cater Allen will be a winning combination. If you do go that route, make sure your accountant fully understands FreeAgent to ensure you get the best from them/the software.

[JonNorris@Crunch]

I wondered that as well, they came out £800/month lower. But as you said I am not sure that will be accurate given my day rate etc.

I'd agree with everyone else's comments about take home pay calculations, it's worth interrogating how people arrive at their numbers though. Are they using a 48 / 50 / 52 week working year, for example. I've seen one firm give a rather astronomical take home figure based on a 52 week working year, and by assuming your day rate would go up 25% in that time!

Looks like you're pretty settled on InTouch - give me a shout if you have any questions about Crunch though

[Andrew@Wisteria]

I am moving to a limited company and looking for an accountant, I have read a lot of threads on here suggesting accountancy firms and I have narrowed it down to a shortlist and am hoping from that list the people out there who are cleaver than me could give me their recommendations.

The short list is:
Forbes Young
Nixon Williams
Umbrella.co.uk
Crunch (but they came out much lower on the overall take home for some reason)

I really like the idea of using something like freeagent or the portal software of someone like Crunch. But then I get accounts saying that a spreadsheet is easier because freeagent etc is account software and you need to understand basic accounting when using it. But I guess they would say that if they don't use some clever software. I am leaning towards Cater Allen for my back account if that’s makes any difference.

Thanks in advance.

I wouldn't pick an accountant based on take 'claimed' take home pay, you want to be able to put your faith in them to meet compliance requirements, notify you regarding deadlines / tax bills to pay and most importantly, the advice they give.

Anyone can file tax returns but whether they are providing you with good, proactive advice is another thing.

In terms of your record keeping (software) choice, you don't need to understand basic accounting to use FreeAgent, it was designed from the user's perspective, not the accountant, so it's considered to be incredibly user friendly.

Some of the accountants above that you suggest are online only, you don't get to see someone face to face - that may or may not be what you are after.

We at Nyman Linden have a number of clients that use FreeAgent, so we can offer both options to our clients (FreeAgent holds copies of receipts within it, so no need to send over a shoebox!)

Cater Allen is very good for contractors by the way!

Andrew

Andrew Minsky ACA
Partner

Nyman Linden Chartered Accountants

[northernladuk]

Just to be fair SJD also accept free agent users so isn't really a differentiator anymore. They do have a lot of regional offices if you are the type that feels they may want a face to face at sometime. Other than that I'd say you've got some of the best to chose from on your radar already.