Reply to: Claiming an e-book reader such as an Amazon Kindle on expenses

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

Not saying marketing is not a legitimate cost for a business just that using a Kindle for marketing does not make it any more justifiable as an expense. Also that marketing is a cost to business i.e. the cost would go through your purchase ledger rather than be processed as an expense

Sorry wasn't too clear there

[northernladuk]

Are ypu saying that marketing is not a legitimate expense?

I don't think she is saying that. More around squarepegs situation and the Kindle question.

[blacjac]

OK then so if the work published on Kindle is purely for marketing and something that you chose to do to raise the profile of your business it is not a legitimate expense

Are ypu saying that marketing is not a legitimate expense?

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

I would, as I also publish books and ebooks as my other business. But I don't think that you need to publish for profit. You can publish free ebooks and treat that activity as marketing. I got a number of nice jobs in the past because my clients found me through my books and ebooks.

OK then so if the work published on Kindle is purely for marketing and something that you chose to do to raise the profile of your business it is not a legitimate expense

[squarepeg]

Would you have a revenue stream from work published on Kindle?

I would, as I also publish books and ebooks as my other business. But I don't think that you need to publish for profit. You can publish free ebooks and treat that activity as marketing. I got a number of nice jobs in the past because my clients found me through my books and ebooks.

(edit: sorry if I seem to contradict myself in my previous post. I meant to say that I wouldn't set up myself as a publisher just to claim my Kindle as an expense. Since I already am a publisher that it a legitimate expense for me.)

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

I agree with you, what I`m saying it is up to the individual, no-one has a definite answer for everything. I don`t claim lunch/ meals as some people do because I think that is taking it a bit far but others on this board and others I speak seem to be happy to do it. In my eyes to claim for a document reader which can hold your training docs, books etc is for me better then claiming for lunch which would eat regardless if I was working or not. As they say the law is sometimes an arse

No it isn't up to the individual HMR&C decide what is and what is not legitimately allowable as an expense - people can't just pick and chose and whether the law is an ASS (not arse) or not is irrelevant, the fact is it is the law

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

I was merely trying to show that a Kindle is in certain cases a legitimately justifiable expense, but I wouldn't do it, personally.

Would you have a revenue stream from work published on Kindle?

[contractor55]

I agree with you, what I`m saying it is up to the individual, no-one has a definite answer for everything. I don`t claim lunch/ meals as some people do because I think that is taking it a bit far but others on this board and others I speak seem to be happy to do it. In my eyes to claim for a document reader which can hold your training docs, books etc is for me better then claiming for lunch which would eat regardless if I was working or not. As they say the law is sometimes an arse

[northernladuk]

Could we not say the same about everything we own as a LTD- laptops, phone. I have at least 15 or so books I have for work which I need access to. I cannot see why you cannot purchase a "document management system” for work as it will improve your work as you have quick direct access for work related books or come to that your accounts which you may store on it or even training videos if it is a tablet. If there are people who are whiter then white then perhaps they should stick to heavy weight books.

Because a large majority of us use phones and computers so that has been taken in to account. Remember you could only officially claim an iphone up to a few months ago as there is a demand to sort it out. THere isn't for a kindle so it stays solidly out until you can provide wholly and exclusively to it..... Maybe if everyone needs/uses one the HMRC will add it to computers and phones with some personal use.... but they won't

[squarepeg]

There are lots of things that you can legitimately purchase through your Ltd Co, the question here is whether or not a Kindle can be claimed as an expense not whether or not one can be bought through the company. At the end of the day you can put anything through your company as an expense, you just need to be prepared to justify to HMR&C should they come calling - and don't assume that they won't as their inspections are not as random or as infrequent as you would think. Plus having the 'whatever' attitude just increases the size of target on the back of the contracting industry.

I was merely trying to show that a Kindle is in certain cases a legitimately justifiable expense, but I wouldn't do it, personally.

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

There are lots of things that you can legitimately purchase through your Ltd Co, the question here is whether or not a Kindle can be claimed as an expense not whether or not one can be bought through the company. At the end of the day you can put anything through your company as an expense, you just need to be prepared to justify to HMR&C should they come calling - and don't assume that they won't as their inspections are not as random or as infrequent as you would think. Plus having the 'whatever' attitude just increases the size of target on the back of the contracting industry.

[contractor55]

Could we not say the same about everything we own as a LTD- laptops, phone. I have at least 15 or so books I have for work which I need access to. I cannot see why you cannot purchase a "document management system” for work as it will improve your work as you have quick direct access for work related books or come to that your accounts which you may store on it or even training videos if it is a tablet. If there are people who are whiter then white then perhaps they should stick to heavy weight books.

[squarepeg]

[B][U]

According to whom?

If you publish e-books on the Kindle platform you need a Kindle to test them on. Then a Kindle is a legitimate expense. Don't you think?

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

You can legitimately claim your Kindle as an expense if you publish on the Kindle platform

. But I doubt you would want to spend over 100 ukp on a block of 10 ISBNs (get them from Nielsen UK and you can claim them as expense) just to publish something that justifies your 80 ukp claim.

BTW. The above is not meant as advice. I am not a lawyer or an accountant.

According to whom?

[squarepeg]

Become a publisher?

You can legitimately claim your Kindle as an expense if you publish on the Kindle platform. But I doubt you would want to spend over 100 ukp on a block of 10 ISBNs (get them from Nielsen UK and you can claim them as expense) just to publish something that justifies your 80 ukp claim.

BTW. The above is not meant as advice. I am not a lawyer or an accountant.