Accountant recommendation - specific requirement!!

[Jessica@WhiteFieldTax]

As an aside, I can't understand why a client would ever pay a tax liability to their accountant to then pay on to HMRC. I guess if you're new and don't know any better you probably just do what your accountant tells you, but I can't think of any valid reason for them to ask you to do this.

+1 very sound advice. You know I've had clients not only send a blank cheque to us for tax in the post, but actually put non payee on the cheque....

The only rider to Maslins advice is that sometimes if things are messy for some reason, eg recovery of overpaid S455 (s419 in old money), then its easier for a cheque, payable to HMRC, to be sent to accountant, and for accountant to send it on with clear allocation instructions to HMRC (which they will probably ignore)

[Jessica@WhiteFieldTax]

And answering the phone.....

At 14:30 on a Friday, no - we close at 1 (which I'm sure you read on our web site )

Sorry, I make no excuse for running a lifestyle business - email always tends to get a quicker reply, but, of course, that doesn't suit everyone. Let me know if we can still help.

[GB9]

We provide a spreadsheet template for clients, happy to use clients own spreadsheet, free agent, sage (overkill though) so long as data quality is OK.

Personally, I'm too old in the tooth to be doing with developing portals and the like

And answering the phone.....

[chineseJohn]

As an aside, I can't understand why a client would ever pay a tax liability to their accountant to then pay on to HMRC. I guess if you're new and don't know any better you probably just do what your accountant tells you, but I can't think of any valid reason for them to ask you to do this.

If it's VAT, it's even easier. I've setup a DD with HMRC. My account submits my VAT return, HMRC pull the required ,money out. I don't have to lift a finger.

[mudskipper]

As an aside, I can't understand why a client would ever pay a tax liability to their accountant to then pay on to HMRC. I guess if you're new and don't know any better you probably just do what your accountant tells you, but I can't think of any valid reason for them to ask you to do this.

If you're talking about Upton, IIRC, he did two things:

1) Gave clients the 'HMRC' account details to pay to, that were actually his own.
2) Arranged refunds from HMRC for corp tax which he claimed wasn't owed and had been paid in error, which were paid to his own account.

[Clare@InTouch]

As an aside, I can't understand why a client would ever pay a tax liability to their accountant to then pay on to HMRC. I guess if you're new and don't know any better you probably just do what your accountant tells you, but I can't think of any valid reason for them to ask you to do this.

We still get the odd client who asks us to make the tax payments for them, or offers bank access so that we can just make the payments on their behalf. Obviously we politely decline, but it shows that there are still people that want an accountant to do everything, and have an enormous amount of trust!

[Maslins]

As an aside, I can't understand why a client would ever pay a tax liability to their accountant to then pay on to HMRC. I guess if you're new and don't know any better you probably just do what your accountant tells you, but I can't think of any valid reason for them to ask you to do this.

[cojak]

Invest in freeagent - the simplicity of invoicing (especially if you are working on multiple contracts for multiple clients) and doing VAT returns alone make up for the reasonably small monthly cost.

+1

The change from paper to online VAT returns was traumatic for me. Now freeagent makes it a snap (and there is protection from fraud ala Upton. I trust my accountant of course but you never know the future...).

[GazCol]

Invest in freeagent - the simplicity of invoicing (especially if you are working on multiple contracts for multiple clients) and doing VAT returns alone make up for the reasonably small monthly cost.

[Jessica@WhiteFieldTax]

We provide a spreadsheet template for clients, happy to use clients own spreadsheet, free agent, sage (overkill though) so long as data quality is OK.

Personally, I'm too old in the tooth to be doing with developing portals and the like

[Maslins]

Can anyone recommend an accountant that will allow submission of monthly data via a basic spreadsheet?

I don't want one that does loads of calculations in the background. The last one like that continually failed.

I don't mind using a template (as long as they don't change it like the last lot did) but if I have to use another accountant with a website designed by a stuffed chicken then I will pull out what little hair I have left.

You might be best finding a local accountant, perhaps a slightly old fashioned one.

The "new breed" of contractor specialists will almost always have a certain way they want you to do things. Having clients all working the same way means they can find whatever data they need for a given client quickly and easily.

These options will typically be:
1) their own spreadsheet with built in calculations,
2) their own bookkeeping app,
3) a well known bookkeeping app.

We do (3), we feel the advantages of FreeAgent for both client and us makes it well worth the cost over a basic spreadsheet.

[chineseJohn]

is the OP referring to their own spreadsheet?

as SJD have a specific one you need to use.

[malvolio]

Can anyone recommend an accountant that will allow submission of monthly data via a basic spreadsheet?

I don't want one that does loads of calculations in the background. The last one like that continually failed.

I don't mind using a template (as long as they don't change it like the last lot did) but if I have to use another accountant with a website designed by a stuffed chicken then I will pull out what little hair I have left.

Thanks

SJD's one is pretty idiot proof. Although that usually means someone just brings out a better quality idiot...

[GB9]

Can anyone recommend an accountant that will allow submission of monthly data via a basic spreadsheet?

I don't want one that does loads of calculations in the background. The last one like that continually failed.

I don't mind using a template (as long as they don't change it like the last lot did) but if I have to use another accountant with a website designed by a stuffed chicken then I will pull out what little hair I have left.

Thanks