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Accountants: Your
most trusted business advisor or simply a bean counter?!
Gary Robinson of AIMS Accountants for Business explains
why you should use an accountant and benefit from
their expertise.
When you’re starting up a new business an
accountant may seem like an added expense that you
could do without. What do you need one for? After
all you’ve got a calculator, it can’t
be that hard! Think again - A good accountant isn’t
just a number cruncher, it’s someone who understands
how to run a business in today’s economic
climate, an experienced professional who will get
to know you and your business and will provide you
with essential support. Ultimately your accountant
is someone you should regard as a trusted business
advisor. When you are starting out your accountant
can help you evaluate your business idea, help you
plan for a successful future and make sure you keep
proper financial records. Don’t underestimate
how important your accounts are, they are a representation
of your company so it’s crucial that you keep
accurate records from the start, remember you may
need to produce them for external parties such as
HM Revenue & Customs and your bank.
Its not just bookkeeping, an accountant can help
you in numerous areas of your business such as VAT,
Corporation Tax, PAYE and Self Assessment. How much
you use them is your choice and it doesn’t
have to cost a fortune, accountants such as AIMS
Accountants offer fixed fees agreed in advance and
have a unique charging structure to help with your
cashflow. So, that just leaves whether or not you
decide to use one? Well, that should be an easy
decision and to help you to make it, here are some
of the benefits summed up for easy reference of
using an accountant:
• Pay less tax
However good you are with numbers you’re not
an expert: Take advantage of the skills of a qualified
accountant, with their experience they may be able
to find legitimate ways for you to pay less tax
and save you money
• Improve profitability
An accountant will take care of your accounts, they
can help you with budgeting and forecasting your
cashflow, they will be able to offer advice on how
to free up cashflow and where you can make savings.
As your business grows they can advise you on how
to manage the growth to help maximise your profits
• Save yourself time
Accounts can be time-consuming, using an accountant
allows you to save time so that you can concentrate
on what you do best: running your business
• Accurate accounts
Accurate financial information will help you analyse
your business performance, it will enable you to
assess what you have achieved as well as forecast
and plan for the future. Plus looking to the future,
accurate accounts will prove advantageous with your
bank manager if you decide you need to raise capital
for expansion
• Invaluable business advice
Whether you’ve just started or are now beginning
to grow your business, an accountant has experience
across a variety of industries and can offer you
good quality professional advice and business solutions
• Reduce the risk of getting the figures
wrong
Everyone has to pay tax, you can try and calculate
it yourself but there are expensive penalties if
you get it wrong: is it worth the risk? An accountant
will be aware of all the relevant current legislation
and will make sure that you comply with your legal
requirements in the most efficient way.
Gary & Alison Robinson are based in
Kent and offer a free of charge initial consultation
at a mutually convenient location. They can be contacted
on 01233 756148 or by email to either alison.robinson@aims.co.uk
or gary.robinson@aims.co.uk
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