Tax, explained without the jargon

Written and kept up to date by chartered accountants. No gated downloads, no email capture, no padding. If a rule changes, we update the page and say when.

Personal tax

Self Assessment deadlines and penalties Every deadline, and exactly what each one costs to miss. 5 min Allowable expenses for the self-employed What you can claim, what you cannot, and what gets missed. 6 min Payments on account explained Why your first tax bill is 150% of what you budgeted. 5 min

Business structure

Sole trader vs limited company Why the old £30,000 rule of thumb no longer holds. 7 min Salary vs dividends for company directors The split that leaves you with the most, reviewed yearly. 6 min Director’s loan accounts explained The 33.75% charge, and the nine months you have to avoid it. 6 min

VAT

The VAT registration threshold explained The rolling 12-month test, and what registering late costs. 5 min The VAT Flat Rate Scheme: is it worth it? The limited cost trader rule that makes it worse for most. 5 min Reclaiming VAT: what you can and cannot claim Cars, fuel, entertaining, and pre-registration purchases. 5 min

Working with an accountant

How to switch accountants One email from you. We handle everything else. 4 min What records to keep, and for how long How long HMRC expects you to keep everything. 4 min What does an accountant actually do? Including when you are better off without one. 5 min

Landlords & property

Section 24 and mortgage interest relief Why your tax bill rose on income you never received. 6 min Allowable expenses for landlords Repairs, agent fees, travel, and the improvements line. 6 min Capital Gains Tax when you sell a rental property The 60-day deadline that catches almost every seller. 6 min

Employers & payroll

Auto-enrolment: what employers must do Who you must enrol, how much you pay, and the fines. 5 min The Construction Industry Scheme explained 20% or 30%, what is deducted, and how to reclaim it. 6 min Employing your first member of staff What a hire really costs, and everything you must do first. 5 min

Making Tax Digital

Our full MTD resource lives in its own section. Start with the checker if you are not sure whether it applies to you.

Am I affected? Free checker All MTD guides

Making Tax Digital thresholds explained £50,000, £30,000 and £20,000, and what counts towards them. 5 min Making Tax Digital deadlines and dates Every quarterly update date and the final declaration. 4 min What is a quarterly update? What you actually submit, and what is left until year end. 4 min Making Tax Digital penalties The points system, and when the £200 fine arrives. 4 min Making Tax Digital for landlords Gross rent, not profit. Which catches most landlords out. 6 min

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