• Posted February 12, 2020

Preparing for retirement as a business owner

Preparing for retirement should be something you look forward to, but it can also be tinged with sadness, your role as a business owner will change as you start to take a step back from the business you have owned and run for many years. As a business owner retirement is something you need to […]


  • Posted February 12, 2020

DIY self-assessment tax return – Top tips from Whitesides

As the 31 January has just passed I thought I would set out some of my top tips for completing a DIY self-assessment tax return, to help you get fully prepared for the next year. Don’t Be Late Leaving it to the last minute is never a good idea, last year over 700,000 tax returns […]


  • Posted February 7, 2020

Claiming expenses on a garden office

Sean Rushton, Whitesides Accountant sheds (no pun intended) some light on claiming expenses on a garden office. If you’ve constructed a garden office for work you can claim the costs of the construction as capital allowances. However, if you’ve claimed capital allowances on it you may not be able to claim full principal private residence […]


  • Posted February 5, 2020

Small business computer: Tips to help you choose the right model

It is an incredibly important decision choosing the right small business computer, the right choice can make your life so much easier while the wrong one can waste time and money. With so many options out there we asked Jenna Cooper a director of IT firm Singularitee to bring you this handy guide. Usability First […]


  • Posted January 31, 2020

When do I need an accountant?

Whitesides Accountant & Tax Advisor Sarah Greenwood answers “When do I need an accountant?” I would have said the earlier the better. You obviously don’t need to see your accountant until something needs to be done, so that’s probably either at the stage you need to set up a payroll, probably one of the earlier […]


  • Posted January 27, 2020

How much does it cost to hire an employee? Your question answered

How much does it cost to hire an employee? Hiring your first employee can be a daunting prospect, going from a business owner to an employer is a big step whether you run a limited company or operate as a sole trader.  If you trade through a limited company you probably already have a payroll […]


  • Posted January 24, 2020

Running costs of a Limited Company vs Sole Trader

 Whitesides Accountant & Tax Advisor Sarah Greenwood talks about the “running the costs of a Limited Company vs Sole Trader” The other thing that you might want to consider is the costs. Running a limited company can be more expensive than a sole trade business. You’ll tend to find that banks charge more, you’ll […]


  • Posted January 22, 2020

Preparing for retirement as a business owner

Preparing for retirement should be something you look forward to, but it can also be tinged with sadness, your role as a business owner will change as you start to take a step back from the business you have owned and run for many years. As business owner retirement is something you need to consider, […]


  • Posted January 17, 2020

Should I set up a limited company?

 Whitesides Accountant & Tax Advisor Sarah Greenwood answers the question “Should I set up a limited company?” This is a question that we get asked all the time and it’s something that really depends on each individual businesses’ circumstances. The main things that I would consider is what you’re intending to do long term […]


  • Posted January 15, 2020

Late invoice payment? Four tips to getting paid on time

One of the biggest challenges facing small businesses is a late invoice payment. Research undertaken by Xero shows 26% of small businesses are unable to pay their suppliers on time, creating a vicious circle. Being paid late can cause a big disruption to your cashflow and if you are a small business without a finance […]