I am asked many times each week about the use of remote accountants.  We operate a small firm of accountants but use modern technology to enable our services to be used throughout the UK.

We like to think of ourselves as an online accountant.

As you will have seen via our site we a partners with Winweb an online bookkeeping system and many of our clients are benefiting from their free bookkeeping software.

Using a remote online accountant really boils down to the client themselves.  If they are comfortable using emails and telephone to converse with the accountant then there should be no reason why it would not work. 

I have seen many accountants use identity checks as an excuse but in actual fact all ID checks can be carried out online.  Not only does this make it easier to verify non local clients but it also takes the awkwardness out of the ID process.

Our clients like the fact that they can drop me an email or telephone to discuss support queries without the worry of being charged extra.  This is because we use a fixed fee system - therefore all our clients know in advance what their fees are going to be.

If you would like a quote for our services simply complete our simple online quote form.

Just a short blog to let you all know that our Budget 2008 analysis is available on our web site - click here.

It’s in plain English too…

I was driving round today seeing clients and I heard a Nat West advert on the radio.  It claimed to be offering everything new small businesses needed in their banking.  These were…2 years free banking, personal service, local branches etc etc and then they claim to solve every new businesses problem by offering a £500 overdraft!!

I wish ALL businesses could deal with that!

I must admit though that the Nat West and lots of other banks are trying to help small businesses.

If you need high street access then the bigger banks are fine.  Although beware - the FREE banking does expire.

There are the “new kids on the block”.  Banks such as Abbey, Alliance and Leicester are offering free banking full stop.  You obviously do not get the local and personal service but for the standard small business these are perfect - after all most transactions are done online these days.

Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has just announced that National Minimum wage will increase as follows in October: -

1. Standard rate will rise from £5.52 to £5.73
2. For 18 to 21-year-olds the rate will be £4.77, up from £4.60
3. For 16 to 17-year-olds will get £3.53, up from £3.40.

Overall it is a 3.8% rise on 2007 rates.

As accountants to lots of small businesses we have tried to source a bookkeeping system that has dealt successfully with the Flat Rate VAT Scheme.

Many of our clients use this scheme and whilst it was developed to save small businesses the VAT headache clients are still somewhat unsure when it comes to submitting their VAT returns.

We generally check these returns and ensure completeness.

Well at last there is some software that deals with the Flat Rate VAT Scheme…Thus saving my clients VAT fees.

From today (3/3/08) Winweb, our online bookkeeping provider, have incorporated this into their software.

What’s more Winweb is free of charge…

Please contact us for more details of how to use Winweb.

No postings yesterday due to lack of web connection by Karoo our local company.

It’s very difficult in Hull as we are all monopolised by Kingston Communications.  Meaning that they have the lines and as such we cannot go to BT, NTL, Tiscali etc.  We only have Karoo which is the Internet supply company of Kingston Communications.

For some reason the business web connection was down but the personal connection was working.  So the £40.00 per month connection was down and the £17.00 per month was working!!  Seems odd.

This meant that I could not post on my blog but more importantly I could not process any tax returns - which for an accountant at this time of year is difficult to deal with.

Could I sue??  Interesting thought…

Just got to get something off my chest.

As my previous post mentioned we have now offered our Excel Bookkeeping Spreadsheet free of charge.

Since doing so I have had a couple of interesting phone calls and emails.

Firstly one guy phoned me and complained that the cash book template was over complicated - as I said its free - and the whole idea was simplicity.  That’s the first time I have ever been told its complicated.

Then today a student emailed me asking for copies of some of my clients profit and loss accounts for an assignment he was doing.  Aren’t students supposed to study?

Ah - deep breath…

Speak soon.

Well here is my first Blog post (at long last).

I am pleased to say that we have a few options for free bookkeeping software requirements.

We have recently made our bookkeeping spreadsheet (Cash Book Pro) a free download - you can access this by here - Excel Bookkeeping Spreadsheet.

We also have access to an online bookkeeping system.  This is such a good system and I will cover this in a future blog.

Short but sweet - but hey at least its a start.

Tax returns to do…