In this guide, we look at the taxes you will encounter if you start your own business as a sole trader, and other things you should bear in mind before taking the plunge and becoming self employed. (more…)

If you decide to work for yourself and begin trading as a sole trader, (self-employed) you will need to set up your accounts to record your income and expenses.

In order to do this you will need to be aware of tax, national insurance and other factors that will affect the records you need to keep as a sole trader.

To help you understand your duties and to get your book-keeping done painlessly, here’s the low-down on setting up your sole trader accounts. (more…)

One of the main benefits of becoming self employed is the ease with which you can start up and run your new business.

You can even become a sole trader (another term for self-employed) whilst working as an employee for someone else, so you can test the water and see whether working for yourself suits you.

To help you understand some of the most important issues, you’ll need to tackle, here are 5 things you need to do when you decide to go self employed: (more…)

Your business should register for VAT if your “taxable supplies” over the past 12 months has exceeded the VAT registration threshold.
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This second guide in ByteStart’s 3-Part VATChat series; outlines how VAT registered businesses should charge VAT on their goods and services, and how to reclaim VAT on purchases and costs.
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In the first in a short series of Value Added Tax bulletins for small businesses, Les Howard looks at what VAT is, and when you must register your business.
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Value Added Tax (VAT) is a charge on most goods and services sold in the UK.

Ultimately, the person who consumes the goods pays the tax. But to administer it, VAT is charged and reclaimed by every supplier down the chain.
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