Bookkeepers Kendal Cumbria (LA9): You are entirely responsible for keeping accurate, "true and fair" financial and accounting records for at least six years, if you are a sole trader, operate an online store or run a small business in Kendal, as stated by the Companies Act. Failure to produce such records may leave you facing a hefty fine and possible disqualification as a Company Director. There is a large investment of time involved with compiling these financial records on your own behalf, and it can pay you to employ a professional bookkeeper or accountant, because according to Accounting Today over 40% of small business owners spend at least eighty hours each year doing their bookkeeping.
If just the thought of preparing profit, loss and financial statements, writing out ledgers, tracking liabilities and assets or producing balance sheets brings you feelings of dread, then it is time to get in touch with a bookkeeper in Kendal for guidance and advice.
BOOKKEEPER OR ACCOUNTANT?
"What is the difference between an accountant and a bookkeeper?" Is a question that's asked by a lot of people in Kendal. In truth, due to significant improvements in software over the past decade many accountants in the Kendal area will take on bookkeeping, which was previously deemed beneath their skill set, qualifications and experience. Many accounting companies now charge a fixed rate for bookkeeping services, to keep them consistent with what an independent bookkeeper in Kendal would routinely charge. This means that the cost of bookkeeping is cheaper than it once was, and is fantastic news for business owners in Kendal as it provides a greater variety of competition within this sector.
The big difference of an accountant over a bookkeeper is the standard of qualification and training required. Usually holding an accounting degree, a professional accountant will also have had additional training in tax preparation and have qualifications in fiscal and business management. While bookkeepers in Kendal will undoubtedly have a good grasp of these fiscal procedures, they might not necessarily have the same levels of training and experience in this field, or hold these qualifications.
A BOOKKEEPER'S RESPONSIBILITIES
To explain in the simplest of forms possible, the bookkeeping process involves the careful recording of day by day financial transactions of any business in Kendal. This can include, but isn't limited to;
- Highlighting and rectifying any discrepancies in the financial accounts.
- Payroll services.
- Recording of all financial incomings; cash, card and electronic payments included.
- Monthly reports and reconciliations.
- The billing of customers for work completed or goods.
- Ensuring accounting and double-entry bookkeeping practices are implemented.
- VAT recording and submissions.
- Logging invoices received and ensuring payment is completed by the due date.
Contingent upon service level you need, e.g. you're happy to undertake a large majority of your bookkeeping work; a professional bookkeeper might only be needed to double check your accounts on a fixed schedule. As a bare minimum this should be done monthly, to enable the swift detection and correcting of any problems or mistakes. This may be an extremely cost-effective trade-off, providing that you're able to stay on top of your monetary transactions without affecting your everyday trading operations.
If you are presently looking to hire a bookkeeper in Kendal, whatever your circumstances are, it's a good bet that you may be having problems with your tax and financial procedures. Offering advice on everything from generating expense reports, invoicing and stocktaking, a decent bookkeeping company will also be able to guide you through the process of linking your accounts with the latest computer software to enable the seamless processing of your business's data.
An especially crucial element of a good bookkeeper is the ability to reconcile cash flow with accounts payable. Which means that by arranging the payment of bills to times when your finances are in good shape, your bookkeeper will avoid the thing that many small businesses are guilty of at some time or other i.e. paying off a bill straight away, or waiting for an overdue notice. This isn't merely to ensure your business enterprise is on a good financial footing at all times, but also to keep you in good stead with those people who provide your materials or services. When you're inevitably focussed on the operation of your business, this is a balancing act that you may find tough to perform as an individual.
Having somebody who's unconnected to the business cast an unrelated eye over your financial affairs, is another added benefit of using a certified bookkeeper in Kendal for your small business or if you are a sole trader. Business trends and patterns that you may have disregarded might be highlighted by this type of unprejudiced evaluation. A situation where a clever bookkeeper flags an area which is falling in profits, or spots an opportunity that may prove lucrative, is not at all an unusual occurrence. It is crucial for ensuring the growth of any enterprise in Kendal, to spot these KPI's (key performance indicators).
If your business sends out invoices it can sometimes be uncomfortable having to pursue a late payment. Having somebody outside your business bubble, can take away the embarrassment of visiting your customer or making that phone call. A bookkeeper can employ legal procedures to handle a repeating late or non-payer, and without having to resort to court proceedings, help to clear up the situation.
SOLE TRADER'S BOOKKEEPING REQUIREMENTS
The bookkeeping requirements for a sole trader, as laid out by law, are pretty uncomplicated and easily understood. In essence, sole traders must retain all receipts and invoices, and keep a record of income and expenditure on a monthly basis. It is still recommended that you hire the expert services of a bookkeeper, even though this might sound easy. When working through your tax returns, a specialist sole trader bookkeeper in Kendal will be able to give you advice on what your legitimate business expenses are, and claim these back from HMRC. This may include items such as computers, stationery goods, printer ink, advertising expenses and rent and bills if working from home. To see how they can help your small business grow, chat to your bookkeeper for more comprehensive advice.
BOOKKEEPING FOR ONLINE TRADERS
There are niches in bookkeeping where a specialist may be necessary. You're going to require a bookkeeper in Kendal who's familiar with online payment procedures, exchange rate transfers, multi-currency processing and international and cross-border taxes, if you operate an online store for example. If you hold or produce the merchandise that you distribute on that store, then it's going to be a major priority for your bookkeeping services and software to maintain your your stock on a 24 hours a day basis, because of course, the internet doesn't sleep.
A virtual office can also be provided together with your bookkeeping services. This allows a sole trader or online only business to offer a physical connection to their clients, via a postal address and telephone service. It's certainly worth talking about this possibility if it is something that could benefit you, although not all Kendal bookkeepers will supply this option.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND AFFILIATIONS
Many of the qualifications in the field of bookkeeping are at Certificate and Diploma level, and a qualified bookkeeper in Kendal does not need to hold a degree. Qualifications can be gained through further education colleges and universities but there are also an ever-growing choice of online courses available.
There are essentially 2 principal organisations that offer certification and training to bookkeepers:
The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers or ICB: Providing accreditation to certified bookkeepers, together with reference material and training to ensure their members are up-to-date with the latest trends, the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB) is the largest organisation on the planet.
The AAT or Association of Accounting Technicians: The AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) provides advanced qualifications and a training schedule entitling fully certified bookkeepers to use the letters AATQB. This promises a standard of service to their customers which is backed by the association, and permits them to become a licensed AAT bookkeeper. If a bookkeeper who's associated with the AAT is found to have violated the code of conduct or has a complaint filed against them, they can be liable to tribunal and disciplinary processes to safeguard the integrity and values of the aat.
By going to their websites, you're able to check out the accreditations of any professional Kendal bookkeeper on the register of ICB or AAT members. Before you employ any local bookkeeper in Kendal it is strongly advised to perform this check.
VAT Returns by a Bookkeeper in Kendal
Getting your VAT returns done by a bookkeeper in Kendal can be a great option for small business owners who want to ensure their tax compliance while freeing up their own time to focus on other important aspects of their business. With the help of a bookkeeper, you can delegate all the responsibilities of your VAT return, such as determining the amount of VAT you owe or are due, submitting your return to HMRC, and maintaining precise records of your transactions. On top of that, a bookkeeper can supply you with valuable insights on how to decrease your VAT responsibility and guarantee that you are claiming all the admissible VAT that you are entitled to. Partnering with a bookkeeper can give you the confidence that your VAT returns are being handled with precision and efficiency, providing you with more time to focus on expanding your business in Kendal. A bookkeeper can provide you with a cost-effective solution as it can help you evade any HMRC penalties or fines arising from incorrect vat returns or late submissions, which may help you save money over time. All in all, Kendal-based small business owners can opt for a bookkeeper's reliable, affordable, and efficient services to manage their VAT returns, enabling them to comply with tax regulations, minimize their tax obligation, and dedicate more time to expanding their business. To summarise, in Kendal, hiring a bookkeeper can provide small business owners with an economical, dependable, and efficient solution for managing their VAT returns, allowing them to stay compliant with tax regulations, decrease their tax liability, and dedicate more time to growing their business.
Outsourced Bookkeeping Kendal
All businesses in Kendal should understand the significance of bookkeeping. It helps business people monitor their payables/receivables, the sum total of their liabilities and assets, the money left in their bank account, and so forth. With the business owner having to deal with a lot of concerns and issues while running a business, the task of carrying out the bookkeeping is often outsourced to freelance bookkeepers or a bookkeeping company in Kendal.
If a company in Kendal employs a bookkeeper in order to become an employee, the company will have to spend a substantial amount of money in training that individual for the purpose of carrying out the bookkeeping tasks. In addition to that, there's no guarantee that the person will stay for long in the company. In circumstances like that, the company stands to lose a considerable amount of money for very little return. Apart from that, businesses will need to look for solutions to provide incentives and benefits to keep the fully trained employee within the company. These are a few of the reasons why businesses quite often enlist the services of bookkeeping companies and professional bookkeepers in Kendal.
With the advent of new technology there's no need for business owners to stick to a freelance bookkeeper who might continue with out-of-date accounting practices. Again, they are not under any pressure to hire and retain some in-house bookkeepers. Bookkeeping outsourcing is growing more common in the financial sector. You'll find a lot of companies offering financial bookkeeping services catering to all kinds of clients and industries in Kendal. A majority of these companies promise and deliver quality service. It is important for a business to look into the track record of these Kendal bookkeeping companies when it comes to employing a 3rd party company for bookkeeping purposes.
The business owner in Kendal can look for the following options with the bookkeeping company that delivers outsourcing services. Find out and check how much savings can be enjoyed by outsourcing the bookkeeping work. As the expenses relating to hiring and training in-house staff is an enormous concern, it would be sensible on the part of business owner in Kendal to focus on an outsourcing company that can offer savings. Try to get first hand information regarding the systems and methods employed by the company involved in bookkeeping services. It's very important to get top quality accounting services and greater security for your financial data. By quality, one means reliable, precise, and real-time bookkeeping data delivered within the agreed time. In a nutshell, the company that offers bookkeeping services in Kendal should have a well protected system that can be relied on and trusted.
Tax Returns
A self-assessment tax return may be required for self-employed people or those with small businesses in Kendal. This can be a daunting task, especially if you aren't acquainted with the process. A good bookkeeper can help you to prepare your tax return on time and accurately, as well as keeping your records in order.
Many benefits can be gained by employing a bookkeeper to complete your tax returns. Firstly, your return will be completed correctly, thanks to their experience and expertise. This should help you avoid any problems with HMRC, such as penalties or interest charges. Secondly, the use of a bookkeeper can save you a lot of stress, time and hassle. They will look after all of the calculations and paperwork, so you can focus on the running of your business. Thirdly, a bookkeeper in Kendal can provide you with valuable advice on tax planning. This enables you to minimise your tax bill and maximise your earnings. (70193)
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Kendal Bookkeeper Tasks
Most Kendal bookkeepers will be prepared to provide you with the following bookkeeping and accounting services: bookkeeping for pubs Kendal, accounting and bookkeeping services, bookkeeping for payroll Kendal, bookkeeping for the self-employed Kendal, bank reconciliations, maintaining fixed asset registers, bookkeeping for retail outlets Kendal, charity bookkeeping Kendal, professional bookkeeping services, bookkeeping services, invoice processing, payment services Kendal, double-entry bookkeeping, off-site bookkeeping services, accounting and bookkeeping, credit control, landlord bookkeeping, business bookkeeping Kendal, corporation tax returns, small business tax returns, general bookkeeping services, profit & loss reports, Sage bookkeeping, cheap bookkeeping services, management accounts Kendal, Xero bookkeeping services, bookkeeping services for shops Kendal, bookkeeping services for limited companies, mobile bookkeeping services, independent bookkeeping services, and more. Listed are just some of the activities that are carried out by local bookkeepers. Kendal companies will be happy to inform you of their whole range of bookkeeping services. If there are different Kendal bookkeeper requirements that you need but can't see here, you can easily list them on the QUOTE FORM provided. We will get back to you with details as soon as we can.
Bookkeepers Near Kendal
Also find: Old Hutton bookkeepers, Helsington Laithes bookkeepers, Natland bookkeepers, Endmoor bookkeepers, Helsington bookkeepers, Oxenholme bookkeepers, Meal Bank bookkeepers, New Hutton bookkeepers, Burneside bookkeepers, Levens bookkeepers, Crosthwaite bookkeepers, Selside bookkeepers and more. Individuals specialising in bookkeeping services are accessible across the majority of these areas. Individuals and businesses are ensured easy access to the financial support necessary for successful account management through this accessibility. For bookkeeping quotations, residents in the area simply need to click here
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