As an accountant, you’ll be well-versed in handling your clients’ affairs on a day-to-day basis. But what about your own? Do you have the time to stay up-to-date on the latest taxation developments and regulation changes? Are there any deductions or credits you’re missing out on that could improve your own tax efficiency? Could you be making any mistakes that are costly to you or your business – either legally or financially?

It can be hard to know where to turn for reliable, accurate advice that doesn’t break the bank. Fortunately, we have a solution.

Read on to discover more about the current tax landscape for accountants, the legal benefits you can enjoy with a membership organisation, effective tax strategies and how to avoid common pitfalls.

Every year, in the Spring and Autumn Budgets, the Chancellor announces the latest taxation changes. While some aspects remain the same, others change, not only in terms of the tax thresholds for individuals and associated investment-related tax changes but also in terms of corporation tax levels. What’s more, it’s not just thresholds that can change: in an unstable economy, there has been much talk of the UK Government clawing back some of its deficit via certain stealth taxes.

Essentially, the world of tax is constantly shifting – so what does this mean for you as an accountant? Of course, it means that you need to stay up-to-date so you can service your clients as well as possible, but it also has implications for you and your business. These changes may affect how you personally pay tax and what you pay tax on, and they may affect your accounting firm tax as a whole. This underscores the importance of Tax Advice for Accountants.

This is why it’s so important to have a strong understanding of the latest developments – and why joining a membership organisation can help.

The easiest way to stay on top of accounting firm tax is to join a membership organisation – like the ICPA – which will help you stay on top of everything you need to know.

A membership organisation – one designed specifically for accountants – will help to support you (and help you to support your own clients) in a variety of ways. They offer you access to events designed to help with various aspects of running your accountancy business and third-party support on a wide range of topics. They provide information hubs where you can obtain accurate information and advice in all sorts of areas, as well as giving you (often discounted) access to telephone support lines, insurance, software and more.

At the ICPA, we offer a range of services to help our member accountants to flourish. Our Tax & VAT Advice Line gives members telephone access to some of the most experienced advisors in the industry: they have over 250 years of experience between them. Here, you’ll be able to access top-rate support on both direct and indirect taxes and both personal and corporate taxes, giving you complete peace of mind.

In addition, our members are given a Tax Fact Card immediately after the Budget: an up-to-date way to remind yourself quickly and easily of the important rates and allowances for the year ahead.

When it comes to tax advice for accountants, there are three key areas where you may be looking for support. By joining a membership organisation like the ICPA, you’ll have all of this support – and more – at your fingertips.

We can support you when you’re looking for advice on:

• Personal tax planning: Helping you to complete your self-assessment accurately and on time, avoiding any penalties. Our advisors can also help you to establish whether there are any reliefs, allowances or expenses that you can claim, which can reduce your tax liability.
• Business tax planning for accountant-owned firms: If you’re an accountant who owns your own business, our advisors can also help you to put into place strategies that will maximise your business profits while minimising your firm’s tax liabilities.
• Tax-efficient investment strategies: Investment allowances are constantly changing – as are the types of ways in which you can invest your money (or your business’ money). Our advisors can give you a steer in the right direction when it comes to making the most of your money, or that of your business. They’ll help you to make the most of your available allowances, let you know of any relevant changes and reduce your tax bill via tax-efficient investment strategies where they can.

Our experienced advisors are only a phone call away when our members need them. What’s more, they can also help you to establish whether there are any common traps or pitfalls you have fallen into, and how to avoid these to benefit both yourself and your business.

Accounting firm tax pitfalls are common, with these being some of the most frequent:

• Overlooking deductions and credits: Staying informed about deductions and credits applicable to your business can save you a great deal of money, but it can be easy to miss some significant ways to save.
• Potential compliance issues and resolutions: Failing to comply with rules and regulations can result in serious penalties. With regulations changing so frequently, it’s vital to stay up-to-date.
• Inaccurate recordkeeping: Maintaining your clients’ records is one thing, but how accurate are your own?
• Missing deadlines: Setting yourself reminders can save you a great deal of hassle – as well as additional costs.

All of these can easily be avoided by staying up-to-date with current rules and regulations, strengthening your in-house tax processes, and having a trusted source of advice. With these in mind, it’s easy to see why dedicated tax advice for accountants is so important.

For accountants, it’s vital to stay updated. Fail to heed new rules, regulations, rates and allowances, and you could be missing out on valuable benefits – or fall foul of the law. Not only will this affect your business and your profitability, it could also affect your reputation.

Staying up-to-date, though, can be time-consuming. That’s why joining a membership organisation like the ICPA makes sense. When it comes to tax advice for accountants, we have legal and tax experts, the latest developments, advice lines and a huge library of up-to-date information at our fingertips, saving you time and giving you complete peace of mind.