Newsletter: The Styles Files: "Focused on delivery and response"

These articles provide guidance relating to you and your finances.

We hope that you will find the articles interesting and informative. We would welcome any comments you may want to put to us and look forward to developing this feature to meet your requirements.

Current Articles

Click on a link to display the article:

• CREDIT CONTROL - SEEK HELP AT AN EARLY STAGE — The old adage "Cash is king" has never been as apt as in the current economic climate. Bankruptcies and insolvencies are increasing and it is important to ensure that you do not contribute to those statistics.
• Styles of Culcheth Photography Competition — Are you a budding photographer? As part of our current refurbishment programme, we are inviting local people to send us their Black & White photos of the Village reflecting the theme "Styles of Culcheth".
• Using your Credit Card to get over the Credit Crunch? — Using your Credit Card to get over the Credit Crunch?
• How safe is your email correspondence? — With the spectacular growth in correspondence via email over the last few years, we take a look at your responsibilities as a company director for emails being sent from your business.
• Styles Strengthen their Team — We are pleased to announce the appointment of Paul Hilton, who is heading up the Corporate Finance department.
• What is the Future for your Business? — Significant changes are occurring in the structure of small to medium size businesses that will have a major impact on your future plans.
• Team Building — In February our newly strengthened team took part in our company Review Day, where the theme this year was "Red Tie & Rubies".
• Taxing Times - Capital Gains Tax — As we breathe a sigh of relief having submitted the 2006/07 Personal Tax Returns prior to the Revenue's deadline of 31 January 2008, we take a look at Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and the possible implications of the changes announced by the Chancellor in October, and more recently amended, which are due to come into effect on 5 April this year.
• January Sales - Marketing Madness? — Have you recovered from all the celebrations & festivities associated with Christmas? Now the New Year is here, why not take a look at the thinking behind all those January sales & whether they are a recipe for success for your business.....or not?
• Keep your Teenagers busy at Christmas! — Are your teenage kids forever asking you for money, especially at this time of year? Then why not get your company to pay them instead of you.....
• Beijing 2008 - Who should carry the torch? — If you would like a 6ft 4ins blonde 23 year old to carry the torch for the United Kingdom.....
• Family Businesses Should Seek Advice 2 — Have the Revenue ever been accused of sour grapes?
• Retirement Lottery — I would like to pass on my best wishes to my now former business partner, John Ellis, as he has finally decided to call it a day. However, this event leaves me wondering which of us is better off?
• Improve Profitability without Increasing Sales — In this feature we highlight areas of waste which, if controlled, can improve the profit in your business.
• How Effective is the Leadership of your Business? — The world in which we work is constantly changing. Businesses are constantly challenged with conditions that change at breakneck speed. To succeed in this tough business environment, leaders frequently undertake strategic initiatives.
• Family Businesses Should Seek Advice — An Inland Revenue victory in a recent court case has lead to fears that many small, family run businesses could suffer larger tax bills.
• Culcheth Community Success — Les's youngest daughter Gabby & his dog Murphy gain success at Culcheth Community Day....
• Tax Amnesty!! — If you have undisclosed offshore and UK bank accounts, then read on .......
• So - How Green is your Business? — According to the Institute of Directors, "there's hardly a boardroom in the land that hasn't at least discussed cutting its carbon footprint in the last 12 months".
• Are you involved in Letting out Property? — 6 April 2007 sees the introduction of 'The mandatory Tenancy Deposit Scheme'.
• Are The Revenue Driving It Home? — The Revenue might not be but you need to take care if you or your employees have company vans.
• Pre Year-end Tax Planning — The completion of your 2005/06 tax return and the payment of any tax due by 31 January 2007 may now be fading from your memory, but you should not consider that to be the end of the matter for another 12 months!
• Happy New Year! — What are your New Year's resolutions? Styles & Co give you some suggestions.
• The Spanish Acquisition! — What are the Spanish Inheritance and Gift Tax implications?
• Focused on Delivery and Response — As the firm continues to grow it is essential that we recruit dynamic individuals.
• Wigan and Leigh Hospice Golf Tournament — Styles Team achieve 1st Place!
• How to own the business you manage — Management buy-outs are transactions by which the management of a business acquires a substantial stake in and, often, effective control of the business they have been managing.
• Holidays — Employers need to be aware of some important changes coming up, which have nothing to do with the predicted heat wave in August...
• How boring is working in an accountants? — The word "accountant" is often taken to be a byword for "boring", "efficient" or "bureaucratic"...
• when is not equal, equal? — The answer is when we are talking married couples and jointly held assets. The tax treatment for married couples is that "where a husband and wife hold an asset jointly, whether or not it is owned by them in equal shares, the income from it is shared equally between them".
• Do you have the "Hedgehog" — The quest is to find the "hedgehog" in your business. Our clients who have really embraced the challenge have achieved as much as and even more than 30% increase in turnover in the first years of the process.
• What has the Chancellor done for us? — Some late night reading, some unexpected surprises and a great deal more paperwork - nothing new there then!
• Choosing a motor vehicle — Are you paying too much tax on your company car?
• Winning in a price mad world — If you are in business have you ever stated, "in our industry price dominates everything - our customers are very price sensitive - we cannot possibly put our prices up!"?
• Styles and Co continues to expand — The continued growth of Styles and Co is further strengthened by the arrival of new partner Ian Lloyd
• What did you do at Christmas? — Apart from the more common activities, did you complete your Tax Return?
• Pre-Year End Tax Planning — The completion of your 2003/04 tax return and the payment of any tax due by 31 January 2005 may now be fading from your memory, but you should not consider that to be the end of the matter for another 12 months!
• Pensions and Property Planning — As you consider New Year's resolutions to boost your finances, aside from offering our Season's Greetings, we hope to help you achieve some of your financial aims.
• Income Tax - Termination Payments — It is widely believed by Employers and Employees alike that termination payments (cash and benefits) are only taxable to the extent that they exceed £30,000.
• Inheritance Tax, Will Planning and The Family Home — The dramatic rise in house prices in this area over recent years means that many of us are now facing potential inheritance tax ("IHT") liabilities.
• Capital Gains Tax - Family Home — It is widely believed that on the sale of your home no Capital Gains Tax is payable. However, when is your house not your home for Capital Gains Tax purposes?
• International Connections — There are few benefits to having been around a long time, however one benefit is gathering experience and as an office we have experience in abundance!
• Where are the Goal Posts — Unlike the sporting environment, in business life the goal posts are never stationary for very long.
• Tax Credits and the Inland Revenue — There are two tax credits, Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit.
• It's Your Fault — The law says that, as a taxpayer, it is your responsibility to pay the right amount of tax, at the right time, not the Inland Revenue's to extract the right amount from you.
• Supporting Working Parents — Recruiting and retaining good staff is crucial for any employer.