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Plain guides to common questions, from your first tax return to taking on staff. Each one has a checklist, the key dates and the official sources.
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Who you are
Sole traders
Tax returns, Making Tax Digital, expenses, VAT and whether to go limited.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: does it apply to you?
Who has to keep digital records and send quarterly updates, when you start, and what changes in your tax year.Self Assessment: deadlines, payments on account and penalties
The dates that matter for your tax return, how payments on account work, and what happens if you file or pay late.Sole trader or limited company: the practical differences
How each one is set up, taxed and run day to day, so you know what you’re comparing before you decide.VAT: when you must register, and when you might choose to
How the £90,000 rolling test works, the deadline to register, voluntary registration and what Making Tax Digital for VAT means for your records.Expenses if you’re self-employed: what you can claim
Which costs you can deduct, how the £1,000 trading allowance works, and when simplified expenses for mileage and working from home save time.
Landlords
Rental income, what you can claim, and selling a property.
Landlords: records, expenses and mortgage interest
What to keep, what you can claim against your rent, how mortgage interest relief works, and when the £1,000 property allowance helps.Capital Gains Tax when you sell a property
The 60-day deadline to report and pay, the rates for 2026/27, and the basics of Private Residence Relief if the property was your home.
Limited companies
What’s due after your year end, and to whom.
Employers
Setting up payroll and pensions for your first employee.
For everyone
HMRC letters, keeping records, and moving accountant.
Had a letter from HMRC? What it might mean and what to do next
How to check a letter is genuine, the common types of letter, what a compliance check involves, and the deadlines you mustn’t miss.Switching accountant: how it works
What happens when you move to us: the handover from your old accountant, authorising us with HMRC and Companies House, and timing around deadlines.Records: what to keep and for how long
The records HMRC and Companies House expect you to keep, how long each type must be kept, and what to do if something is lost.
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