John Neighbour is retiring after 45 years with HB Accountants

A letter from our former Tax Director, now Tax Consultant,
Mr John Neighbour

I joined HB in September 1976 from Thomson McLintock (now part of KPMG) in order to set up a tax department.  At that time, we were based in London at Coventry House near Liverpool Street Station.  45 years & 4 office moves later, we are now based at Plumpton House in Hoddesdon. Over the past few years, I have been winding down my time commitments & at present I am typically working about two days per week. At the same time my tax manager, Amy Thompson, has been taking on more responsibility. 

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Why is effective credit control so critical for your business?

Effective credit control is fundamental to ensuring a business has a regular flow of cash. Securing a good cash flow is one of the most important aspects of running a business in order to enable sustainable growth or to support a fight for survival. As we emerge from a pattern of lockdowns and openings, it’s never been more important to ensure your business is in the strongest financial position possible.

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VAT: Has HMRC contacted your businesses about VAT?

Some non-VAT registered businesses have recently received letters from HMRC claiming that they are trading above the VAT threshold. Any business that has received such a letter needs to act quickly. They should share the letter with their tax agent/accountant then work together to review the rolling 12-month turnover figures.

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7 Reasons why producing Management Accounts will help grow your business

Do you want to be in greater control of your business? Make decisions based on facts such as when you typically increase sales and, therefore, need to employ more sales people or to change tack and boost your marketing spend in a particular sector, for instance. The answer is a set of accounts that is not required by law and does not have to be filed with HMRC – known as management accounts, these are numbers that give you a true picture of your business and will put you in greater control of your business than ever before.

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Act Now! Super-deduction – a very attractive £25m tax break on capex investment

Super-deduction, a new capital investment allowance, has been introduced to boost business investment and help economic recovery. It is a great incentive to encourage businesses to invest in plant and machinery and there are very few exclusions on what can be purchased. Available for two years from April 2021, the 130% capital allowance deduction will deliver 25p off company tax bills for every £1 of qualifying spend.

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Karen Robbins is celebrating 25 Years at HB Accountants – congratulations!

This month we are excited and delighted to be celebrating Karen’s 25 year anniversary at HB Accountants. Karen joined us on 13th May back in 1996 (the very same year that five bundles of trouble called The Spice Girls* were unleashed, Changing Rooms turned us into DIY lunatics and Take That decided to split**).

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What happens when you change accountants?

Many businesses and individuals change accountants. Maybe your needs have changed as you’ve grown and you want to work with an accountant offering multiple services. Or maybe working with an accountant based nearer to your offices will give you the benefit of a more personal service? Whatever the reason, once you know what you need, you can begin the search for a new partner. But what happens when you find the accountancy practice that’s right for you? And what do you do next?  Here’s the answer.

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REBUILD OR RETREAT: 5 STEPS TO A STRONGER BUSINESS

Your business has survived ‘lockdown’ and restrictions are starting to ease. But what next? The most challenging times for businesses still lay ahead. Action Coach Yiannis Yianni is keen to spread his message that “those businesses that try to carry on as they were before may, sadly, not survive” – he has a plan.

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