Taxes that you need to pay as a contractor

Working as a contractor has a great number of benefits, but the one downside (maybe) is taking responsibility for what taxes have to be paid.

Most contractors choose to operate via a Limited Company as it is the most tax efficient route. However, as a director of the Limited Company, you will be responsible for making sure the correct taxes and the right amount of taxes are paid on time.

Engaging the services of a specialist contractor accountant will lessen the burden of working out what taxes are due and when. However, ultimate responsibility still lies with you.

Making your way through the muddy maze of tax

We are not suggesting you become an expert in taxation (that is what we are here for) but it is important to have some knowledge of the taxes you will be required to pay.

To understand what tax is due and when, it is simpler to break it down into the tax your Limited Company has to pay and the tax you have to pay, also known as Personal Tax.

Limited Company

Corporation Tax

Corporation Tax is a tax on company profits. Current rate is set at 20% and will fall to 19% for the year beginning April 2017, and to 17% for the year beginning 1 April 2020.

If you have taxable profits of up to £1.5 million, Corporation Tax must be paid 9 months and 1 day after the end of your accounting period.

If taxable profits are more than £1.5 million corporation tax must be paid in instalments.

VAT

VAT is an extremely complicated area of tax. A lot of first-time contractors are unsure if they are required to be VAT registered. Our article ‘To VAT or no to VAT that is the question’ looks at who is required to be VAT registered.

For contractors who are required or want to be VAT registered, choosing the Flat Rate Scheme (FRS) is the easiest option. Our article ‘Choosing the right VAT route’ explains the Flat Rate Scheme in further detail.

What happens if I get VAT wrong?

If you make a late VAT payment to HMRC, it could be recorded as a ‘default’. Following this, you enter into a ‘surcharge period’ which usually lasts 12 months. If during this period you ‘default’ again, you may have to pay an extra amount on top of the VAT you owe. Further information on VAT surcharges and penalties can be found on the .Gov website.

Supplying incorrect information that could lead you to “underestimate the tax due” or “mispresent the tax liability” could see you being hit with a penalty charge. Each tax has its own specific rules when it comes to charging penalties. In general, the size of the penalty charge depends on how the mistake was made, for instance, if:

• the mistake was made through a lack of reasonable care (e.g. not keeping accurate records) the penalty will be between 0%-30% of the extra tax due
• the mistake was deliberate, the penalty will be between 20%-70% of the extra tax due
• if the mistake was deliberate and it was concealed, the penalty will be between 30%-100% of the extra tax due

Personal Tax

Self- assessment

As a director of your Limited Company, you need to register for self – assessment and complete a personal tax return, the tax year is 6 April 5 – 5 April the following year.

You need to register if you haven’t previously filed a tax return. The deadline for registering is 5th October following the end of the tax year in which your income first arose.

Once registered, you can either submit your return by completing a paper tax return or by filing online.

Filing Dates – avoid unnecessary penalties by missing the deadline:

• A paper tax return must be received by HMRC by 31st October following the end of the tax year.
• Online tax return must be received by HRMC by 31st January following the end of the tax year.
• The deadline for paying the tax you owe is 31 January.

You will get a £100 penalty if your tax return is up to 3 months late.

Income Tax

If you take a salary from the Limited Company (most contractors take a small salary and the remainder via Dividends), this is taxed via Income Tax. The amount of tax payable depends on the amount of income that is over the Personal Allowance and how much of this falls within each tax band. For 2016/17 the Income Tax rates and bands are:

Income up to £11,000 = 0% (assuming you have the standard personal allowance of £11,000)

Basic rate: £11,001 – £43,000 =20%

Higher rate: £43,001 – £150,000 =40%

Additional rate: over £150,000 =45%

Note: Your Personal allowances may be more if you claim marriage allowance or less if your income is over £100,000.

Dividend Tax

Please note that under the new dividend tax regime you will be liable for additional dividend tax on any dividend income over £5,000 that is not covered by your personal dividend allowance.

The tax bands will be 7.5% for basic rate taxpayers, 32.5% for higher rate taxpayers and 38.1% for additional rate taxpayers.

If you are subject to any additional tax liability, it is paid through the personal self-assessment tax return system.

Tips to reduce the risk of getting it wrong

Our simple advice is, when it comes to tax, check everything carefully and seek expert advice. We have included some tips to help you from making mistakes:

• Be honest, never try to hide anything
• Read all paperwork thoroughly and seek help if you are unsure of anything
• Fill in all relevant sections
• Return paperwork within the time stated
• Pay your taxes on time
• Keep organised records (rushing around to find invoices / receipts etc, will lead to you making mistakes)
• Review your accounts regularly
• Employ the services of a specialist proactive accountant (such as ourselves) who will advise you on the amounts to pay, when to pay and who to pay it too.

If you think you have supplied your accountant or HMRC will incorrect information, contact them immediately. It is better to admit your mistake and deal with the consequences.We will be covering PAYE and the penalties for late payment in another separate article.

We will be following this article up with a in-depth article discussing PAYE and the penalties for late payments.

If you need advice or guidance on any of the areas discussed in this article, please give us a call on 020 8952 2234, or Request a Call Back.

Tips for contractors and freelancers on finding projects through their network.

We came across a question posted on a contractor forum asking “what is the best way to find your next project?” The majority of the replies stated, “Through their connections and network”.

The majority of us hate networking (I sure do), so we thought we would give you some tips on how to build up your connections through face to face and online networking. As the saying goes, ‘making small talk can mean big business’.

Face to face networking

Networking feels like the most unnatural thing in the world, but what is it really? It’s a group of people talking. So what is there to hate about it? Some people would say “lots”. Walking into a room full of people would do not know and having to start a conversation, is not easy.

The key to successful networking is to not have an objective. If you go into it thinking you are going to get contact details of everybody you talk to, it will be a failure.

The most successful networkers make it look like they are not networking at all. They are relaxed and are there to chat with people. If you meet somebody who you feel you want to keep in touch with, suggest swapping contact details to carry on the conversation at a later date by phone, skype or email.

Online networking

Online networking is a relatively new phrase, born out of the rise of social networks, such as Facebook and LinkedIn. It may seem logical, but in order to network online, you need to be present online, particularly LinkedIn. If you don’t have a profile on LinkedIn already, it is time to create one. It will take you less than 30 minutes. (Read last week’s article, for tips on how to create a ‘knockout’ LinkedIn profile). Being active online is also vital and joining groups is a great way to connect with people in your industry.

Love them or loathe them, having recruiters in your network is important. They have direct access to clients and jobs. Recruiters love LinkedIn and use it as a board to post their jobs. Choose recruiters who specialise in your chosen field and who come through a recommendation.

Are the details of all your contacts held in your email address book? It would be an arduous task to search for them individually online. An easier solution is to export your contacts into a CSV file and upload them (both LinkedIn and Facebook offer this), the system then does the searching and sends out an email inviting them to connect to you.

Working your network does take time but hopefully, it will pay off for you and help you to find your next project.

Love it or loathe it, LinkedIn is the leading online networking site. And, it is only getting bigger.

If you don’t know much about it, here are some interesting facts about LinkedIn:

• 21 million in the UK have a LinkedIn profile (that’s a 1/3 of the UK population)
• LinkedIn is the largest social network site in the world
• LinkedIn has 450 million users, globally
• 2 new users register on LinkedIn every second
• It has a presence in 200 countries
• the most sought after skill on LinkedIn is ‘Data Mining’

LinkedIn is a bit like Marmite, you either love it or hate it. It is well known that recruiters love LinkedIn, for them, it is a free source of potential candidates. On, the other hand, contractors and freelancers have mixed feelings about it. More often than not, they set up a profile years ago (because everyone was doing it), entered a few details and then left it to languish in LinkedIn middle-earth.

To answer the question that we proposed in the title ‘Do contractors need a LinkedIn profile?’. Our answer is ‘Yes’. LinkedIn is all about creating connections and increasing your network of referrers. A well written and professional looking profile could help you find your next contracting role.

So, the time has come for you to resurrect your LinkedIn profile and breathe some life into it. Our 8 tips can help you do this:

Show them who you are

Your profile image is your window to the world and you want it to look good. Research has shown that a profile with a professional profile image is 4 times more likely to get viewed than one without. Take heed, though, don’t rush off and upload your latest holiday snap. LinkedIn is a professional network and you only get one chance at making a first impression. So, preferably use a head shot that looks both smart and friendly. You want to encourage people to connect with you and not scare them off!

Inform not bore

The summary section that is situated at the top of your profile is the most important element of your profile. Unbelievably, a lot of people leave it blank!

People have short attention spans and they want to be able to find out as much information in the shortest time possible. If you think that you can leave the summary section blank, because people can read what you do in the job section. Well, they won’t. If they can’t find what they are looking for, they will click away.

Make it interesting and enticing and insert some personality into it. The aim is to get people to read on not put them to sleep.

Use words that count

As a contractor or freelancer, you have likely worked on lots of projects for different clients. Whilst, it is important to detail all these roles, it is more important to get your main responsibilities and achievements across to people quickly. This may sound tricky, but we have found an easier way to do this. Instead of putting it in words, use numbers instead. Information stands out better in numerical form. What looks better: “Through my stringent budgetary controls and precise time management I saved the client a substantial amount of money, or I saved the client £1,000,000?

Show you are superstar

You may, or, may not feel comfortable about blowing your own trumpet. If you do, go ahead, but remember rambling on about how great you are can sound condescending. To avoid this, and to add credibility to your profile, ask colleagues, clients, or friends to endorse your skills and to leave feedback about you. If you are shy about asking, don’t be. Say if they endorse you, in return, you will endorse them back.

Change it up

Does experience count more than education? Do want to highlight a certain project you have worked on? Did you know that you can change the order in your LinkedIn profile? No, not many people do. It is very simple to do, go to Profile, Edit Profile and click on the double ended arrow to drag and drop the section to the position you want it in.

Be found not find

If you have thought about setting up your blog, but don’t know where to start or if you don’t have the time to start one from scratch, LinkedIn Publisher is the perfect solution for you. It’s an incredibly simple platform to use, but one that many users overlook. By publishing your own thought pieces, articles and solutions to queries that are commonly asked in your line of work, you are showcasing your knowledge and expertise to your connections and public beyond this. Add attractive imagery or videos to make it really stand out.

Interactive

We live in an interactive world, so it makes sense to make your profile so as well. To help your profile stand from the others, try adding images, videos, presentations and brochures. This more engaging than plain text and will encourage people to click, open and share.

Short and Snappy

As we mentioned earlier, people have a short attention span (have you forgotten that already?). Reading long paragraphs of text, particularly on an electronic device is very difficult. To stop people from getting bored and moving on, ditch the long paragraphs and instead use short snappy sentences. Include key phrases but leave out the word ‘motivated’, it is the most commonly used word on LinkedIn and the most irritating (apparently).

If you are a contractor that is starting out or one that this well experienced and you are looking for a proactive firm of accountants, give us a call today 020 8952 2234, or request a callback, and we will get in touch at a time that is convenient for you.

Decoding a Personal Service Company 

IT contractors who operate via a Limited Company, might have heard the term ‘Personal Service Company’ (PSC) been used to describe them.

For those who are new to contracting, this could be a little confusing, and could leave you asking yourself “what personal service is my company providing?”

To make things a little clearer we look at what a Personal Service Company is and how it relates to you, as a IT contractor.

What is a Personal Service Company

Describing someone as a ‘Personal Service Company’ could conjure up thoughts of somebody working as a butler, or a personal assistant. But, that would be incorrect. The term ‘Personal Service Company’ is often used in HMRC guidelines, and it refers to contractors who operate through their own Limited Company.

It is no surprise that HMRC, do not give an exact definition of what a Personal Service Company is, many speculate that they have deliberately left it open to interpretation.

Should you operate via a Personal Service Company ( Limited Company)

So, in order to offer clarification, a Personal Service Company is comparable to a Limited Company.

As a  IT contractor, there are different options available to you. You could decide to work via an agency, through an umbrella company, or through your own Limited Company.

If you think that you will earn more than £25,000 a year (rates for IT contractors start at £380 per day, going up to £600+ depending on experience) then working via your own Limited Company is the better option. Reasons for this are:

• your take home pay is greater than if you worked through an umbrella company (it can be as much as 75% of the contract value)
• you can claim for a wider range of expenses, and have access to the Flat Rate Scheme (FRS)
• could give you access to a greater choice of contracts (clients and recruitment agencies are increasingly asking their contractors to operate via a Limited Company, as it reduces the risk to themselves)
• operating via a Limited Company reduces your own personal liability
• it can help create a professional image for your company (in turn could help you attract more contracts)

There are a number of things to be aware of if you decide to set up your own Limited Company. Initially, you will have to spend some time filling in paperwork, opening a business bank account, registering the company name with Companies House (see our article on ‘Choosing a name for your limited company’) and registering for VAT. However, if you don’t fancy doing all this yourself, then an experienced firm of contractor accountants (such as ourselves) can do it for you.

Does my Personal Service Company (Limited Company) have to use an accountant?

In short, no! But we strongly advise that you do. The UK tax system is extremely complicated and if you want to operate in the most tax efficient manner, only a qualified and experienced accountant can advise you how to do this. Additionally, trying to navigate the maze that is IR35 can be very tricky. It is much easier with the guidance of a knowledgeable accountant.

Our article ‘Choosing a contractor accountant’ gives you advice on how to find an accountant that is right for you.

Personal Service Company  (Limited Company) and IR35

The term ‘Personal Service Company’ came to fruition in 1999, when the then Chancellor (Gordon Brown) introduced the complex and controversial IR35 legislation.

IR35 is a type of tax avoidance legislation that was introduced in 2000. It is extremely complex, but we recommend that all contractors have at least a baseline understating of it. Basically, it was introduced to stop employees leaving their job and returning a few days later to the same role but as a contractor, operating via a personal service company (or limited company).

So if you are considering working  via a Personal Service Company (Limited Company) check your IR35 status with an experienced contractor accountant, first.

Our team is on hand to help you through this process. Give us a call on 020 8952 2234, or Request a Call Back.

Contractors and Freelancers: Choosing the right name for your Limited Company

Forming your own limited company is the start of something wonderful, you are stepping out and building your own business. Creating an identity for that business is important for its success.

Just as your own name is integral to your own identity, the name you chose for your limited company is integral to letting people know what it is and what service(s) it offers.

This week’s article looks at what you need to consider when choosing a name for your limited company.

Motorway or A road?

There are 2 routes you can take when registering your limited company with Companies House. You can decide to go the quicker route and purchase an ‘Off the Shelf, Ready Made’ limited company that is available for immediate use. Or, as most contractors and freelancers choose to do, you can set up your own limited company with a name chosen by yourself. This is option involves filling in more paperwork, but in the long run, it will be a company that represents who you are.

Not as simple as A,B,C

Picking your limited company name is not as easy as it sounds. There are certain rules that you need to follow. These are set out by Companies House and include:

• the name has to be unique, it can not be the same or similar as another registered company
• the name can not contain a ‘sensitive’ word
• the name can not suggest a connection to the Government or a Local Authority
• the name must not be offensive

More information is available in the document ‘Incorporation and names’ from Companies House.
We recommend reading through this document before you start the process of choosing your limited company name, so you are familiar with the legal requirements.

Crazy, Concise or Common Sense?

As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, a name is integral to creating a strong identity i.e. creating a strong brand. At the centre of any brand, is the brand name. It’s a calling card to the world!

There are different options you can take when choosing how to name your limited company, these include:

• keeping it simple and incorporate your own name into the limited company name e.g. Frank Jones Limited
• basing it on the services that the company offers e.g. F Jones IT Consultant Limited
• or, you could choose to use something that is unrelated to what you and what the service the company offers. A well-known example here is Apple. What has an apple got to do with technology?

Whichever, option you decide to take, it is important to also consider:

• is the name professional
• is the name easy to remember (if it’s too wordy, people will have problems recalling it)
• is the name easy to spell (complex spelling will lead it to been misspelt)
• will the name still be relevant in years to come (your service offering may change over time, will the company name to be able to reflect this)
• is the name marketable

Marketing should not be an after-thought for any business. Asking yourself “Will it be simple to market my company?” should be one of the questions you ask yourself during the naming process.

Before, registering your company name with Companies House, check out how web-friendly the name is. Look at sites such as 123.Reg or GoDaddy to see if it is available as a domain name. This is important if you choose to launch a website to support your Limited Company.

If you are thinking of launching your own Limited Company and require assistance with it, contact us today on 020 8952 2234 and we would be delighted to talk you through the process.

Are you ready?

Hurray! HMRC have finally revealed more details about the controversial plan called ‘Making Tax Digital’. In fairness to HMRC, they have been reluctant to release details until the first round of consultations were undertaken.

However, this silence could have worked against them. It seems that Making Tax Digital has bypassed a large majority of small businesses. In a recent survey carried out by FreeAgent, 43% of small businesses and freelancers reported that they haven’t heard of the plan for Making Tax Digital.

HMRC should find this a worrying statistic.

If you find yourself amongst this 43%, don’t panic. Our article explains what Making Tax Digital is and the key points you need to know as a freelancer or contractor. So don’t be afraid, be prepared.

What is Making Tax Digital?

Making Tax Digital (MTD) is an ambitious Government plan (that was first mentioned in the Spring 2015 budget) that will change the annual tax return to a quarterly online system.

The tax system is often described as archaic and slow. HMRC argue that Making Tax Digital will:

• Bring business tax into the digital age
• Transform the tax system
• Simply tax for small businesses

Details were slow coming forward, but information put out by HMRC shows that:

• Making Tax Digital currently only applies to sole traders and partnerships
• Businesses with a total annual turnover less than £10,000 will be exempt*
• Business will need to send summary data each quarter to HMRC , and not file quarterly tax returns, as first speculated
• Consultations will be held later this year (estimated to be October) for how Making Tax Digital will affect Limited Companies and their directors

*The important point to note here is ‘total annual turnover’, if you run two businesses, each with a turnover of £9,000, you will have to comply with Making Tax Digital, as your annual turnover is £18,000.00.

What does Making Tax Digital mean to you as a Contractor or Freelancer?

As the name implies, tax is turning digital. So in order to comply with Making Tax Digital, businesses will need to send their quarterly summaries into HMRC using an online accounting software. This software will not be provided by HMRC, but reporting online will be mandatory, except for a select few who will be exempt.

Exemptions will be considered for disability, age, remoteness of the location and any other reasons (not currently specified by HMRC).

So, we are afraid that saying “I am a technophobe” or “My broadband is too slow” will not cut it (anyone with access to broadband with speeds 2Mbps or faster will have to submit their updates online).

However, you don’t have to stick to quarterly reporting, if you want to do it more frequently, you can, monthly for example.

How you can prepare yourself for Making Tax Digital

Details are still being finalised, and consultations are still taking place. We urge you to voice your thoughts and concerns (if you have any) to HMRC. They are running a series of events and webinars where you can find out more information and ask questions. To find out more information on these consultations, click here.

Making Tax Digital will be rolled out from 2018. So, it is time to start thinking about getting ready for it. ICAEW reported that only 25% of small businesses currently use online accountancy software. If you will be required to comply with MTD, is advisable to start looking at which online software is the best for you. Additionally, if your accountant does your return for you, ask them if they can support you in Making Tax Digital.

If you are looking for expert advice on how you can move your finances online, give us a call on 020 8952 2234 or email info@cogentaccountants.co.uk

The demand for finance contractors has risen dramatically over the last few years as, and research shows that this trend is set to continue. When they can not find the skills in-house, banks and financial institutions turn to freelance contractors for their specialist skills.

Finance contractors typically work some of the longest hours in the industry. At Cogent, we understand how busy your life is. To help make it a little easier and simpler, we give you our top apps and gadgets that every finance contractor should be using.

App for managing your time

For keeping track of your time, we recommend WAVE. Launched in 2014, it is quickly becoming the most popular calendar app on the market. There are far too many positives to include in this post, so we have listed just a few for you:

•  simple, clean design
• easy to install and to use
• integrates with Google Maps (if you add an event, it will attach a map giving directions to the event)
• syncs with Google Tasks (it colour codes tasks which enables you to easy differentiate between them)
•  has 6 different list styles

It integrates with Android and IOS devices and is currently free to download.

Visit http://www.wavecalendarapp.com/ for more information.

Gadget for keeping fit

Keep-fit gadgets have been around for a while now, but in the last year they have become smaller and better designed. Our favourite on the market is FitBit. They have different products on the market, depending on the style, size and budget you have.

Their latest product the FitBit is the FitBit Alta. It costs around £100.00 and enables you to track how many steps you have done, the distance you have covered, counts how many calories you have burned off. It syncs with Andriod and IOS devices, unfortunately, it is not compatible with Windows phones at the moment.

You can set yourself daily challenges, for example; challenge yourself to take 10,000 steps a day. You can even set up group challenges, so your whole team can keep fit.

Visit https://www.fitbit.com/uk for further details.

App for navigating your commute

Is your daily commute into the city dogged by delays? Do you frequently find you are running late because of problems with transport? If you answered “Yes” to both questions, then Citymapper, could be the app for you.

Available on Andriod and IOS devices, it maps out your journey, giving you the easiest and quickest route. But it does more than that, it gives you live updates on the tube, tells when your next bus is due and how much the journey costs, it also gives details on cycle routes (if you are brave enough to use this option) and tells you long it would take you to walk.

The best news is, you get all this for free.

Visit https://citymapper.com and try it out for yourself.

App for organising your travel documents

As a finance contractor,  you may have to travel a lot for work. If so, keeping all your travel documents organised in one place is extremely important. You don’t want to get to check in and find you haven’t got a copy of your boarding pass.

If you have to travel frequently for work, then you need Tripit.

Tripit, is an app that organises all your travel documents in one place. The free version, allows you to access your documents on your tablet or smartphone, syncs with your calendar so you know when you are travelling and where you are staying and you can share your these documents with others, for instance, your boss. So he/she knows your where you are (we are not sure if this is a good or bad thing though!).

The paid for version, gives you more options, such as getting real-time flight alerts, so you know if your flight is on-time or not, and it also automatically gives you alternate flights if you need to rebook your seat.

If you are a frequent traveler, check out https://www.tripit.com/ to see what other features if offers.

App for keeping track of your business

If you are looking for a service that can handle all your business finances, we recommend FreeAgent.* It is extremely popular amongst freelance contractors (it was originally designed and developed by three IT contractors) as it was designed with contractors in mind.

In short, it enables you to control your finances on the move. You can create and send invoices, record your expenses and snap receipts with your phone on the go and upload them to FreeAgent wherever you are. Anything you do in the app is immediately updated in your FreeAgent account.

The most important aspect of FreeAgent is that you can share this access with your accountant as well.

Visit http://www.freeagent.com/ for more information.

*In order to use the FreeAgent app you do have to have a FreeAgent Account.

Here, at Cogent Accountants, our philosophy is to make your life as a finance contractor, simpler and easier.  Using the latest technology and expert knowledge ‘we do the work, while you do the play’.  Speak to us today to see how we can help you manage your finances.

Every contractor should love their accountant. Why? I hear you asking. Well, firstly they love doing the thing you hate: your tax return, secondly, they can save you money, and thirdly, they can help your business grow and become successful.

If you have fallen out of love with your accountant and are looking for a new one, or, you are looking to engage the services of an accountant for the first time, then ask yourself the following questions:

What do I need an accountant for?

Think carefully about what you want the accountant to do for you. If you are new to contracting and are looking to operate via a Limited Company, choose a firm of accountants who can set this up for you. There is quite often a charge for this, but some firms will do this free of charge as a way of enticing you to sign up to their services.
You might already be operating via a Limited Company but are finding that you need guidance in other areas, for instance, you might be wondering if you need to be VAT registered, or you are unsure if you are working in or outside of IR35.

Decide what you want the accountant to do for you, and clearly communicate this to them when you are enquiring about their services. If they can not help you with this, look for somebody who can.

What type of relationship am I comfortable with?

Do you want to be able to go and see your accountant and discuss things face to face? Or, are you comfortable dealing with them over the phone and by email? If you prefer face to face meetings, it is pointless choosing a firm who is situated miles away from you.

If you are comfortable dealing with them by phone and email, check out how easy they are to get hold of. Call their offices and see how quickly they answer the phone or drop them an email and see how long they take to respond.

It is worth asking who you will be dealing with and if you will get to speak to the same person each time. You ideally should have one person who oversees your account. Some larger firms of accountants operate via a call centre system and your call or email will be allocated to the next available consultant.

How easy are they to use?

There has been a big shift in the last few years with accountants moving to online systems. These web or cloud based systems are popular because of their ease of use and accessibility. Ask if you will you be shown how to use it and what aftercare support is provided. You don’t want to sign up to it and then discover when something goes wrong, that you are left on your own to sort it out.

How much do they charge? 

Fees vary from firm to firm. Do a comparison of your selected firms (seek recommendations from others) and list out their fees and what they include and don’t include. This will help narrow down the search.

Do they know what they are talking about?

We have saved the most important to last, ‘How experienced is the accountant in the contractor market?’ Look on their website and find out details about the partners and account managers. Note what professional bodies they belong to.

Ask for examples of the type of enquiries they are experienced in dealing with (this type of information is often included in the firms welcome pack). Most, accountants now have a page on their website showcasing client testimonials. Have a read through and see what people have to say.

The best way to find an accountant is through personal recommendations. Speak to other contractors, explain what you need the accountant to do for you and ask who they would recommend you use.

At Cogent, we pride ourselves on the personal relationships we build with our clients. That is why many of them have been with us for a long time. They know, they can pick up the phone and speak to somebody who knows them personally and who understands their business. If you are looking for an accountant, give us a call today on 020 8952 2234. 

The Olympics is a spectacular event. It is awe inspiring to watch the athletes who have trained for years to compete in the games to win a medal. If we said to you that athletes and contractors have a number of things in common, would you believe us? Probably not! But, it is surprising how much in common contractors and athletes have with each other: each is a specialist in their field, competition for the top spot is rife, and if successful,  the rewards are great.

So, in celebration of the Rio Olympics 2016 , we look at what contractors can learn from athletes on how to ‘Crush the Competition’:

Be adaptable

It will be surprising to know that quite a few of the world’s top sports personalities actually started out in a different sport. For instance, Ian Botham (top cricketer) started out playing football for Scunthorpe United, and possibly most surprisingly, Usain Bolt(fastest man on the Earth)  dreamt of playing football for Manchester United!

We are not suggesting that you quit your job to become a professional sports person! What we are saying, is that, it can be easy to stay with what we know. But, if this is not working out for you , don’t be afraid to try something else.

Aim to beat your personal best  

When an athlete achieves a ‘personal best’, it is not the end of the road for them. The drive and determination they have, steers them on to do even better next time. As a contractor, operating in a highly competitive arena it would be irresponsible not to adopt the same philosophy.

As Albert Einstein said, “Once you stop learning, you start dying”. Regularly take time out to top up your knowledge and skills by reading trade magazines, attending training courses organised by industry bodies or brushing up on your skills with online training courses.

This is particularly pertinent if you contract in the digital or IT market where technology is developing at such an immense rate.

Don’t operate in isolation

Behind every great athlete is a great team of professionals, including psychologists’, medics and coaches. As a contractor, you won’t need this level of support (unless you have a dangerous job!), but it is important that you have a support network around you, and an accountant needs to be included in this.

An accountant who is experienced in the contractor market will be able to advise you on the best way to operate and how to minimise your tax responsibilities. Tax is a very complicated area and getting it wrong could have a devastating effect on your business, so getting professional advice on is very important.

Invest in your brand

Every top athlete knows the importance of building their personal brand to help attract lucrative endorsement deals. Whilst you might not be looking to find sponsors, you are trying to attract new contracts. Having a distinctive brand will help differentiate yourself from your competition and help sell your services to clients. At the basic level, this should include having a profile on a business networking site such as LinkedIn. If you want to move it to the next level, creating a simple but well-designed website will help establish your brand.

Know your competition

You may see your competition as the enemy, but they can also be a role model, somebody who you look up to and learn from. In your network, is there somebody who you admire? If the answer is yes, spend some time studying how they work and what areas they specialise in. Then use this knowledge to make your service offering even better.

As a contractor, it is impossible to study all your competitors, as there are thousands of contractors out there offering a similar service to you. So, limit your research to those you know well or have worked with before.

In order to win the race, you have to be in it in the first place

What you don’t want to find,  is that you have put in a great effort to go for a contract, only to price yourself out of it. A way around this is to talk to recruitment consultants who specialise in your field to find out what the average rate is for a particular skill set, and then use this to establish your own minimum charge rate.

For further contractor tips, please check out our other articles. Alternatively, if you would like to speak to a member of the Cogent team, please call us on 020 8952 2234. 

Productivity tips for Contractors and Freelancers

We are in the midst of the holiday season and the temperature has increased by a degree or two. Hurray! It might be summer and you are focused on your summer holidays and lazy days in the sun, but you still have work to do or clients to please.

To help you get through this ‘manana mood’ and get the most out of your working day, we bring you our essential productivity tips for contractors and freelancers.

Fill the tank

A car can’t run without oil and petrol (or diesel). The same philosophy applies to you. Your body and brain will not be able to reach full throttle unless it has enough fuel. So, start the day off with a fuel enthused breakfast, have regular snacks throughout the day and drink plenty of fluids (water and juice).

Set yourself a challenge

My favourite tip is to set yourself personal challenges throughout the day. Got a report to write? Then challenge yourself to get it finished by a certain time. If you succeed, then reward yourself with something you like. In my case, chocolate! If you fail the challenge, then you face a forfeit.

Take charge

We all hate attending meetings when we are bogged down with work, but sometimes they are necessary. If you find yourself in this situation, be the boss and take charge of organising the meeting. This way you can pick a time that suits you and determine the schedule.

If you have clients to catch up with, don’t wait for them to call you. Be the one to call them. If they don’t answer, leave a message stating that you will call them back at a designated time. This way you know your time will be free to complete your urgent tasks.

Stick to a schedule

It might have been a long time since you were at school (it was for some of us here!) but we all remember what the school day structure was like ‘lesson, break, lesson, break…’ This routine may seem regimented but it works. It is important to take regular scheduled breaks throughout the day. This will stop you from getting distracted and wasting valuable minutes.

Banish futile technology

Smartphones are fantastic but they can also be addictive. It is very tempting to quickly catch up with what is happening on Facebook or Twitter, or play a quick game of Pokemon Go! Don’t get into the habit of doing this during your working hours. Save it for lunchtime or the journey home. Instead, invest your time in using technology that will make your work life easier, such as Trello, Evernote, GotoMeeting etc.

Strip it all back

We have all come across colleagues or clients whose emails resemble the book War and Peace. They think they are being helpful by giving you all the details and you are thinking ‘just get to the point’. The trick is to read the email thoroughly and then highlight any important information. If you can’t act upon it there and then, mark it as Follow-up and add a note in the Flag To box. When you next look at the email you will know instantly what it is needed to be done without reading the whole email again.

Learn to say ‘No’ in a nice way

As a contractor, you may want to impress your colleagues, or as a freelancer, you may want to show your client how productive and accommodating you can be. However, everybody has a limit on the number of things they can manage to successfully work on during the day. Therefore, knowing how to turn down work without jeopardising the relationship is important. Try saying something like “It is great that you thought of me and I would love to work on the project but I have a couple of urgent deadlines coming up and I am afraid I won’t be able to give your project the attention it deserves”.

Even though the client might be disappointed that you can’t do the job they will appreciate your honesty. It is better to turn down a job down then take it on and rush it through.

Check out our other blog articles for valuable tips and advice.