Your Accounting Questions Answered
Do I need to charge VAT when I claim expenses from a client?
Yes. If you were an employee you could make an expense claim without charging VAT but as a supplier to your client, any time* you receive money from a client you make a sale.
How can I forecast my cash flow?
Xero has a built-in tool to support cash flow forecasting, there are two versions available the first is included in the base package called Xero short-term cash flow, the second version is an add on to your account called Xero Analytics Plus.
What does it mean if my Director's Loan Account is 'overdrawn'?
When a Director's Loan Account is overdrawn it means the Director has taken more money from the company than they are owed.
What is a valid VAT Receipt or Invoice?
In order for you to claim back VAT upon your Vat returns there are certain requirements and information that HMRC need in order to confirm whether the record is valid or not for the payment.
What is a Person of Significant Control (PSC)?
Companies House require companies to maintain a register of Directors, Shareholders and also Persons of Significant Control.
Can I claim lunch as a business expense?
Generally expenses are only tax deductible if they are 'wholly and exclusively' for the business. As we need lunch to survive rather than for our business it generally it is not allowable.
Why is my Xero balance and statement balance different?
The statement balance in Xero is your opening bank balance plus the sum of all the bank statements that have been imported into the bank account.
How long do I need to keep my business records?
Ltd Company records must be kept for 6 years from the last date of the financial year they relate to.
How much dividend can I vote?
Company Directors can vote dividends up to the amount of ‘Retained Profit’ in the company.
How much dividend can I take?
It is important to understand that there is a difference between what has been voted and a dividend paid.
What is P11d?
P11d is a report that HMRC requires to be done annually on Directors' and Employees' Expenses and Benefits.
What is Flat Rate VAT?
Flat Rate VAT is a VAT scheme that allows you to calculate the VAT you pass on to HMRC in a different way to the Standard Scheme.
What is the difference between bookkeeping and accounts?
The simplest explanation is that bookkeeping is a stage on the way to creating accounts.
What is the Director's Loan Account?
The Director’s Loan Account is a running tally of what the company owes to the Director.
What is a dividend?
A dividend is a distribution of profits after tax by a company to its shareholders.