Recommend me your accountant

[CrazyHorse23]

Hi all,

I've had my current accountant for a couple of years (SJD) now and they are very good at what they do. However, I want to move because:

1. I feel they're expensive, even though I haven't yet been able to find an equivalent to compare charges.
2. They're not proactively providing me with tailored ways in which to reduce my tax liability.
3. I have to do my own book-keeping (unless I want to be charged even more).

Do you have an accountant who you would recommend?

Looking forward to your responses.

CrazyHorse23

[Grinder]

Are there any local to you? They would be cheaper than a major national organisation - you just have to quiz them on their expertise re tax & regulations around IT contractors - mine is fully clued up & sends out a newsletter to all his contractor clients every quarter.

[Waldorf]

I use nixon williams, they do all the usual accounting needs, so I am sure you would be happy with them.

They do your book keeping for you and charge £60/month.

[Peter Loew]

I thought as the director you had to do your own book keeping?

[Uncle Max]

I have recently started using 1st Option. Its early days but in the first 3 weeks their service have been spot on and again the book keeping charge is included in their fees! They seem very well versed in most of the main contractor issues.

[Waldorf]

I thought as the director you had to do your own book keeping?

So you think the directors of Marks & Spencer, Vodafone, BP etc do their own book-keeping?

Directors are responsible for the accounting records, but we do not need to do them personally.

[ipguy]

I use nixon williams, they do all the usual accounting needs, so I am sure you would be happy with them.

They do your book keeping for you and charge £60/month.

I'm not happy with Nixon Williams. I have to check the figures all the time. Lots of mistakes.

[Nixon Williams]

I'm not happy with Nixon Williams. I have to check the figures all the time. Lots of mistakes.

Further to your other posting on another thread, please contact me with your concerns and some details, either PM me or email me at alanatnixonwilliams.com

Alan

[phileds]

Doing accounts for most small limited companies (certainly for most IT contractors) is money for old rope. So why pay over the top, especially in these competitive and expensive times?

I used to be with JSA. Note the past tense.

I'm happy to pay for an accountant who is (a) ACTUALLY an accountant (b) contactable at short notice (c) local to me (so I can "pay him a visit" if necessary, and if things demand some face-to-face action) and (d) speaks fluent English.

On point (a), don't laugh. I find the bigger/more impersonal the firm, the more likely the person you talk to on the phone will have no clue regarding accounting and tax, certainly not enough to advise you on it - not that that will stop them attempting to do so.

Ditto contactability. Nothing worse than ringing up and having to jump through hoops to talk to someone who actually knows their subject. You want to call one named person (let's call them, for the sake of simplicity, your accountant) and speak to THEM, not some phone monkey based in Mumbai.

I like the idea of being able to pop in for a chat to discuss matters. Yup, I even do so occasionally.

As for point (d), essential. Having to explain to someone what "my account is in the red" means is just no fun, especially when they pretend to understand but, as you find out to your cost later, they evidently didn't.

If cost is a major factor, I would suggest (certainly if you're based in London) that you look further afield, since a London or indeed South-East based firm will be paying far higher rents, rates and wages than a competent outfit in, say, Sheffield, and local taxes are unfortunately where alot of our fees end up. And being based in England you should (ha ha ha) have no communication issues, and still maintain the possibility of paying him a visit should the need for some reason arise.

As for accountants being pro-active and suggesting useful tax mitigating actions, in my 14 years of contracting I've never had an accountant who did this. I can only presume that their software which does 99% of the work for them doesn't have the capabilities to suggest a company meal once a year, or other more useful methods for minimising tax.