Some business owners put off getting an accountant for as long as possible. However, the accountants Newcastle business owners use for financial advice can help local companies go from merely surviving to thriving.
If you have made it this far as a small business owner without hiring an accountant, then you’re probably doing an amazing job. Despite this, you will most likely need an accountant to help you if you are ready to take your business to the next level. Keep reading to find out 5 reasons why this is the case.
- Comprehensive financial services = peace of mind
Accountants provide a wide range of financial services to their clients. Some of these include offering tax advice, preparing tax returns and accounts, creating important documents like reports, budgets and financial statements. Accountants also regularly meet with clients to discuss the company’s financial situation and use a specialist skill set to uncover unique insights that can help businesses save and make more money.
Small business owners can take it upon themselves to manage their business finances themselves, but it is stressful. If you are not a qualified accountant, it is difficult to know where to begin with the many aspects of managing business finances. Making sense of complex figures can also be a tedious, unforgiving task for someone without accountancy training.
To remove this stress, it’s as simple as getting a qualified accountant onboard.
- It frees up more time for you to focus on other parts of running the business
Let’s face it, unless you actually run an accountancy firm, very few business owners dream of setting up a company to spend their working hours mainly focused on crunching numbers.
You probably set up your business to either follow your passion, help others or actualise an amazing idea that you know customers will love. Your ‘why’ for starting a business might even be a combination of these factors.
Do you find that you are spending too much time on looking at the finances to do the fun parts of running a business? Do you wish you had more time for things like building relationships with customers or developing your products and services? If the answer is yes to either of these questions then it’s high time for you to call an accountant.
- You can avoid making costly mistakes
Independent business owners will find themselves spinning many plates at any given time. This means that it is all too easy for them to let important tasks fall to the wayside and miss important deadlines.
Unfortunately if this happens, the consequences can be very concerning. In the UK, if your business taxes are filed late you will receive a fine. According to the UK Government website, if your taxes are filed up to three months late, the penalty is a £100 fine. You will be required to pay a higher fine if you pay the tax bill late or if you submit your tax return even later than three months after. For late payments, you will also be charged interest.
You can also receive penalties if you provide incorrect information on your returns and paperwork or if you pay an incorrect amount.
You will find that these situations are completely preventable and avoidable if you hire an accountant. Additionally, the money that you can save on not having to pay any fees or penalties means you have more money to invest back into the business.
- Operations will run more smoothly
It goes without saying, if you are using the services of an accountant, your business will have better cash flow. If you can outsource certain tasks to a stellar accountant like managing payroll, you will find that their expertise will make these processes much more streamlined. The risk of errors being made will be greatly reduced too.
If there is only one reason why your business should have an accountant, it is that you will be able to run your business operations more efficiently.
- Extra Support
It feels good having someone who is always in your corner. This is one of the most underrated reasons why having an accountant can help independent businesses so much.
The best accountants you could ask for will always have your business’ best interests at heart. They will genuinely want your business to succeed and will ensure that your finances are being managed in an optimal way.