🟣🟢 Don't miss your Opportunity

🌅 Hello there…

In this week’s Financial Stuff:

• 🏡 Feeling insecure? (1 min read)

• 🎯 Don’t let the Opportunity pass (<3 mins read)

So let’s get started…👉

I remember it so clearly - me, nervously staring at the camera, wondering what I was thinking agreeing to do this, about to record my first YouTube video.

It was a bit scary.

And yet now, somehow, those videos have been watched over 30,000 times!

Honestly, I know it’s not a huge number compared to lots of other channels, but I still can’t quite believe it. Putting myself out there like that wasn't easy at all.

It took a lot to hit record that first time, and even more to press 'upload.'

I was scared of messing up, of sounding ridiculous, of being judged.

But you know what? I did it anyway.

I’m not saying this to impress you, but to impress upon you, that now, every time I see those views, it reminds me that pushing through fear is worth it, even if that fear never completely goes away.

I still get that flutter of insecurity before each one, but I’m pushing myself to show up despite it.

Fear’s funny like that, isn’t it? It loves to keep us stuck.

Whether it's making videos or dealing with something like financial planning.

I know a lot of people who put off making a financial plan because it makes them feel a bit anxious - too complex, too big, or just too much to handle.

But just like me and my videos, once you take that first step, the progress can be incredible.

If fear is holding you back from sorting your finances, maybe it's time to take a deep breath and go for it - because honestly, the other side of fear is pretty good.

🎯BUSINESS OWNERS STRATEGIES
Don’t let the opportunity pass you by…

Too many business owners waste the opportunity for planning in the run up to their company year end.

About a third of companies have their accounting year end between now and the 31st December. Another third by the 31st March.

So if that’s you, now is the perfect time to start planning. Here are 3 things to get you started:

🟪 Maximise your Company Pension Contributions

If you’ve got up to date management accounts you will have a good idea of 1) if you’re likely to have a taxable profit by the end of the year, and 2) your cashflow.

By the way, if you don’t track these two, start doing it now! You need to have this information before your year end, not afterwards!

Imagine your accounts are showing a taxable profit of £30,000.

By making a one-off pension contribution, you could lower that amount and save a good chunk on Corporation Tax.

The great thing about employer pension contributions is that they’re tax-deductible and don’t count as salary or a taxable benefit.

That means no income tax or National Insurance contributions. It’s a win-win: you save on tax now, and you’re building up your pension pot for later.

🟪 Review your Dividend Strategy

If you’re a shareholder in your business, you’re probably taking income through a mix of salary and dividends.

This is a good time to review how much you’re taking out in dividends before your company’s year-end.

Dividends are generally taxed at a lower rate than salary (currently we don’t know what the Budet might bring), which is great for efficiency, but it’s important to keep them at a reasonable level to avoid any unwanted attention from HMRC.

Planning your dividend payments carefully can really help you optimise your tax efficiency.

And remember, make sure your dividends are properly declared and documented. The last thing you want is a surprise from HMRC because something wasn’t recorded correctly.

🟪 Check your Director’s Loan Account

If you’ve got a director’s loan account - whether you’ve borrowed money from your business or lent money to it - there are tax implications to be aware of.

If your loan account is overdrawn, you’ll want to repay it before the year-end to avoid additional charges like Section 455 tax (ask your accountant if you’re not sure).

On the other hand, if the company owes you money, consider charging interest - it’s a way to benefit from interest deductions.

These strategies can be a powerful way for owner-shareholders to minimise tax exposure while maximising savings and benefits.

And, of course, it’s always worth running your plans past your accountant to make sure you’re fully compliant and that everything is tailored to your specific needs.

Some accountants are better than others at flagging up year-end planning opportunities, so it’s really up to you to get ahead of the game.

Don’t leave it to the last minute - a little proactive planning now can make a big difference to your tax bill and overall financial health.

It’s all about staying on top of things, setting aside some time to look at these 3 areas and making sure your hard-earned business is working for you.

😎AND FINALLY
This week on Youtube…

In this week’s video, I’m talking about Company Year end planning, so if you’d rather watch than read, here you go… 3 Year End Planning strategies EVERY business owner needs to know!

Check it out here 👇👇👇

As always, I hope you found this helpful.

If you have any questions at all, drop me a note.

Hilary 😎

P.S Whenever you’re ready maybe I can help: Book a Discovery call and find out if we can help you

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