Opus Insights
Insights
Tax, compliance and business commentary, updated as the rules change.
Showing 12 of 120 articles
Take care when painting non-compete clauses with a broad brush
Protecting hard-won local customer networks is a constant and necessary battle for commercial suppliers. However, a recent High Court judgement has exposed the risks inherent in employing standard ‘bo…
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Is AI delivering real value for small businesses?
Artificial intelligence (AI) has dominated business headlines over the past year, with many suggesting it will transform the way companies operate. While there is no doubt that AI has enormous potenti…
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Why uncertain times make business planning more important
Economic conditions remain uncertain and many business owners are understandably cautious about the months ahead. Although there are signs of improvement in some sectors, rising costs, changing custom…
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Payroll compliance – what is Full Payment Submission?
A Full Payment Submission (FPS) is a payroll report that employers must send to HMRC every time they pay employees. Using payroll software, employers use an FPS to report payments made, deductions fro…
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Have you checked your State Pension forecast recently?
Your State Pension forecast can help you plan for retirement by showing how much State Pension you could be entitled to, when you can claim it and whether there are ways to increase your entitlement.…
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Tax benefits of giving assets to charity
Most people are aware that cash donations to a charity can qualify for tax relief. However, it is less well known that gifts of land, property and qualifying shares can also provide valuable tax advan…
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Do you need to pay tax on money received from family?
Receiving money from a family member can be a welcome source of financial support, but many people are unsure whether they need to pay tax on it. In most cases, the person receiving a gift does not pa…
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Claiming tax relief on professional training
Keeping your skills and knowledge up to date is important but the cost of professional training can add up. If you are self-employed some training costs may be claimed as allowable business expenses.…
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Tax-free childcare, are you missing out?
With childcare costs continuing to rise, many working families could be missing out on valuable support through the Tax-Free Childcare scheme. The scheme helps eligible parents pay for registered chil…
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Late payments still threaten small business cash flow
Late payments remains one of the biggest challenges facing small businesses across the UK. Even companies that are profitable on paper can find themselves under financial pressure if customers fail to…
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Rising employment costs are changing business decisions
Employment costs continue to rise, and many small businesses are feeling the impact. Higher wage bills, increased employment related costs and the expense of recruiting and retaining skilled employees…
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Does your business need to register as an employer?
If you are starting to employ staff or engaging subcontractors for construction work, you will generally need to register as an employer with HMRC. This obligation extends even to individuals who are…
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