General Blog
Some pre-budget thoughts on marriage, child benefit and the tax system
Budget 2012 is exactly a month away but it has already been leaked that George Osborne will not be introducing transferable allowances for married couples and civil partners. It was a Conservative manifesto pledge to introduce this in the current Parliament and the coalition agreement provides for Lib Dem MPs to abstain on the issue. However it looks like it won’t get that far in this budget round.
Proposals for a transferrable personal allowance for married couples
Read moreEquity is... about being prepared
The most emotive of the ‘funding arsenal’ available to business is equity. In a way that is what makes “Dragons Den” such good TV; remembering however that participants are playing to the cameras. Factually and at the most simplistic level, equity investment involves the current shareholder(s) of Company A selling a percentage of Company A for injection of fresh capital to Investor(s).
Read moreJohn Endacott’s Pre – Budget Thoughts
It looks like it is going to be a pretty noisy run in to the budget given the amount of press comment in the last few days. There is still over a month to go to a Budget which has been expected to be relatively uneventful by most tax commentators. The reason for this is that there is simply not much money for the government to play with and therefore it is difficult to see that there will be dramatic changes.  
Read moreBudgets and Business Plans
It’s that time in the annual financial cycle when many are looking to the year ahead, and for numerous businesses the process can start with the Finance Director/Controller preparing this year’s budgets and projections.
However, before delving straight into spread sheets, it’s well worth taking the opportunity to stand back and look at the existing business, consider the changing marketplace and how this may impact on trade and provide different opportunities in the future.
Read moreInvestment Funding Opportunities for the Country Sport Industry
I recently became aware of a ‘lower level’ investment fund that is available to businesses who are involved in or provide services for the country sport industry. Farmers, landowners, rural accommodation businesses, food producers and shooting and horse-riding providers in South West England could access investment to develop their country sports facilities and boost business.
Read moreFragile World
Can the current economic climate be partially blamed on the credit culture we now adopt??
The idea of saving money for that all important purchase is becoming a distant memory for all but a few people, particularly if you are aged between 25 and 44.
Despite the economic downturn, and difficulties being experienced by millions, provision of credit has evolved into a whole new animal.
With the increasing popularity of the internet, it’s no longer necessary to go to your bank to borrow money.
Read moreMore doom and gloom for family finances
The Government’s Autumn Statement was not very cheerful. It confirmed that there are many tough years ahead for family finances and it is important that people get their house in order as far (and as soon) as possible. Public sector workers are complaining about the need to work longer, contribute more to their pensions and to have less pension income in retirement – but this appears to be the future for all of us. It seems that there is no choice and that we all have to consume less and save more.
Read moreThe Autumn Statement – What it means for private clients
Despite it being fairly obvious of the need to reduce debt and increase equity in businesses (and everything else) the government has been slow to appreciate this. As a result efforts have been concentrated on Project Merlin and other large scale bank funding initiatives which were always doomed to failure. Meanwhile, private individuals have been starting to invest in businesses.
Read moreResponse to the Chancellor's Autumn Statement
George Osborne’s Autumn Statement is somewhat of a curate’s egg – good in parts. The measures he announced that will impact most strongly on the South West include the £500m house building plan paid for through the sale of social housing coupled with the mortgage indemnity scheme to help first time buyers.
Read moreYou Are Not Alone
Endless red tape has long been recognised as a major challenge to small businesses and particularly to tourism related enterprise where a typical business not only lacks the economies of scale to soften the costs of regulatory compliance, but is also labour intensive and burdened with the labyrinth of regulation that accompanies this onerous responsibility.
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