Accountants - recommendations?

[NiceCupOfTea]

Hi folks,

I've been self employed and filling in a tax return for the last 10 years or so, and I also work for 2 or 3 other employers on an employed basis.

I've been doing my own accounts all this time to the best of my knowledge but I am sick to death of the stress every year and the feeling of no matter how much reading up I do I just can't stay on top of all the rules.

It has come to a head this year when two of my employers have given me what I believe to be duff info on payslips and P60s but I can't argue with their payroll depts as I am not an expert. It's cost me quite a bit of stress and probably quite a bit of tax too.

So, maybe it's time to get an accountant.

I have a couple of questions though.

What format would an accountant expect the figures in? I currently use an Excel spreadsheet that I dump all my P60s/pay/receipts into - would that be any good or would they want to do it all their own way with shoe boxes of receipts? Or a middle ground where I just supply a list of the receipts I have and the pay I've received?

Secondly, does anybody have any recommendations for accountants based in the SE (preferably SE London or north Kent area or nearby) who have some experience of dealing with musicians' affairs?

Thanks in advance.

[The Moose]

hello mate

my accountant is in Bedford, but is bloody good! if you want the info, PM me!!

cheers

the moose

[Eric Mc]

Many of my clients use Excel spreadsheets which, if written up sensibly, can be very useful. However, I also like to see original documents as well - particularly P60s, P45s, Detailed Notices of Coding issued in the year, bank statements and interest certificates, dividend vouchers (or summaries provided by the dividend issuers).

If self employed, then at the very least, schedules of sales invoices issued during the year, summaries of expenditure - analysed iof possible, business account bank statements, copies of finance agreementsetc etc. It is nice to have original documentation wherever possible because, no matter how good a client is, they do not always fully understand what is really required for tax and accounts purposes.
A very good example of the latter is the usual total ignorance of the way lease/HP/Finance Agreements vary from a tax/accounts point of view. Many clients aren't even sure what type of agreement they have actually taken out.