How to work out tax and NI

Small-business owners are not expected to be experts on tax and NI, but ignorance is no defence. Here are some of the key rates and facts you need.

It helps to understand the taxes likely to affect your business, and have systems to help you comply with your obligations. Read our tax overview.

Employers pay employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) for each employee, and also collect their employees’ contributions. Our guide to NICs.

If you take on employees, you will need to set up a payroll system to make sure you're fulfilling your legal obligations. Here's where to start.

Once your sales reach the annual threshold, you must register for VAT. Our guide to when and how to register, and what you need to do once you have.

If you have employees, you must operate a PAYE scheme. Chartered accountant Howard Hackney provides need-to-know answers to questions about PAYE.

When you become self-employed you become responsible for your own tax and NI. You'll need to know what and how much tax to pay and when.

Chartered certified accountant Raphael Coman of Coman & Co answers some key questions about tax returns, including important deadlines.

Kate Fisher explains the circumstances under which your business should be VAT registered, when you have to register and when you might choose to.

This Tool will help you budget for your self-assessment tax and national insurance bill based on your estimated weekly or monthly profits.

The choice of date for your accounting year-end is entirely up to you as a business owner, but there are many factors for a business to consider.

There are many myths about accounting and taxation, most of them wide of the mark. So what's the reality? Time to dispel these five common myths.

Maintaining your own financial records (doing your books) can seem daunting when you’re new to it. Elaine Clark gives her top five tips.

Setting up a company is quick and easy, but it creates a range of administrative responsibilities. Here's a basic introduction to get you started.

If you operate a limited company from premises, yet do some work at home, why not rent a room to your business and reduce your tax bill.

Visit the cheapaccounting.co.uk website to use a simple online tool that enables you to estimate your take home pay after tax as a sole trader.

Bookkeeping need not be complicated if you start off on the right foot. Tim Haggard explains where start-ups often go wrong when doing their books.