With particular expertise in supporting owner-managed businesses and assisting individuals with tax matters, Karen Williams, General Practice Director looks at the best time to seek advice from your advisors, and shares what she enjoys most about being based in our office in the centre of Bath.
What do you specialise in?
As a firm, we’re fortunate to have an incredible breadth of services for our clients – from the usual services that you’d expect like Audit, Accountancy and Tax Compliance, to a range of advisory and specialist services such as VAT and Tax Planning, Forensic Accounting, and Restructuring and Insolvency.
Personally, I am a General Practice Director with a focus on supporting owner-managed businesses ranging from sole traders and partnerships to limited companies. I also deal with individuals and assist with their Capital Gains Tax, and Inheritance Tax, as well as Trusts and Estate Tax matters.
When is the best time to get advice?
It’s important to be in contact with your accountant as regularly as possible. It will become even more important if there are due to be or have been major changes in your life. This will help prevent the possibility of missing deadlines and help you feel more prepared.
For businesses, reviewing management accounts will help to identify trends and potential issues – allowing for early intervention.
The use of software helps significantly to make sure you have accurate, real-time information, to be able to make better informed decisions. With the introduction of Making Tax Digital (MTD) for individuals, you are also going to need to be aware of the tools available, such as software and apps. There are also certain times of the year when you should be speaking with your accountant.
For businesses, pre-year-end planning discussions ahead of your financial year-end, and for individuals, a review before the end of the tax year, helps to ensure that you’re up to date with the relevant tax planning opportunities and allowances available.
What do you like about working in Bath?
Bath is a fantastic place to work – our office at 4 Queen Street is perfectly located to meet my clients and contacts in town – and being just off Milsom Street makes it ideal for a spot of lunchtime window shopping!
I’ve had a very warm welcome from Milsted Langdon’s Bath team and have already been getting out and about at a number of excellent local networking events to catch up with familiar faces and make new connections, with the aim of becoming integrated into Bath’s close-knit business community.