Accountant FAQs: tax, accounts and fees in Bury

Jackson Lee Accountants Ltd is an ACCA-registered practice at 10 St Mary's Place, Bury BL9 0DZ. We provide self-assessment tax returns, bookkeeping, VAT and Making Tax Digital returns, payroll and auto-enrolment, limited company accounts and corporation tax, capital gains tax reporting and business and tax planning advice. As a Companies House Authorised Corporate Service Provider we can also verify directors' identities. Call 0161 327 0047 for a free 30-minute consultation.

We're a firm of Chartered Certified Accountants in Bury town centre, led by Mike Jackson FCCA, who has worked in accountancy practice for over 30 years. We look after around 500 clients across Bury and Greater Manchester, including sole traders, landlords, company directors and owner-managed businesses. Each client has a dedicated team leader for day-to-day help, with Mike supporting the team in the background. We're registered with ACCA and are Xero partners. Our fees are fixed and agreed before any work starts, so there are no surprise bills for routine work. Call 0161 327 0047 for a free 30-minute consultation.

Missing a deadline can lead to automatic HMRC penalties and unnecessary stress. We stay on top of every filing date for you, send reminders, and submit returns early — so you never have to worry.

Yes. We’ll keep your books perfectly reconciled and file your VAT returns through Xero, ensuring full Making Tax Digital compliance.

We agree a routine that suits your business: weekly, fortnightly, monthly or quarterly. Each time, we match and reconcile your bank transactions in Xero and record your sales and purchase invoices. That keeps your records up to date, ready for Making Tax Digital and, if you're registered, ready for VAT. If you'd like them, we can also send monthly or quarterly management reports (profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow) and explain them in plain English. Bookkeeping starts from £19 a month plus VAT on a fixed fee.

Making Tax Digital (MTD) is HMRC's move to digital records and online submissions using compatible software. All VAT-registered businesses already keep digital records and file VAT returns this way. MTD for Income Tax started on 6 April 2026 for sole traders and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000. They now send HMRC quarterly updates as well as a final return. The threshold falls to £30,000 from April 2027 and £20,000 from April 2028. We set up Xero, keep your records MTD-ready and make the submissions for you.

We can help you figure that out! We'll review your income sources, explain HMRC’s rules clearly, and get you registered if needed, making the process simple and stress-free.

Online returns for a tax year ending 5 April are due by the following 31 January, which is also when any tax owed must be paid. If you need to register for the first time, tell HMRC by 5 October after the end of the tax year. Under the current rules, missing 31 January means an automatic £100 penalty, even if you owe no tax. Further penalties follow at 3, 6 and 12 months, plus interest on any late tax. Different rules apply to people already in Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. We send early reminders, file well before the deadline, and tell you exactly what to pay, including any payments on account. If you're already late, we'll help you catch up.

We set up and maintain your pension scheme, process deductions automatically, and submit all information to The Pensions Regulator on time.

HMRC expects a Full Payment Submission (FPS) on or before each payday, and PAYE to be paid on time. Late submissions can lead to penalties, and late payments to penalties and interest. Paying staff late also damages their trust quickly. We run your payroll to a fixed timetable and file every submission on time. Each pay run, we send you a report showing what to pay your staff, HMRC and your pension provider, and by when. If things have fallen behind with a previous provider, we can help put them right.

Yes — we prepare statutory accounts, file your Corporation Tax (CT600) with HMRC, and advise on director salaries and dividends for maximum tax efficiency.

A private limited company must file its annual accounts with Companies House within 9 months of its year end, though a company's first accounts have a different deadline. Corporation Tax is usually payable 9 months and 1 day after the year end, and the Corporation Tax return (CT600) is due within 12 months. Companies House and HMRC both charge automatic penalties for late filing. We prepare your accounts and CT600, file both for you, and tell you what to pay and when, well before each deadline. Limited company accounts and Corporation Tax start from £65 a month plus VAT on a fixed fee.

Yes. For most owner-managed companies, the mix of salary and dividends makes a real difference to the total tax paid by the company and the director. We look at your company's profits and your personal income together, recommend a salary and dividend plan for the year, run the director's payroll and prepare the dividend paperwork. We review the plan when tax rates or your circumstances change, rather than leaving the same plan in place year after year. This planning is part of our limited company service.

You must report and pay any Capital Gains Tax within 60 days of completion. We handle the calculation and digital filing so you stay compliant and penalty-free.

Yes, by making sure you pay only what you legally owe. On a property sale we check which reliefs and allowances apply: - Private Residence Relief, for any time the property was your home. - The annual exempt amount (£3,000 for 2026/27). - Allowable costs such as buying and selling fees and improvement work. - Any capital losses you can use. - Whether a transfer between spouses or civil partners before the sale would help. Lettings Relief now applies only where you shared the home with a tenant, so we'll tell you whether it's relevant. Talking to us before you sell gives the most room to plan. We also handle the 60-day report and payment for UK residential property, from £470 plus VAT.

We’re certified Xero partners, offering packages from Starter to Advanced. You’ll have secure, cloud-based access to your accounts anytime, anywhere.

Yes, although we’re proudly based in the centre of Bury, we support clients across Greater Manchester and beyond through secure online systems.

Jackson Lee Accountants Ltd is a firm of Chartered Certified Accountants based at 10 St Mary's Place, Bury BL9 0DZ, in Bury town centre. The firm is led by Mike Jackson FCCA, a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), and is registered with ACCA, which is also our anti-money laundering supervisor. We work with clients in and around Bury, including Radcliffe, Prestwich, Whitefield, Ramsbottom, Tottington, Heywood and the wider Greater Manchester area, meeting at our office, by phone or on Teams. Our services: - Limited company accounts and corporation tax (from £65 a month plus VAT). - Sole trader accounts and self-assessment (from £32 a month plus VAT). - Self-assessment tax returns with no business income (from £220 a year plus VAT). - VAT returns under Making Tax Digital (from £50 a month plus VAT). - Payroll and auto-enrolment (from £15 a month plus VAT). - Bookkeeping in Xero (from £19 a month plus VAT). - Capital gains tax on property sales (from £470 plus VAT). - Business and tax planning advice, and director identity verification as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider with Companies House. Chartered Certified (ACCA) and Chartered (ICAEW) accountants are both fully qualified and regulated professionals. Get your price online in about 2 minutes at jacksonleeaccountants.co.uk/fee-estimate, or call 0161 327 0047 for a free 30-minute consultation.

A chartered or chartered certified accountant is professionally qualified, regulated by a professional body such as ACCA or ICAEW, bound by a code of ethics and required to keep their knowledge up to date. For individuals and businesses in Bury, that typically means: - Preparing year-end accounts for sole traders, partnerships and limited companies, and filing them with Companies House. - Preparing and filing tax returns: self-assessment, corporation tax (CT600) and partnership returns. - VAT registration and quarterly Making Tax Digital VAT returns. - Running payroll, RTI submissions and workplace pension auto-enrolment. - Bookkeeping in cloud software such as Xero, and monthly management reports. - Tax planning, for example the best mix of salary and dividends for directors, and reliefs on property or business sales. - Capital gains tax calculations and 60-day property returns. - Dealing with HMRC on your behalf, and keeping you ahead of every deadline so you avoid penalties. - Identity verification for company directors, if the firm is an Authorised Corporate Service Provider. Jackson Lee Accountants Ltd is a firm of Chartered Certified Accountants at 10 St Mary's Place in Bury town centre, led by Mike Jackson FCCA (Fellow of ACCA). We provide all of the services above, for around 500 clients across Bury and Greater Manchester, on fixed monthly fees. Call 0161 327 0047 for a free 30-minute consultation.

A good accountant in Bury should be qualified and regulated, local enough to meet you in person, set up to work digitally, and clear about fees. Jackson Lee Accountants Ltd ticks all four: - Qualified: a firm of Chartered Certified Accountants led by Mike Jackson FCCA, a Fellow of ACCA. We're registered with ACCA, which is also our anti-money laundering supervisor, and we're registered with the ICO. - Local: our office is at 10 St Mary's Place, Bury BL9 0DZ, in the town centre, and we work with clients across Bury, Radcliffe, Prestwich, Whitefield, Ramsbottom, Heywood and the rest of Greater Manchester. - Digital: we're Xero partners, so your bookkeeping, VAT and payroll stay up to date in the cloud and you can see your figures at any time. - Clear fees: fixed monthly fees, paid by Direct Debit, with no surprise bills for routine work. Examples (plus VAT): sole trader accounts and tax return from £32 a month, limited company accounts from £65 a month, self-assessment from £220 a year, payroll from £15 a month, bookkeeping from £19 a month, VAT returns from £50 a month. We look after around 500 clients, including sole traders, landlords, company directors and owner-managed businesses. Each client has a dedicated team leader for day-to-day help. Get your price online in about 2 minutes at jacksonleeaccountants.co.uk/fee-estimate, or call 0161 327 0047 for a free 30-minute consultation by phone, Teams or at our office.

Jackson Lee Accountants Ltd, Chartered Certified Accountants at 10 St Mary's Place, Bury BL9 0DZ, provides business advisory services alongside its accounting and tax work for sole traders, landlords, partnerships and limited companies in Bury and across Greater Manchester. Our business advice includes: - Monthly or quarterly management reports from Xero (profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow), explained in plain English so you can see which parts of the business make money and where cash is tied up. - Tax planning for company directors, including the most tax-efficient mix of salary and dividends. - Choosing between sole trader and limited company, and help setting up a new company with HMRC and Companies House. - VAT advice: when to register, and whether the Flat Rate, Cash Accounting or Annual Accounting scheme suits you. - Payroll and pension set-up when you take on your first employees. - Planning ahead for capital gains tax on property or business sales. - Keeping you ahead of every HMRC and Companies House deadline. The firm is led by Mike Jackson FCCA, a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. We're registered with ACCA (our anti-money laundering supervisor), are Xero partners, and are an Authorised Corporate Service Provider with Companies House. Fees are fixed and agreed up front, and you can see your price online in about 2 minutes at jacksonleeaccountants.co.uk/fee-estimate. To get started, book a free 30-minute consultation by phone, Teams or at our Bury office: call 0161 327 0047 or book online at jacksonleeaccountants.co.uk.

Jackson Lee Accountants Ltd provides tax and business advisory services across Greater Manchester from our office at 10 St Mary's Place, Bury BL9 0DZ. We work with clients in Bury, Radcliffe, Prestwich, Whitefield, Ramsbottom, Heywood, Bolton, Rochdale, Manchester and Salford, meeting at our office, by phone or on Teams. Tax services: - Self-assessment tax returns for the self-employed, landlords, company directors and higher earners. - Limited company accounts and corporation tax returns (CT600). - VAT registration and quarterly Making Tax Digital VAT returns. - Payroll, RTI and workplace pension auto-enrolment. - Capital gains tax calculations and 60-day property returns. - Tax planning for director salaries and dividends. Business advice: - Management reports (profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow) from Xero. - Choosing between sole trader and limited company, and setting up new companies. - Choosing the right VAT scheme, and staying ahead of HMRC and Companies House deadlines. We're Chartered Certified Accountants, led by Mike Jackson FCCA and registered with ACCA, which is also our anti-money laundering supervisor. Fees are fixed, from £32 a month for sole traders and £65 a month for limited companies (plus VAT), and you can get your price online in about 2 minutes. Call 0161 327 0047 to book a free 30-minute consultation.

Business advisory services turn your figures into decisions. For owner-managed businesses in Bury and Greater Manchester, the main benefits are: 1. Paying less tax, legally. Planning director salaries and dividends, claiming the reliefs and allowances you're entitled to, and timing big purchases or property sales can save far more than the cost of advice. 2. Knowing where you stand. Regular management reports (profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow) show which work makes money, which customers pay late and where cash is tied up. 3. Avoiding penalties. HMRC and Companies House fine late filings automatically. An adviser who tracks every deadline for VAT, payroll, corporation tax and self-assessment stops that happening. 4. Better structure. Advice on sole trader versus limited company, VAT registration and the right VAT scheme puts the business on the right footing from the start. 5. Faster answers. A local accountant who already knows your numbers can answer questions quickly when you need to decide something. Jackson Lee Accountants, Chartered Certified Accountants at 10 St Mary's Place, Bury, provides this advice alongside bookkeeping, VAT, payroll, accounts and tax returns, all through Xero and for a fixed fee agreed up front. Call 0161 327 0047 for a free 30-minute consultation by phone, Teams or at our office.

The best accounting firm for an SME is one that is properly qualified, understands businesses of your size, works digitally and charges a clear, fixed fee. When comparing firms in Greater Manchester, check: - Qualifications and regulation: are they Chartered Certified (ACCA) or Chartered (ICAEW) accountants, with an anti-money laundering supervisor? - Services under one roof: bookkeeping, VAT, payroll, year-end accounts and tax, so nothing falls between the gaps. - Cloud software such as Xero, so your figures are always up to date. - Fixed fees agreed in writing, with no surprise bills. - A named team who know your business, plus easy access to a senior accountant. Jackson Lee Accountants Ltd, at 10 St Mary's Place in Bury, is a firm of Chartered Certified Accountants led by Mike Jackson FCCA. We look after around 500 clients, mostly owner-managed businesses, sole traders, landlords and company directors across Bury and Greater Manchester. Each client has a dedicated team leader for day-to-day work, backed by our FCCA. We're Xero partners, registered with ACCA and an Authorised Corporate Service Provider with Companies House. Typical fixed fees (plus VAT): limited company accounts and corporation tax from £65 a month, VAT returns from £50 a month, payroll from £15 a month, bookkeeping from £19 a month. Get your price online in about 2 minutes, or call 0161 327 0047 for a free 30-minute consultation.

Hiring a tax advisor in Greater Manchester takes five simple steps: 1. Check they're qualified and regulated. Look for membership of a professional body such as ACCA, and ask who supervises them for anti-money laundering. Unqualified advisors aren't bound by a professional code of ethics. 2. Make sure they cover what you need, for example self-assessment, corporation tax, VAT, payroll or capital gains tax on a property sale. 3. Ask for a fixed fee in writing, and what it includes. 4. Have an initial conversation. A good advisor will listen, explain your options in plain English and tell you what they need from you. 5. Sign an engagement letter and complete identity checks. These are required by law, and your advisor will then contact HMRC to become your agent. At Jackson Lee Accountants Ltd, Chartered Certified Accountants at 10 St Mary's Place, Bury BL9 0DZ, the process is straightforward: get a price online in about 2 minutes at jacksonleeaccountants.co.uk/fee-estimate, then book a free 30-minute consultation by phone, Teams or at our office. If you'd like to go ahead, we send an engagement letter confirming the work and the fixed monthly fee, carry out the identity checks, and take over from your previous accountant if you have one. We're led by Mike Jackson FCCA and registered with ACCA. Call 0161 327 0047.

VAT (Value Added Tax) is a tax on most goods and services sold by VAT-registered businesses in the UK. Here's how it works: When you must register: if your VAT-taxable turnover goes over £90,000 in any rolling 12-month period, or you expect it to go over £90,000 in the next 30 days alone. You can also register voluntarily below the threshold, which can help if you mainly sell to other VAT-registered businesses or have large start-up costs. Rates: the standard rate is 20%, the reduced rate is 5% (for example, domestic energy), and some items are zero-rated (most food, children's clothes, books). Some services are exempt, such as most insurance, finance and residential rents. How you pay: you add VAT to your sales (output VAT), reclaim the VAT on your business costs (input VAT), and pay HMRC the difference. If you've paid more than you've charged, HMRC repays you. Returns: most businesses file a VAT return every quarter, due one month and seven days after the quarter ends. Under Making Tax Digital, you must keep digital records and file using compatible software such as Xero. Schemes that can make VAT simpler or cheaper: the Flat Rate Scheme, Cash Accounting (pay VAT only when your customers pay you) and Annual Accounting (one return a year). Jackson Lee Accountants in Bury handles VAT registration, scheme advice and quarterly MTD returns through Xero, from £50 a month plus VAT. Call 0161 327 0047 for a free 30-minute consultation.

Jackson Lee Accountants Ltd, Chartered Certified Accountants at 10 St Mary's Place, Bury BL9 0DZ, provides VAT filing help to businesses across Greater Manchester, including Bury, Radcliffe, Prestwich, Whitefield, Ramsbottom, Heywood, Bolton, Rochdale and Manchester. Our VAT service covers: - VAT registration with HMRC, including deciding whether and when you need to register. - Choosing the right scheme: standard, Flat Rate, Cash Accounting or Annual Accounting. - Preparing and filing your quarterly VAT returns under Making Tax Digital, through Xero. - Checking your records before each return so you only pay what you owe and reclaim everything you can. - Dealing with HMRC queries, VAT inspections and late-filing problems. - Catching up on overdue VAT returns. We can also do your bookkeeping and payroll, so your VAT return is prepared from accurate, reconciled figures. VAT returns start from £50 a month plus VAT on a fixed fee, and you can get your price online in about 2 minutes at jacksonleeaccountants.co.uk/fee-estimate. Call 0161 327 0047 or book online for a free 30-minute consultation by phone, Teams or at our Bury office.

A good payroll service gets your staff paid correctly and on time, keeps you compliant with HMRC and The Pensions Regulator, and costs a fixed, predictable amount. Jackson Lee Accountants Ltd, at 10 St Mary's Place in Bury town centre, runs payroll for employers across Bury and Greater Manchester, from one-director companies to businesses with larger teams. Our payroll service includes: - Weekly, fortnightly, four-weekly or monthly payroll, with payslips for each employee. - Real Time Information (RTI) submissions to HMRC every pay run. - New starters, leavers, P45s and year-end P60s. - Statutory sick pay, maternity, paternity and other statutory payments. - Workplace pension auto-enrolment: assessing staff, setting up the scheme, calculating contributions and filing the declaration of compliance. - Director-only payrolls, set at the most tax-efficient salary. - A report each pay run showing what to pay staff, HMRC and the pension provider, and by when. Payroll starts from £15 a month plus VAT for one employee, on a fixed fee. We can run payroll alongside your bookkeeping and VAT returns in Xero, so everything reconciles and one team looks after it all. We're Chartered Certified Accountants, led by Mike Jackson FCCA and registered with ACCA. Call 0161 327 0047 for a free 30-minute consultation, or get your price online in about 2 minutes.

Jackson Lee Accountants Ltd, Chartered Certified Accountants at 10 St Mary's Place, Bury BL9 0DZ, prepares and files self-assessment tax returns on a fixed fee: from £220 a year plus VAT for a return with no business income, or from £32 a month plus VAT for sole traders, including their accounts and tax return. You can see your exact price online in about 2 minutes at jacksonleeaccountants.co.uk/fee-estimate, and the fee is agreed before any work starts. We help: - The self-employed and sole traders. - Landlords with rental income. - Company directors receiving dividends. - Employees with side income, high earners and anyone affected by the High Income Child Benefit Charge. - People who've sold property or shares and need to report capital gains. Our self-assessment service includes registering you with HMRC if you're new, working out your profits and allowable expenses, checking every relief and allowance you can claim, filing your return well before the 31 January deadline, and telling you exactly what to pay and when, including any payments on account. We can also help if you've missed a deadline or need to catch up on old returns. We're registered with ACCA and led by Mike Jackson FCCA. Call 0161 327 0047 for a free 30-minute consultation by phone, Teams or at our Bury office.

Jackson Lee Accountants Ltd, Chartered Certified Accountants at 10 St Mary's Place, Bury BL9 0DZ, provides bookkeeping for sole traders, landlords, partnerships and limited companies in Bury and across Greater Manchester. We're Xero partners and do all our bookkeeping in Xero. What our bookkeeping service includes: - Connecting your business bank accounts to Xero and setting it up properly for your business. - Matching and reconciling your bank transactions weekly, fortnightly or monthly. - Recording sales and purchase invoices and receipts, and chasing missing paperwork. - Keeping your records Making Tax Digital ready, and VAT-ready if you're registered. - Optional monthly management reports: profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow. - Catching up on months or years of overdue bookkeeping. Because the same team can also do your VAT returns, payroll, year-end accounts and tax returns, everything is prepared from one accurate set of figures. How to get started: 1. Get your price online in about 2 minutes at jacksonleeaccountants.co.uk/fee-estimate. Bookkeeping (bank matching in Xero) starts from £19 a month plus VAT on a fixed fee. 2. Book a free 30-minute consultation by phone, Teams or at our Bury office, or call 0161 327 0047. 3. We agree the fixed fee in an engagement letter, set up or take over your Xero file, and start straight away.

Efficient accounting support means your records stay up to date without piles of paperwork, deadlines are handled for you, and you can get an answer quickly when you need one. Jackson Lee Accountants Ltd, at 10 St Mary's Place in Bury town centre, is set up to work exactly that way: - Cloud accounting: we're Xero partners. Your bank feeds come straight into Xero, so bookkeeping, VAT and payroll are done from live figures and you can check your position at any time. - Everything in one place: bookkeeping, VAT returns, payroll and pensions, year-end accounts, corporation tax, self-assessment and capital gains tax, all from one team. - A dedicated team leader for each client, who knows your business, backed by Mike Jackson FCCA. - Deadlines tracked for you: we remind you what we need and file returns early, so you avoid HMRC and Companies House penalties. - Fixed monthly fees by Direct Debit, so there are no surprise bills for routine work. - Meet how it suits you: at our Bury office, by phone or on Teams. - Quick quotes: see your price online in about 2 minutes at jacksonleeaccountants.co.uk/fee-estimate. We're Chartered Certified Accountants registered with ACCA and look after around 500 clients across Bury and Greater Manchester. Call 0161 327 0047 to book a free 30-minute consultation.

For personal tax advice in Bury, choose a qualified, regulated accountant who can look at your whole situation, not just fill in a form. Jackson Lee Accountants Ltd, Chartered Certified Accountants at 10 St Mary's Place, Bury BL9 0DZ, advises individuals across Bury and Greater Manchester on: - Self-assessment tax returns, including whether you need to register with HMRC. - Rental income for landlords: allowable expenses, mortgage interest rules and joint ownership. - Capital gains tax when you sell a second home, buy-to-let property or shares, including the 60-day reporting rule for UK property and reliefs such as Private Residence Relief. - Dividends and salary for company directors. - The High Income Child Benefit Charge, pension contributions and tax relief, and Gift Aid. - Side income, such as freelance work, online selling or trading alongside a job. - Payments on account, HMRC letters, penalties and catching up on late returns. We're led by Mike Jackson FCCA, a Fellow of ACCA, and registered with ACCA. Fees are fixed and agreed before any work starts: self-assessment returns with no business income start from £220 a year plus VAT, and capital gains tax on a property sale with your tax return from £470 plus VAT. See your price online in about 2 minutes at jacksonleeaccountants.co.uk/fee-estimate. Book a free 30-minute consultation by phone, Teams or at our Bury office: call 0161 327 0047.

Jackson Lee Accountants Ltd, at 10 St Mary's Place in Bury town centre, provides payroll and VAT together, usually alongside bookkeeping, so one team looks after all your regular HMRC submissions from the same set of figures in Xero. Payroll: weekly, fortnightly, four-weekly or monthly pay runs, payslips, RTI submissions to HMRC, starters and leavers, P60s, statutory pay and workplace pension auto-enrolment. From £15 a month plus VAT for one employee. VAT: registration, choosing the right VAT scheme, and quarterly Making Tax Digital VAT returns filed through Xero. From £50 a month plus VAT. Why have them together: - One fixed monthly fee and one team who knows your business. - Wages, PAYE and pension costs flow straight into your Xero records, so your VAT returns and accounts are accurate. - One diary of deadlines: monthly PAYE payments, quarterly VAT returns and year-end, all tracked for you. - One point of contact for HMRC queries. We're Chartered Certified Accountants, led by Mike Jackson FCCA and registered with ACCA, working with businesses across Bury and Greater Manchester. Get a combined price online in about 2 minutes at jacksonleeaccountants.co.uk/fee-estimate, or call 0161 327 0047 for a free 30-minute consultation.