7. Choosing an Accountant

You do not need an accountant for your business, but you may well find it helps, particularly if you anticipate making a fair amount of money. A good accountant should be able to repay their fee by making suggestions that can help cut your tax bill, and will be able to advise you on other areas of your business, too. He or she can also make sure your tax returns are correct and let you know which allowances you can claim for.

The level of service you will get from your accountant will usually depend on how much you pay them. You should be able to find someone who will check your books and fill out your tax return for around £ 500 a year, plus VAT. For an extra (generally small) fee, an accountancy practice may be able to put together your books from your receipts and other basic information, although you may feel it is a better idea to run your own cash book as a way of keeping an eye on your finances.

One thing that is worth bearing in mind if you decide to take on an accountant is whether they have any relevant experience in your industry. Effectively, your accountant will be responsible for negotiating on behalf of your business with the tax man, so it helps if they know in advance what kinds of allowances HMRC will make.

Ask other copywriters, if you know any, who they would recommend. Alternatively, look for ads in magazines like The Freelance, published by the London Freelance Branch of the National Union of Journalists, or UK Press Gazette.

If you cannot find someone who already handles people in your line of business, do not despair. Any good accountant should still be able to help you save tax. However, it is still worth shopping around to make sure you find an adviser you feel you can get on with. If all else fails, your local Yellow Pages should give you some names to get started with.