Hi,

I want to switch from sole tradership to a limited company in the next
future. Thus, I've got a few questions to ask:

- Do I need to register for VAT right away (I won't qualify for
compulsory VAT registration at the point of company formation). What I
mean is, do ALL limited companies need to be registered for VAT or
same rules apply (treshold, etc.) as for sole traders?

- This will be a one-person company, therefore I want to do all
accounts and returns myself. Will I need a payroll software to pay
myself a salary? If so, what do you recommend?

- My father will be company secretary. Do I need to put him on the
payroll? From legal point of view, do I need to pay himself any money
at all for being the secretary?

- What accounting software do you recommend for a limited company with
a single person on the payroll - myself - as a company director? I
currently use Quickbooks Simple Start for the sole trader business.
Can I still use this package for the limited company business?

- If I decided to use an accountant to do the job for me - how much
would it cost me? To give you an indication about the amount of work:
The business issues/accepts up to 5 invoices per month + the payroll
job (only one man on the payroll).

- Is there any cost of filing annual accounts to Companies House via
WWW?

Thanks for any hints,
Chrls

On 8 Feb, 09:30, Charles Wright  wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I want to switch from sole tradership to a limited company in the next
> future. Thus, I've got a few questions to ask:
>
> - Do I need to register for VAT right away (I won't qualify for
> compulsory VAT registration at the point of company formation). What I
> mean is, do ALL limited companies need to be registered for VAT or
> same rules apply (treshold, etc.) as for sole traders?
>
Same rules apply.

> - This will be a one-person company, therefore I want to do all
> accounts and returns myself. Will I need a payroll software to pay
> myself a salary? If so, what do you recommend?
>
You don't need to use payroll software.

> - My father will be company secretary. Do I need to put him on the
> payroll? From legal point of view, do I need to pay himself any money
> at all for being the secretary?
>
No

> - What accounting software do you recommend for a limited company with
> a single person on the payroll - myself - as a company director? I
> currently use Quickbooks Simple Start for the sole trader business.
> Can I still use this package for the limited company business?
>
QuickBooks is a good choice.

> - If I decided to use an accountant to do the job for me - how much
> would it cost me? To give you an indication about the amount of work:
> The business issues/accepts up to 5 invoices per month  the payroll
> job (only one man on the payroll).
>
I would have thought you could do the day to day bookkeeping yourself
and an accountant could prepare the annual accounts and tax as well as
the payroll. Say, £500-£600  VAT a year.

> - Is there any cost of filing annual accounts to Companies House via
> WWW?
>

No.

> Charles Wright wrote:
>> - Is there any cost of filing annual accounts
>> to Companies House via WWW?
>>
"PeterSaxton" wrote
> No.

... but there is for the annual return.

On 8 Feb, 13:57, "Tim"  wrote:
> > Charles Wright wrote:
> >> - Is there any cost of filing annual accounts
> >> to Companies House via WWW?
>
> "PeterSaxton" wrote
> > No.
>
> ... but there is for the annual return.

Companies House has a lot of charges but not for what the OP asked.

>> > Charles Wright wrote:
>> >> - Is there any cost of filing annual accounts
>> >> to Companies House via WWW?
>>
>> "PeterSaxton" wrote
>> > No.
>>
> "Tim" wrote:
>> ... but there is for the annual return.
>
"PeterSaxton" wrote
> Companies House has a lot of charges
> but not for what the OP asked.

What other things are you *required* to pay *every* year?

On 8 Feb, 19:39, "Tim"  wrote:
> >> > Charles Wright wrote:
> >> >> - Is there any cost of filing annual accounts
> >> >> to Companies House via WWW?
>
> >> "PeterSaxton" wrote
> >> > No.
>
> > "Tim" wrote:
> >> ... but there is for the annual return.
>
> "PeterSaxton" wrote
> > Companies House has a lot of charges
> > but not for what the OP asked.
>
> What other things are you *required* to pay *every* year?

Go and look for an argument with somebody else. You seem to get your
thrills through arguing. I see you've been at it earlier today in
uk.finance:

From: "Tim" 
Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2008 12:04:52 -0000

"Simon Finnigan" wrote
> Sigh - is it really too complicated for you?

No;  but it appears to be too complicated for you, as you don't
even separate the effects on two different entities in the process!

"Simon Finnigan" wrote
> Ok then, i`ll agree with you to stop you whinging.

There's really no need;  and no, I'm not whinging.  I'm just trying to
see if anyone can give any valid reasons for this "received wisdom".

"Simon Finnigan" wrote
> Don`t forget to let us all know when you get your
> chargeback via paypal for a bad trade won`t you?

I don't use PayPal.  What makes you think I ever have?

>> "Simon Finnigan" wrote
>>> I`ve been using Visa as a shorthand for my CC issuer.
>>
> "Tim" wrote
>> That's very imprecise of you.  They are separate entities!
>
"Simon Finnigan" wrote
> But everyone else understands the difference -
> perhaps you`re the one with the problem?

Obviously you don't understand the difference, as you've either
been considering the two together, or ignoring VISA completely.

>> "Simon Finnigan" wrote
>>> ... I`m not stupid enough to ever have considered using a
>>> CC cheque. Never bothered looking into them at all, I`ve got
>>> better things to do with my money than waste it on such a con.
>>
> "Tim" wrote
>> "Con"?  Even those CC cheques with a 0% APR?
>
"Simon Finnigan" wrote
> Yes, there are better ways of getting 0% money off your credit card...

Such as?

"Simon Finnigan" wrote
> ...  And since most cheques don`t offer a 0%
> interest rate, your point covers a very small section
> of the situations people are sent these cheques in.

IME, almost all of the cheques they send me have promo rates.
Do I take it that they don't send you any?  I wonder why....

"Charles Wright"  wrote in message 
news:3b93967d-48f0-4b76-bf74-f187ff503f1e@l32g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
> Hi,
>
< snip >

> - Is there any cost of filing annual accounts to Companies House via
> WWW?

You'll find it's much quicker to pop a copy (full or abbrev.) in the post, 
else you'll be re-keying loads of stuff.  For some reason, CH don't accept 
pdf etc.


-- 
Martin

Martin wrote:
> "Charles Wright"  wrote in message 
> news:3b93967d-48f0-4b76-bf74-f187ff503f1e@l32g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
>> Hi,
>>
> < snip >
> 
>> - Is there any cost of filing annual accounts to Companies House via
>> WWW?
> 
> You'll find it's much quicker to pop a copy (full or abbrev.) in the post, 
> else you'll be re-keying loads of stuff.  For some reason, CH don't accept 
> pdf etc.
> 

The obvious reason would be that they want the numbers in a standard 
format.

It is only the abbrev. stuff that needs keying in and from memory it 
doesn't take long.

Although I must admit I have never got to grip with rounding numbers in 
accounts. The CH software insists upon it. I'm sure there is a 
mathematical algorithm to frig the numbers but it just seems like a 
waste of time. On my standard accounts I never bothered, I just rounded 
for display rather than rounding for sub calculations.

Why they don't just include the pennies beats me.

>

On 9 Feb, 01:05, Nick  wrote:
> Martin wrote:
> > "Charles Wright"  wrote in message
> >news:3b93967d-48f0-4b76-bf74-f187ff503f1e@l32g2000hse.googlegroups.com...> >> Hi,
>
> > < snip >
>
> >> - Is there any cost of filing annual accounts to Companies House via
> >> WWW?
>
> > You'll find it's much quicker to pop a copy (full or abbrev.) in the post,
> > else you'll be re-keying loads of stuff.  For some reason, CH don't accept
> > pdf etc.
>
> The obvious reason would be that they want the numbers in a standard
> format.
>
> It is only the abbrev. stuff that needs keying in and from memory it
> doesn't take long.
>
> Although I must admit I have never got to grip with rounding numbers in
> accounts. The CH software insists upon it. I'm sure there is a
> mathematical algorithm to frig the numbers but it just seems like a
> waste of time. On my standard accounts I never bothered, I just rounded
> for display rather than rounding for sub calculations.
>
> Why they don't just include the pennies beats me.
>
They don't include the pennies because most accounts are prepared to
the nearest pound. If you really have a problem with rounding then
when you get to the trial balance stage you should round all the
figures then and do all later journals in pounds.

>> >> > Charles Wright wrote:
>> >> >> - Is there any cost of filing annual accounts
>> >> >> to Companies House via WWW?
>>
>> >> "PeterSaxton" wrote
>> >> > No.
>>
>> > "Tim" wrote:
>> >> ... but there is for the annual return.
>>
>> "PeterSaxton" wrote
>> > Companies House has a lot of charges
>> > but not for what the OP asked.
>>
> "Tim" wrote:
>> What other things are you *required* to pay *every* year?
>
"PeterSaxton" wrote
> Go and look for an argument with somebody
> else. You seem to get your thrills through arguing...

Hehe, very funny.  I gave an extra bit of relevant info, I didn't dispute
anything you said, and then I simply asked another relevant question.
Yet you think I want to argue with you!  How sad is that?

"PeterSaxton" wrote
> ... I see you've been at it earlier today in uk.finance:
> <SNIP>

Yep, *that* was arguing - two different points of view on a topic.
Can you give any evidence to refute my suggestions there?  No?