We have many years of experience gained working for HMRC, Big 4 and top 6 firms of accountants and a specialist ‘boutique’ tax consultancy. We have worked with all levels of employers providing regular compliance advice as well as consultancy advice on complex employer/employee issues to large multi-national corporates to small and medium sized businesses, as well as Personal Service Companies with one director/employee.
For over 12 years we have run a successful practice bringing to our clients the experience and knowledge, providing good solid advice at extremely competitive rates.
We specialise in PAYE and National Insurance Contributions issues dealing with employment tax issues and we are able to identify areas where tax and NIC can be mitigated.
Sarah Lawrence Williams wins the London & South East England "Tax advisor of the Year" Prestige Award.
We specialise in PAYE and National Insurance Contributions (NIC) employer/employee issues dealing with employment tax matters, including identifying areas where tax and NIC can be mitigated.
Advice on employment status of individuals engaged to provide services as sole trader, including dealing with status challenges by HMRC with successful outcomes.
Working with clients, both workers working through their own limited companies and end clients/intermediaries, on off-payroll legislation since April 2014.
Working on the Off-Payroll Working Rules/IR35 within the public sector since April 2017 and with private sector companies for rules effective 6 April 2021. Also providing advice to workers in respect of IR35, including comprehensive reviews and advice in respect of contract/agreements for services.
Contractor loan schemes have been used by employers/individuals in an attempt to reduce the amount of tax and National Insurance Contributions they are to pay.
Some individuals were not aware of any loan arrangement others who were, were given assurances the loans would not have to be repaid. HMRC consider the money to be ‘disguised remuneration’ and in their view taxable and so the ‘loan charge’ was introduced.
With years of experience, we offer a service to clients in respect of contractor loans, providing support and assistance in settling any claims by HMRC.
Advising employers how to apply for and set up a PSA, what may be included, reviewing expenses data to ensure correct taxable expenses only are included, calculating the tax and NIC due, carrying out reviews and revisions to existing PSA agreements.
Consultancy advice and assistance with completion of forms P11D and P11D(b).
Assisting with HMRC compliance reviews and disclosure matters, negotiating favourable settlements with HMRC resulting in minimum or no penalties being applied. Carrying out proactive (former PAYE/NIC Health Checks) and mock PAYE compliance reviews providing comprehensive reports with technical advice. Obtaining HMRC agreement to waive penalty charges for late/nil PAYE returns.
Reviewing and drafting policy and procedure manuals and guideline documents and identifying shortcomings where appropriate, making recommendations for changes to policies and procedures.
Providing proactive advice to companies on termination and ex-gratia payments, reviewing Compromise Agreements, and negotiating settlements with HMRC. Advice to individuals in receipt of settlements, including how to report on self-assessment Tax Returns and dealing with disputes where incorrect treatment of PAYE/NIC applied.
We have worked in tax for over 40 years, with the majority of this time spent working for HMRC, latterly in the role of a tax inspector. After leaving HMRC we have more than 30 years working in private practice as personal tax consultants.
We have always been customer-service-driven. Indeed, on more than one occasion has a client commented on the fact that they were pleasantly surprised, having sent an email on the weekend, to receive a reply on the same day.
We relish taking on HMRC enquiries; when we worked with HMRC we were the gamekeeper now we are the poacher.
As for penalties, we have a 99% track record in getting them waived which gives us enormous satisfaction.
In this modern tech-savvy age, we have had many clients who live in other parts of the country and overseas which is not a problem given the facilities of Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Skype at our disposal.
To individuals, including the completion of Self-Assessment Tax Returns, providing advice to UK and non-UK resident clients, to include the rental and disposals of UK properties.
We have successfully dealt with many HMRC enquiries over the years as we, having worked previously for HMRC, know how they work and the guidance they must follow. As a result, we are able to deal with these more cost-effectively saving you fees.
Again we have an excellent track record in getting HMRC penalties overturned without recourse to the FTT (First-Tier Tribunal).
The HMRC Worldwide Disclosure Facility (WDF) is a voluntary disclosure of UK tax due in relation to offshore matters. Information from numerous countries has been passed to the UK under the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Common Reporting Standard (CRS) annually.
The process of calculating tax due and settling liabilities is complex. Different rules in the UK for income and capital gains can add to this. The rules may be different for non-UK domiciled individuals or where there are periods of non-UK tax residence.
With years of experience, we offer a confidential service to clients who need to disclose to the WDF having received a ‘prompt’ letter from HMRC or those who wish to make a voluntary disclosure.
If you are working self-employed, under CIS, then we can help you file your tax return efficiently and assist with claims to expenses, some of which you may not be aware are deductible, as well as reclaiming any overpaid CIS deductions.
If you are leaving the UK we are able to deal with your claim to repayment from HMRC. In addition, if you are an employee we are able to check to see if you are due for any refunds for previous tax years as you could, without your knowledge, have been on the wrong tax code and therefore overpaid tax!
If you are trading as a sole trader, have property(s) you rent out, and require income and expenditure accounts we can prepare these for you.
"I've known Sarah Lawrence Williams for about 10 years now, she has helped and assisted many of my own clients on employment tax matters. Sarah is very resourceful and very knowledgable and very clear with any advice that she provides. I would highly recommend you to consider engaging her to look after matters in this sphere, above all that she is an incredible nice person and I've been very fortunate to have made a great association with her."
"Sarah has been doing my tax returns for many years. I am not an easy client as I have lived in different countries and have assets in three. Sarah knows my needs and handles my returns effortlessly. She is a real customer service professional, committed to her clients. I would recommend Sarah services to everyone!"
"Sarah is the most forensically detailed, forthright and responsible tax accountant I've ever had. As someone who needed help with both US and UK taxes, and who struggled to find someone who understands that particular burden, I feel so lucky to have Sarah!"
In the September “mini budget” the new Chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, revealed what can only be described as a ‘bombshell out of nowhere,
On the occasion of redundancy an employer must pay statutory redundancy pay to employees who have worked for their employer for two years or more.
Being self-employed you have to pay both Class 2 and Class 4 National Insurance Contributions (NIC). Class 2 NIC is a fixed weekly amount, currently £3.15.
"There's no time like the present" and "the early bird catches the worm" are both terms that we are all familiar with. But when it comes to the completion of the annual tax return, we have a number of clients who, for whatever reason, leave it until the last minute!
