Abacus Accountants

What a great day at the Denbigh & Flint Show!

We had a brilliant day at the Denbigh & Flint Show yesterday and would like to thank everyone who stopped by to see us.

It was lovely to catch up with so many of our existing clients outside of the office, as well as meeting new faces, local businesses and people from across the community.

We really enjoyed having the opportunity to chat with everyone throughout the day, whether it was about business and accountancy or simply stopping by to say hello and play a game of Jenga!

A huge thank you to everyone involved in organising such a successful event and, of course, to everyone who visited our stand and helped make the day such an enjoyable one for the Abacus team.

We hope you all had a fantastic day too, and we look forward to seeing you again soon!

Abacus Accountants at the Denbigh & Flint Show 2026 🌿

This Thursday, 20th August, we’ll be attending the Denbigh & Flint Show.

As a Denbigh-based practice, the show is a great opportunity for us to spend the day out in the local community, catch up with existing clients and meet other local businesses and individuals.

We’ll be there throughout the day and would be very pleased to see you. If you’re attending the show, feel free to come over and meet the team, have a chat and find out a little more about what we do.

Whether you already work with us or you’re looking for advice or support with your accounts, tax, bookkeeping, payroll or Making Tax Digital, you’re very welcome to stop by.

📍 Denbigh & Flint Show
📅 Thursday, 20th August 2026

We hope to see plenty of you there!

Making Tax Digital – Quarterly Submission Deadline

A reminder that tomorrow (7th August 2026) is the deadline for the first quarterly submissions under Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.

If you are within the scope of MTD, your first quarterly update must be submitted to HMRC by 7th August 2026.

Meeting the deadline is an important part of your ongoing compliance with HMRC's Making Tax Digital requirements. If you haven't yet prepared your submission, it's important to act now to ensure it's completed on time.

If you're unsure whether your quarterly update has been completed, or you need assistance before the deadline, we are here to help.

Making Tax Digital: Myth vs Fact

There are still plenty of misconceptions surrounding Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. Here are a few of the most common.

❌ Myth: "Making Tax Digital means I'll pay my tax every quarter."

✅ Fact:
Making Tax Digital introduces quarterly reporting, not quarterly tax payments. For most taxpayers, your tax liability is still finalised through the End of Year process.

❌ Myth: "I only need to think about MTD four times a year."

✅ Fact:
Making Tax Digital works best when your bookkeeping is maintained throughout the year. Keeping your records up to date makes quarterly submissions quicker, easier and more accurate.

❌ Myth: "Making Tax Digital only affects large businesses."

✅ Fact:
Many self-employed individuals and landlords are now within the scope of MTD. Whether it applies depends on your circumstances and qualifying income—not the size of your business.

❌ Myth: "If I miss a quarterly update, I can simply include it in the next one."

✅ Fact:
Each quarterly update has its own reporting period and deadline. Submitting updates on time is an important part of remaining compliant with HMRC requirements.

❌ Myth: "Once I've signed up, there's nothing else I need to do."

✅ Fact:
Making Tax Digital is an ongoing process. It requires regular digital record keeping, quarterly updates and an End of Year Final Declaration to complete your annual tax position.

If you're unsure how Making Tax Digital affects you or need support with your quarterly reporting, at Abacus Accountants we are here to help.

Why Year-Round Tax Planning Makes a Difference

Effective tax planning should take place throughout the year—not just when your accounts or tax return are due.

Reviewing your financial position regularly allows potential issues to be identified early, helps avoid unexpected tax liabilities and provides opportunities to make informed financial decisions before the end of the tax year.

Whether you're self-employed, operate through a limited company or receive rental income, proactive planning can often result in a more efficient tax position.

Our team can assist with:

• Forecasting future tax liabilities
• Reviewing your business performance
• Identifying available tax reliefs
• Planning for growth and investment
• Ongoing compliance with HMRC

By planning ahead, you can make informed decisions with greater confidence and avoid unnecessary surprises.

📞 Please contact Abacus Accountants on 01745 814 440 or 📧 [email protected] to discuss how we can help.

📊 MTD for Income Tax – How are you getting on?

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is now here for many self-employed individuals and landlords.

We'd love to know where you're up to...

Which best describes you?

🟢 I'm all set and compliant.
🔵 I've started preparing.
🟡 I know I need to do it but haven't started.
🔴 I'm still not sure if it applies to me.

If you're feeling unsure, don't worry – we're here to help make the transition as straightforward as possible.

📞 Get in touch with us if you'd like to discuss your MTD requirements.

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax – Now Live

From 6th April 2026, Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax comes into effect for many self-employed individuals and landlords, with the first quarterly submissions to HMRC due in July 2026.

This represents a significant change in the UK tax system, moving from annual Self Assessment returns to regular, in-year digital reporting directly to HMRC.

MTD is now active, and affected taxpayers must ensure they are compliant from the outset.

At Abacus Accountants, we are fully prepared to support clients through these changes and ensure ongoing compliance with HMRC requirements.

How we can support you:
• Assessing whether MTD applies to your circumstances
• Advising on suitable accounting processes and software options
• Helping you move from manual records to compliant digital systems
• Preparing and submitting quarterly MTD updates to HMRC
• Providing ongoing tax compliance and advisory support throughout the year

The first reporting cycle is approaching, and it is essential that your systems and processes are in place from the start.

📞 Please contact us on 01745 814 440 or 📧 email [email protected] to ensure you are compliant and fully prepared.

New Tax Year, New Habits

With the 2025/26 tax year now underway, it’s the ideal time to put a few simple habits in place that can make the rest of the year much easier.

The businesses that feel least stressed in January are usually the ones that stay consistent throughout the year.

A few small habits that make a big difference:

✔ Keep your bookkeeping up to date regularly
✔ Save receipts as you go (not all at once)
✔ Set money aside for tax each month
✔ Review your numbers, not just your bank balance

None of this needs to be time-consuming — it’s about staying on top of things little and often.

Getting organised now can save hours of stress later.

What Does PAYE Actually Mean?

You’ve probably heard the term PAYE — but what does it actually mean?

PAYE stands for “Pay As You Earn.”

It’s the system HMRC uses to collect Income Tax and National Insurance directly from employees’ wages.

Instead of employees paying tax in one lump sum, it’s:

- Deducted from their pay each time they’re paid
- Calculated through payroll
- Sent to HMRC by the employer

As an employer, this means you’re responsible for:

• Calculating the correct deductions
• Paying staff their net pay
• Submitting payroll information (RTI) to HMRC
• Paying the tax and National Insurance over

For employees, PAYE makes things simple — their tax is handled automatically.

For employers, it’s important to get it right to stay compliant and avoid penalties.

What Counts as Business Mileage?

Not all travel is claimable — and this is where a lot of people get caught out.

Business mileage is travel that’s wholly for business purposes, such as:

- Visiting clients or customers
- Travelling to a temporary work location
- Going to meetings or training
- Collecting supplies or stock

What doesn’t count?

- Commuting to your usual place of work
- Personal trips (even if you “talk business”)

If you use your own vehicle, you can usually claim mileage using HMRC’s approved rates:
- 45p per mile for the first 10,000 miles
- 25p per mile after 10,000 miles

Keeping a simple mileage log — date, journey, purpose, and distance — is key.

Why this matters:

• Ensures you claim correctly
• Reduces your taxable profit
• Keeps you compliant if HMRC ever asks

It’s a small habit that can make a big difference over the year.