Katherine Shaw

Inheritance tax: another day, another government U-turn

By: Katherine Shaw|In: Small Business Accountant|Last Updated: October 26, 2018

IHT treatment of specialty debts

The government has back-pedalled on a controversial decision on inheritance tax after widespread criticism. HMRC came under fire when it decided that a type of debt which had historically been exempt from inheritance tax would now be subject to it – going against centuries of legal precedent.

After discussions with professional bodies, it has now changed its position again – though things still aren’t back to how they were before. Let’s take a look at what’s going on.

What’s the history?

The controversy relates to a type of debt called a ‘specialty debt’, which is one owed to someone who is not domiciled in the UK. It’s a kind of debt created by a deed or a seal, not just a normal contract.

Historically, such debts, when owed to a non-dom, have been exempt from UK inheritance tax if the document recording the debt is …

By: Katherine Shaw|In: Business Solutions|Last Updated: October 23, 2018

The job market is suffering from candidate skills shortage. People seeking employment should use a recruitment agency specializing in their sector. Working with a recruitment firm takes pressure off the seekers and make the search more fruitful. Recruiters also offer a job seeker the opportunity to work for noble employers. How do you make sure that you’ve selected the right agency?

Assess Your Needs

Before contacting an agency, you should be familiar with your needs. What are you looking for in the job industry? What’s preventing you from achieving your dreams? To identify the support you need from a headhunter, it’s vital to assess your portfolio as well as career prospects.

Do Your Homework

To choose the right recruitment agency, do your homework. Look at the firm’s LinkedIn profile for the experience. Is there a sign of experience in your area of specialization? Do they demonstrate the claimed experience …

By: Katherine Shaw|In: Uncategorized|Last Updated: October 22, 2018

We’ve all experienced a time when we’re trying to enter or exit a place, and someone is either trying to get out or in. You find yourself looking up at the sign to make sure you’re in the right spot. Not everyone reads these safety signs. That’s why it’s important to read on your own instead of following a crowd. Some people engage in unsafe or hazardous activities, knowingly and unknowingly. Following these select few can lead you and themselves right to harm. Safety signs you may really want to pay attention to are exit signs, entrance signs and do not enter signs.

Exit Signs

Being observant of your surroundings not only means acknowledging who or what is in your environment. These days you also need an escape plan. Exit signs are a breath of fresh air when you need to get out of somewhere quickly. Take note of where …

By: Katherine Shaw|In: Small Business Accountant|Last Updated: October 20, 2018

At some point, somewhere, in someplace, someone you know is thinking about or actually starting a viable business of some kind. Whether they succeed or fail in this endeavor will depend in part on how well they manage the books. The activity of recording business transactions or bookkeeping helps businesses account for what you’re doing now and hope to do in the near the future.

Not a numbers person? Don’t let that frighten you. Think of it, instead, as just information about your business. And that means to a large extent, your employees, your customers, your vendors. The total of this aggregate and more are your business’ assets. Let’s say you entered all of this data into a spreadsheet to keep things organized. This would help you better track the businesses expenses. And to make things easier you can use bookkeeping software to simplify the process.

Assets and Liabilities

Here’s …

By: Katherine Shaw|In: Earn Money Online|Last Updated: September 21, 2018

Let’s talk online pricing strategies… in bed. I’ve learned a lot about pricing by letting strangers sleep in my bed. Now, before you get the wrong idea, no, I haven’t joined the world’s oldest profession. I’m still an online marketer, and as an online marketer, I’ve loved learning about online pricing strategies by renting my guestroom to travellers via Airbnb.

I’ve been hosting and traveling on Airbnb for more than two years. I live in Tempe, Arizona, so most of my guests are students or academics visiting Arizona State University or athletes competing at Tempe Town Lake, and I find it a great supplement to my income. I run a small business, very small so I don’t have to deal with any HR issues, and therefore any extra income is a real boon. Spring Training baseball is also a big draw. My experience as an Airbnb host has taught …