So if you're looking for cheap accountants online, what should you expect? The problem with trading online these days, is that you are usually faced with a saturated market that is very difficult to break into for those without specialised search engine optimisation knowledge.
Anyone trading online these days has to have a knowledge of how to beat the search engines, i.e. how to appear high in the rankings for a particular search phrase. Hence, unless you have a large pot of money to throw at SEO, you almost certainly are faced with operating within a particular niche or accounting sector. Hence the emergence over the past few years of specialist accountants who tailor their services to suit the search engines.
For example, you can find cheap accountants online providing just tax refund services. They usually charge you a fee of approximately 15% of any tax received, but this is all they specialise in and as a result offer very efficient, cost effective services.
Accountants in Leeds
Another useful niche is that of contractor accountancy services. Contractor accountants tend to provide a range of services aimed at the IT contractors who run their own limited company from home. Simple as it sounds, the contractors will require annual accounts, corporation tax returns, self assessment income tax returns and payroll services. Again though, there are deals to be had and so you should shop around to find the best price. The market is very competitive, with many similar services providers and so the ball is in your court.
Apart from the construction industry scheme accountants, there are very few niches left to discuss. Again, the CIS accountants process tax returns for a small charge and claim the appropriate tax refund. Overall though, there's nothing more to be had online that your high street accountant couldn't have provided for a similar price. Online however, does offer the convenience that isn't offered by your local professional.
With these niches out of the way, we are left with the general practitioners who attempt to trade online on a national basis. As far as I'm concerned though, no particular accountant stands out. This would imply that they are all spreading their resources too far and have ended up as the proverbial jack of all trades that simply can't get far enough up the search engine rankings to stand out from the crowd.
However, with this scathing criticism in mind, I would now like to suggest that you should be using an online accountant, for the simple reason that the costs are so much lower. The general accountancy services required can be provided by literally anyone with a practising certificate. Shop around, find the best price and be thankful that there finally is an alternative to over priced high street equivalents.
Anyone trading online these days has to have a knowledge of how to beat the search engines, i.e. how to appear high in the rankings for a particular search phrase. Hence, unless you have a large pot of money to throw at SEO, you almost certainly are faced with operating within a particular niche or accounting sector. Hence the emergence over the past few years of specialist accountants who tailor their services to suit the search engines.
For example, you can find cheap accountants online providing just tax refund services. They usually charge you a fee of approximately 15% of any tax received, but this is all they specialise in and as a result offer very efficient, cost effective services.
Accountants in Leeds
Another useful niche is that of contractor accountancy services. Contractor accountants tend to provide a range of services aimed at the IT contractors who run their own limited company from home. Simple as it sounds, the contractors will require annual accounts, corporation tax returns, self assessment income tax returns and payroll services. Again though, there are deals to be had and so you should shop around to find the best price. The market is very competitive, with many similar services providers and so the ball is in your court.
Apart from the construction industry scheme accountants, there are very few niches left to discuss. Again, the CIS accountants process tax returns for a small charge and claim the appropriate tax refund. Overall though, there's nothing more to be had online that your high street accountant couldn't have provided for a similar price. Online however, does offer the convenience that isn't offered by your local professional.
With these niches out of the way, we are left with the general practitioners who attempt to trade online on a national basis. As far as I'm concerned though, no particular accountant stands out. This would imply that they are all spreading their resources too far and have ended up as the proverbial jack of all trades that simply can't get far enough up the search engine rankings to stand out from the crowd.
However, with this scathing criticism in mind, I would now like to suggest that you should be using an online accountant, for the simple reason that the costs are so much lower. The general accountancy services required can be provided by literally anyone with a practising certificate. Shop around, find the best price and be thankful that there finally is an alternative to over priced high street equivalents.
J Scott is an entrepreneur who specialises in helping small businesses across the UK.
