Accountancy Fees

[dodo]

4/5 hours work a year? i dont think so. at the rate shes charging you you should be sending her thank you cards

If it's not 4/5 hours it most definitely isn't 7/8 hours, trust me.

What would you suggest I should be paying her ?

Are you an accountant ?

[magickingdom]

4/5 hours work a year? i dont think so. at the rate shes charging you you should be sending her thank you cards

If it's not 4/5 hours it most definitely isn't 7/8 hours, trust me.

What would you suggest I should be paying her ?

Are you an accountant ?

i am dodo and i would consider that a very reasonable rate if as you say she prepares your accounts and does the odd p45 for you and i presume  prepareds your tax return. if you feel there is that little work involved why not prepare your books yourself and just get her to run thro the final draft and get a better rate off her.

[dodo]

I will probably tackle my accounts next year by myself, I will finish with her at the end of the year. It will be interesting to see how long it'll take me to do them.
My problem with her, as I've stated above, is that she is providing me with a very poor service. Always cancelling arrangements, late with almost everything, not answering calls and emails for weeks. I always pay her when billed and on time. It's damn frustrating when somebody is finishing up work with me and I don't know what to pay them. If things hadn't got to this stage I'd keep paying her fee but now I'm questioning everything. And on top of everything she is a bookkeeper charging an accountant's rate !
I'll understand if you don't answer and maybe it is an unfair question, but what would you think I should be paying for 10 hours work annually from a qualified accountant?

[magickingdom]

realistically dodo if you find someone just starting out you might get a better rate than the grand but i doubt it. do you really need a qualified accountant, stick an add in the local paper and find another bookkeeper, there is very little work in the payroll side of it from what your saying so its not too complicated. alternatively do the books yourself and get a payroll system, most payroll systems are very good (i use big red book, its e100 pa per co) and easy to use..

[dodo]

Thanks Magickingdom, I'll keep that Big Red Book in mind. Are there any accountancy computer applications that you would reccommend for a sole trader with a few employees ?

[Shamrock Shore]

Dodo

Use spreadsheets. Have seperate tabs in the one spreadsheet for:

1. Sales (Gross - VAT - Net)
2. Purchases (ditto but use extra columns for analysing the expense - i.e. materials, telephone, esb etc)
3. Bank summary
4. Lodgements
5. Chqs/direct payments/debits
6. VISA card summary

Any half decent accountant will pull together a P&L from that in a very short space of time.

Also for payroll I find

www.collsoft.ie

the best solution

All this assumes you are Dine Site as opposed to Ap Nart.

[dodo]

Ta Shamrock, I was doing well there until you mentioned Dine Site and Ap Nart

[magickingdom]

Thanks Magickingdom, I'll keep that Big Red Book in mind. Are there any accountancy computer applications that you would reccommend for a sole trader with a few employees ?

as ss says all you'll need is excel for the spreadsheets and a payroll package.. great way to get to know the business is to do the books!

[Hurler on the Bitch]

Off the record... I don't bother with accountants.. the tax peope will never catch ye.. just lodge the cheques in the bank and say nothing.