JVCA the friendly accountants

JVCA the friendly accountants Chartered accountants, Tax specialists & Business advisers ... More like bean roasters than bean cou We really are tax specialists…experts in saving you money.

We are a firm of Chartered Accountants offering a variety of accountancy and consultancy services to a wide range of businesses. Because every £ we save in tax is more money for you to spend on your business or your family! Okay so we do all the usual stuff of accounts, tax returns, payrolls, company formation, etc, and do it very well…but we do more! Becoming the trusted advisor that helps your b

usiness thrive! We can give you help, advice and suggestions that work! Some accountants just deal in the past - we aim to help you look forward and have a better future. ...and we do this with a range of businesses from owner managed and family run businesses to subsidiaries of large companies…We also have a great reputation for working with high net-worth individuals. Interested? Want to find out more? Ring or email and book a free initial consultation to check us out and find out more.

What is everyone's favourite ice cream or ice lolly? (that’s a debate in itself!).As you can see, the JVCA team are very...
23/07/2026

What is everyone's favourite ice cream or ice lolly? (that’s a debate in itself!).

As you can see, the JVCA team are very much a fan of magnums, or any chocolate coated ice cream (we’re not fussy FYI - just in case any of our clients want to bring some in! 😉).

Some people prefer something fruitier like a twister or calippo.

So what’s your go-to when it’s hot? Let us know in the comments 🍦

Thinking of putting your children on the payroll? Two things to bear in mind before you do 👇If they're under 13, employi...
22/07/2026

Thinking of putting your children on the payroll? Two things to bear in mind before you do 👇

If they're under 13, employing them may be illegal, and no tax deduction applies even if the work is genuine. For ages 13 to 16, local authority rules limit when and how long they can work, so it's worth checking your area first.

Then there's the settlements legislation. If a child's income is really a gift from a parent rather than genuine pay for genuine work, it gets taxed on the parent, not the child. This applies to under 18s and kicks in once the income passes £100 a year.

This doesn’t mean you can't involve family. It just means the work must be substantive, the pay reasonable, and the paperwork in place. It's much easier to get advice before you start than after HMRC starts asking.

If you’re not sure where you stand, get in touch. Email the JVCA team at [email protected], and we’ll get back to you promptly.

Employing your family is one of the most legitimate tax moves you can make. BUT it's also one of the easiest to get deni...
21/07/2026

Employing your family is one of the most legitimate tax moves you can make. BUT it's also one of the easiest to get denied.

Paying family members from your business is great for income splitting and making use of unused tax allowances.

But HMRC expects you to treat family exactly the same as an employee. That means a proper PAYE payroll, payslips, a contract, wages paid into their own account, and a workplace pension if they qualify.

There's one more thing that catches people out. The work has to be real, and the pay has to reflect what you'd pay anyone else for the same job.

Paying a teenager £12,000 to help out occasionally won't be tax-deductible, because it fails the wholly-and-exclusively rule.

If you get it right it is a genuinely useful and tax-efficient thing to do. But not playing by the rules means HMRC can deny the deduction and tax the money as your own income.

If you are thinking of or currently paying family members a wage, our latest blog will tell you exactly what you need in place. You can read it here:

https://www.jvca.co.uk/paying-wages-to-family-members/

If you'd like a hand setting things up properly, get in touch.

Better late than never!A huge well done to the JVCA team members who completed the Midnight Moo for Willen Hospice in Ju...
16/07/2026

Better late than never!

A huge well done to the JVCA team members who completed the Midnight Moo for Willen Hospice in June.

A special mention to Ashley who raised the most out of us all with £124.

Thank you to everyone who donated!

15/07/2026

Many profitable businesses are worth less than their owners think. (And always leads to a difficult conversation!)

There is an assumption behind most businesses, which is that a healthy profit must mean a healthy value. It’s an easy thing to believe, and a costly one to get wrong, because a buyer is asking a very different question from the one on your accounts.

Would the business survive without you?

If the honest answer is no, then instead of a business you’ve built a demanding job that happens to carry your name. And no buyer wants to buy into a business with long, demanding hours…

What they are actually weighing up comes down to 3 things.

1. Structure. There needs to be a layer of management so the business doesn’t rely on one person. Otherwise it’s too risky.

2. Team. A capable and dependable team is what makes a business feel safe to buy and steady to run.

3. Processes. The way things get done has to be consistent and repeatable, rather than living in your head and leaving with you.

If you build these in while the business is profitable and running well, you’ll give yourself a more choices about what comes next.

We have written a short article on how a buyer sizes up a business, and what they look at long before they glance at your profit. It is worth reading even if selling is the last thing on your mind:

https://www.jvca.co.uk/how-valuable-is-your-business-to-someone-else/

If you have ever wondered what your business is really worth, we are more than happy to take a look. You know where we are.

[email protected]

POV: Is this one of the best compliments your business can give you?Telling you that you are not needed any more?As busi...
14/07/2026

POV: Is this one of the best compliments your business can give you?

Telling you that you are not needed any more?

As business owners, we spend years making ourselves indispensable, and then wonder why we can’t switch off. The reason being is that a business that can’t cope without you for a fortnight isn’t a strong one. It’s essentially a job that follows you on holiday.

A buyer can spot this a mile off. They’re not counting your hours or admiring your logo, and they’re not as impressed by your profit as you think. What they want to know is what happens when you step away.

If the answer is that everything carries on quite happily, you have built something valuable. If the answer is that it starts to show cracks by the following morning, then the value walks out of the door with you.

So if your business ticks along nicely without you, don’t feel offended. It is a sign you have built a valuable business.

You don’t necessarily need to be selling for this to matter. A business that runs without you is easier to own, giving you back the evenings and weekends you’ve probably forgotten you were owed.

Our most recent blog goes into more detail, it’s only a 5 minute read. You can find it here:

https://www.jvca.co.uk/how-valuable-is-your-business-to-someone-else/

If you’d like to see your business the way a buyer would, before you actually need to, we are happy to help.

[email protected]

Being helpful and friendly is exactly what we set out to do. So when we receive a client review saying exactly that, it ...
09/07/2026

Being helpful and friendly is exactly what we set out to do.

So when we receive a client review saying exactly that, it really means a lot.
And it's good to know that comes through in the day-to-day.

Thank you to everyone who takes the time to share their feedback. It genuinely makes our day.

If you're looking for an accountant who's approachable and happy to help, we'd love to hear from you.

[email protected]

08/07/2026

Reducing can be legitimate, but only with real evidence of a sustained drop in income.

If you’re thinking of reducing your Payment on Account, here's what to weigh up 👇

When reducing is fine:

- Losing a major client and income is substantially lower

- Moving from self-employed to PAYE employment

- Taking a sabbatical or extended unpaid leave

- A significant part of the business has stopped trading

When it isn't:

- "Business is a bit quieter"

- "I had a bad quarter"

- Anything based on a forecast rather than figures

Reducing your payment too much means HMRC will charge interest at around 7.75% on the shortfall. Underpaying both instalments by £5,000 equates to roughly £581 in interest, with the deferred tax still coming in January on top.

The golden rule is to never reduce based on a guess. Use actual figures to project the full year and stay conservative. If you think income is down £80,000, project £75,000, so if you're wrong, you're wrong on the safe side.

By July you have far better data than you did in January. Give your accountant your trading figures and the decision can be based on real numbers.

We’re happy to review your position before you submit, drop us an email at [email protected].

What a lot of business owners don't realise is that a payment on account cut without good reason is one of the easiest w...
07/07/2026

What a lot of business owners don't realise is that a payment on account cut without good reason is one of the easiest ways to end up with interest charges of up to 7.75%.

The 31st July payment deadline is nearly here.

If you're self-employed, in a partnership, or a director taking dividends, you'll likely have a Payment on Account due to HMRC this month. Which is an advance instalment based on last year's tax, not a new bill.

We understand cash is tighter over summer, so reducing that payment can look appealing. In some cases it works, but cutting it just because you’ve had a slow few weeks will very quickly result in a bigger bill and interest charges by January.

We’ve just added a new blog that goes through when reducing makes sense, when it doesn't, and how to avoid the interest trap. You can read it here:

https://www.jvca.co.uk/july-31st-payment-on-account-to-reduce-or-not-to-reduce/

If you have any questions about your own position, get in touch. We’d be more than happy to help.

[email protected]

Is MTD working for you?We’re 3 months into Making Tax Digital now. Some have their software set up and it’s going smooth...
02/07/2026

Is MTD working for you?

We’re 3 months into Making Tax Digital now. Some have their software set up and it’s going smoothly, others are still finding their feet. We’ve even spoken to people who are still unsure whether it applies to them, or will apply to them down the line.

All of that is fine, it’s still early days.

Whatever stage you’re at, we’re happy to help:

- Not sure if it applies to you? We can check and give you a straight answer

- Still need to get set up? We can take you through it and get you the right software

- Want to hand it over completely? We’d be happy to give you one less thing to worry about

Get in touch if you need any support.

[email protected]

Address

114 High Street
Cranfield
MK430DG

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4pm
Tuesday 8am - 4pm
Wednesday 8am - 4pm
Thursday 8am - 4pm
Friday 8am - 3pm

Telephone

+441234752566

Website

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