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Keeping it simple What do we do? We do what accountants do…which is not as unhelpful as it seems. If you are looking for an accountant, you obviously think an accountant can help you. And you are probably right. If you want to know more about what we do, find out here ​ ​ We are: Members of the Tax Faculty of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales Registered to run a training office. ​ ​ and we can make it all sound simple . Which might give you some idea of what’s on offer. ICAEW Institute Of Chartered Accountants In England And Wales Founded in 1880, thee ICAEW has a long history of working with governmentsand business leaders around the world. They supervise and monitor over 12,000 firms, holding them, and all ICAEW members and students, to the highest standards of professional competency and conduct. ​ ICAEW is also part of Chartered Accountants Worldwide, a global network of 750,000 members across 190 countries, which promotes the expertise and skills of chartered accountants on a global basis. I ICAEW Business Advice Service The ICAEW Business Advice Service (BAS) are firms of chartered accountants, regulated by the ICAEW who provide free initial consultations and offer trusted business advice. ​ Chartered accountants are rigorously trained in advising businesses and provide high quality, professional services. ​ The word ‘accountant’ is not a protected title so there are unregulated parts of the industry that may not uphold the same standards as ICAEW chartered accountants. XERO Accounting software Xero's business accounting software has all the time-saving tools you need to grow your business. Real-time updates mean no more waiting to learn the health of your finances. View and share interactive reports and budgets, all in one place on a customisable dashboard. ​ From importing bank transactions to sending invoice reminders, Xero automatically handles tasks so you can get your accounting done faster.

How Much How much will it cost? ​ Or – how long is this piece of string? ​ It isn’t always easy for us to make an off-the-cuff estimate over the phone. There is no magic formula. We charge for the time spent on working on your records, giving advice, dealing with the Revenue, or whatever. We will give you a fixed quote, (if not instantly over the phone) and stick to it. ​ The magic word – free You see it advertised “free initial consultation.” Which makes us wonder – who would have the nerve to charge for an initial discussion? It would be like a shop charging you for “no thank you – just looking”. If you think we might be able to help, please contact us. Come in for a chat. If you don’t like us – well, we promise not to give you an invoice on the way out. ​ If you do like us – we only start charging when we start working. Phone, email or fax us. Or just drop in – most of our clients do. There’s always someone who can help ​ When do I pay? Normally not until the job is completed – accounts annually, VAT quarterly, and so on. If you want to spread the load we’re quite happy to set up a standing order from day one – but, unusually we don’t insist on it. ​ Do you charge for the odd phone call? No. Never be afraid to ask for advice. Why lose sleep over a problem that may have a well-known solution? We can often give you an answer in seconds to something that might puzzle you for weeks. And if there is a problem – better deal with it now than at the end of the year. When it’s too late. And, honestly, there is no such thing as a daft question. You might set us a problem in seconds that puzzles us for weeks… (Is a Jaffa Cake a cake or a chocolate biscuit? It took a VAT tribunal to decide. After examining a giant Jaffa Cake, they decided it was a cake. Then – allegedly – they ate the evidence.) ​ Terms and conditions No business can get away from the Small Print. The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales insist that we provide you with details of our “terms of engagement” These, inevitably, are full of legal jargon. But, put simply, the terms are a promise. If you tell us everything you should, at the right time, then we will do everything we should, at the right time.

Contact us Phone The easiest way is to phone. Each office has a local number, so phone the number that is cheapest for you. In fact it doesn’t matter which number you dial. With the wonders of technology we can answer any phone call from any office. And have all your records on screen. ​ Herne Bay 01227 740036 Rochester 01634 722000 Email Feel free to drop any of us an email at any time: faye@hilaryadams.co.uk michael@hilaryadams.co.uk sarah@hilaryadams.co.uk daniel@hilaryadams.co.uk ​ ​ Via this Website If your call is not too urgent , simply fill in the form below and click "send" We will reply to you as soon as we are able ​ Visit It makes sense to call ahead to make an appointment, But we’re quite happy if you just drop in on the off chance – it brightens up the day. Someone will always be able to help. Herne Bay office Hilary Adams Chartered Accountants 158 High Street Herne Bay CT6 5NP ​ Rochester Office Hilary Adams, Chartered Accountants U nit A3 Spectrum Business Centre, Anthony’s Way Medway City Estate Rochester, ME2 4NP Send us a message and we’ll get back to you shortly. Email Subject Thanks for submitting! Your message Send The registered office of Hilary Adams Ltd is : at 158 High Street Herne Bay CT6 5NP Company reg no : 04569462 The Directors are: Faye Clarke FCA & Michael Holland FCA ​

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Meet The Team “If you would like to put names to faces…” ​ If only it was that simple. We didn’t want the group shot of the staff looking embarrassed. Or the suits round the board-room table. Or the one with the computer – invariably not plugged in. So, how about some nice individual photos? Modesty – we forgot about modesty Perfectly happy chatting to clients, old and new. Unflappable in a crisis. Always confident , always competent. Unfrightened by the Revenue. Even capable of putting off the most persistent salesmen politely. But worried about being exposed to a potential audience of billions. And the fame this might bring. So it might be a little difficult to recognise the team from the photos they “approved” for the web. But don’t worry. In real life they are all much more colourful! (And, lately, perhaps, not quite so modest…) Meet the team Herne Bay Faye faye@hilaryadams.co.uk Faye trained with Hilary Adams, qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 2007. Faye became a Director in 2010. Coming from the area, Faye's local knowledge was a great help when Hilary Adams was deciding to open a Rochester office. Faye was convinced that the new firms springing up in the area would welcome our help. (The fact that it would drastically reduce her driving to work time is, of course, a complete coincidence.) Medway City Estate is very much Faye's project. (She still has vast files of samples and costings, should you be furnishing an office yourselves...) Along with Michael, Sarah and Dan, she makes up the accounts team. Michael michael@hilaryadams.co.uk Michael joined us as a fresh-faced school leaver in 2008 eager to learn the ways of an Accountant. In 2011 he became Chartered, and in 2015 he became a Director. Along with Faye, Sarah and Dan, he makes up the accounts team. ​ Remembering Jackie Jackie joined in 2004 and, together with Rachel, formed a formidable partnership at front-of-house. After a short illness, Jackie sadly passed away in January 2021. She touched the hearts of all of us, and the office is a sadder place without her famous Jackie-isms. ​ ​ Sarah sarah@hilaryadams.co.uk In 2007 along with the clients of Blezards we also acquired the expertise of Sarah. ​ Starting off as a part-time member of staff she quickly enjoyed our company so much she became full-time. Specialising in, but not limited to, payroll, she makes up the accounts team, along with Faye, Michael & Dan ​ ​ ​ Dan daniel@hilaryadams.co.uk Dan joined us in July 2018, and quickly became a key part of the firm. Along with Faye, Michael and Sarah, he makes up the accounts team ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Rachel rachel@hilaryadams.co.uk Whenever you call or visit you are likely to meet our lovely front-of-house expert (and chief tea-maker) Rachel.

Useful Links ​ VAT If you want VAT leaflets, HMRC is the place. But with VAT, above all else, take great care. It is not a logical tax. And the answer to nearly every “simple” VAT query is “It depends…”. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Charity Commission The Charity Commission for England and Wales regulates registered charities in England and Wales and maintains the Central Register of Charities. It produces guidance for trustees and runs an online register. Charities need to abide by charity law (under the Charities Act 2011. Charities do not pay tax on most income and gains if used for charitable purposes . To get tax relief you must be recognised by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Xero A common question asked of us is “What bookkeeping system do you recommend?” We’ve had experience of virtually all of the most popular systems, and we believe Xero is the best. It’s very simple to use, a modest price and – best of all – because it uses Cloud technology, we can access the same screen as you. No need to panic if you think you’ve made an error; a quick phone call to us and we can put your mind at ease. Rest assured, however, that whatever system you use, we can work with. If it works for you, then it works for us. Of course, bookkeeping systems aren’t always the best option for every business. Give us a quick ring and we can assess exactly what system will suit you best. It may just be the case that spreadsheets are more appropriate, and we’d be happy to share our templates with you. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Companies House You can get brief details of Limited Companies for free. This will at least tell you if a company is behind with its accounts. The cut-down version of the accounts that “small” companies file reveal next to nothing. You can also search for disqualified directors, and there are links to sites where you can see if your killer web address is still available. There are also, of course, the usual range of helpful leaflets ​ ​ ​ H M Revenue & Customs The new combined department has a new web site. Or, to be more accurate, it has cobbled together the two old sites. It is still, whatever they say, two separate departments. And it shows in the way information is presented. HMRC does try very hard to provide help and information, but you probably do need to have some idea of what you’re looking for before you start. However, Revenue leaflets are generally well written, and are a good introduction to a topic. If you feel brave, the text of many of the Revenue’s own guidance manuals are also available (except for some sensitive bits). But they are not for the fainthearted. The “setting up in business” section is very detailed – but shows its teeth. Register – or get penalised! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ OandA Not the most intuitive web address – but probably the best Currency exchange site around. Current and historic rates are at www.oanda.com/convert/classic ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The AA Yes, it really does cost that much to run a car. Console yourself with a holiday – routes and hotels available. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ DVLA We would all like to receive full tax relief on the purchase of our new [insert make of favourite sports car here]. Sadly, that is unlikely to happen. Explaining the different allowances available would likely result in your eyes glazing over before the first paragraph was complete, but we’d be more than happy to discuss them over the phone or face-to-face. In short, it is largely dependent upon emissions (as expected, the lower the better). If you want to see your vehicle’s emissions, or you simply can’t remember when your road tax is due (we’ve all been there), use the DVLA ​ ​ Useful Places Some of the sites we use regularly are listed below: Companies House Forms AA01 Change of accounting reference date AA02 Dormant Company Accounts AD01 Change of registered office address AD02 Notification of single alternative inspection location (SAIL) AD03 Change of location of the company records to the single alternative inspection location (SAIL) AD04 Change of location of the company records to the registered office ​ ​ AP01 Appointment of director AP02 Appointment of corporate director AP03 Appointment of secretary AP04 Appointment of corporate secretary TM01 Termination of appointment of director TM02 Termination of appointment of secretary ​ CH01 Change of director’s details CH02 Change of corporate director’s details CH03 Change of secretary’s details CH04 Change of corporate secretary’s details ​ AR01 Annual Return DS01 Striking off application by a company DS02 Withdrawal of striking off application by a company IN01 Application to register a company ​ NM01 Notice of change of name by resolution Res CA2006 Special resolution on change of name Written Res CA2006 Written special resolution on change of name SH01 Return of allotment of shares

About Us Hilary Adams has been established in Herne Bay since 1987. ​ Starting out with not much more than two desks, two chairs and three computers, the firm gradually expanded to fill both first and second floors of High Street premises. We soon expanded to other offices including Birchington and Rochester. We now have two main offices in Herne Bay and Rochester. In April 2017 , Hilary made the difficult decision to retire, after 30 years with the firm. The business was passed on to Faye and Michael, who had both been with the firm for many years.

Training Hilary Adams is approved by the Institute as a training organisation. ​ The standard for trainees (and trainers) is ferociously high – and you get the benefits. But training is vital not just for “trainees”. It’s important for everyone. We all continue to train, to go on courses, read what’s new. And not just technical stuff – all learning is important. It doesn’t much matter what you learn – anything that exercises the brain is good for you. (And who knows when Rachel’s Spanish course might be of use.) Keeping up to date is a skill. But it can also be fun – reading the Revenue’s manual before the poor harassed Inspector can often give you an edge . ​ ​ Michael’s Memoirs: About the firm So, being brutally honest, what are the characteristics you think of when you consider the term ‘Accountant’? Suit? Tie? An unhealthy interest in stationery? Well, although we do ensure our desks always boast a wonderful array of post-it notes, we like to think we’re not the stereotypical firm of accountants. We take our work seriously, but adopt a less formal, more personal approach to our work, meaning that, by the time deadline day rolls round, we’re not on the verge of a breakdown. ​ Training So what about training, I hear you ask. Well, this is comprised of 2 elements. The first is on-the-job training. We believe in ‘throwing you in at the deep end’; from day one of employment with the firm, you will assist in the preparation of accounts, VAT et al. But, not to worry, fellow staff members will act as your armbands (to continue with the swimming theme) from the off. ​ Once settled into the job, you will learn how to deal with clients and handle basic queries; as your training develops, you will take on more responsibilities and will deal with more technical and complex areas of the job. There will always be a more experienced / senior member of staff to deal with further advice and tax issues. ​ The second aspect is linked tuition. At various intervals during the year, you will have the opportunity to delve into the wonderful world of the reception staff’s stationery box (I’m not doing much to quell some of those stereotypes, am I?) in order to secure enough materials to last you through a period at residential college. These equate to roughly six months’ worth of time spent in lectures over the entire 4-year contract, broken up into 1 or 2 week blocks. Although this can be very intensive, the lecturers are always more than willing to spend extra time after lectures going through any troublesome matters. They can also be contacted in the periods between study block for any extra guidance. ​ Home study is a vital part of gaining your qualification. I used to spend around 1-2 hours studying most evenings. This will, of course, vary from person to person. However, it is also important to stress the need for a positive work-life balance; I always ensured I set aside a certain amount of time each week to relax and socialise and, from time to time, venture outdoors, away from my desk. Don’t forget: we’ve all been through the same process; if something doesn’t quite make sense, or the pressure of study is taking its toll, we’re always there to lend some friendly advice (and normally all for the measly reward of an iced donut) ​ Exams There are six knowledge-based computer assessments, ensuring the theory is built surrounding each module of the Professional Stage. This stage is split into six exams, usually attempted in sets of two. ​ You will then progress onto the Advanced Stage, structured of 3 exams which consolidate and build upon the modules taught at Professional Stage. These are normally attempted in one go, although there is a degree of flexibility about this. ​ Afterwards After the mandatory congratulations from all and sundry, along with swathes of pride and relief, you’ll take on more roles and deal with more complicated issues. The learning never stops, however, as it is necessary to keep up to date with ever-changing rules. You’ll finish with a highly sought-after qualification to be proud of, meaning the world is your oyster.

What We Do We could make a long list (tax, vat, payroll) of all the things we do regularly. ​ But that’s a bit like insisting that the vegetarian reads all the steak menu… ​ You will not want to use all our skills. Or even 90% of them. Just the bits that apply to your unique circumstances. If you don’t know what a technical term means, it’s not your fault. It’s our fault for not explaining it properly. We do try to make it all sound simple. ​ ​

< Back Brad Grecco Marketing Associate This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Want to view and manage all your collections? Click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Here, you can make changes to your content, add new fields, create dynamic pages and more. Your collection is already set up for you with fields and content. Add your own content or import it from a CSV file. Add fields for any type of content you want to display, such as rich text, images, and videos. Be sure to click Sync after making changes in a collection, so visitors can see your newest content on your live site. info@mysite.com 123-456-7890

< Back Camilla Jones Content Manager This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Want to view and manage all your collections? Click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Here, you can make changes to your content, add new fields, create dynamic pages and more. Your collection is already set up for you with fields and content. Add your own content or import it from a CSV file. Add fields for any type of content you want to display, such as rich text, images, and videos. Be sure to click Sync after making changes in a collection, so visitors can see your newest content on your live site. info@mysite.com 123-456-7890

< Back Kelly Parker HR Representative This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Want to view and manage all your collections? Click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Here, you can make changes to your content, add new fields, create dynamic pages and more. Your collection is already set up for you with fields and content. Add your own content or import it from a CSV file. Add fields for any type of content you want to display, such as rich text, images, and videos. Be sure to click Sync after making changes in a collection, so visitors can see your newest content on your live site. info@mysite.com 123-456-7890