Each new year means another new set of tax rules for businesses across the country. There are some major business tax changes for 2015 and then there are also some smaller ones that are still very important to note and implement.

Even if you have a tax accountant take care of your business taxes, it is important to know the business tax law changes so you can alter the way you collect information throughout the year. The more you know about the pending changes, the more you can help your tax accountant to maximize your deductions and save you money on your taxes.

Affordable Care Act

If your small business is below the 50-employee threshold for the tax implications of the Affordable Care Act, then your concerns in 2015 are no different than they were in 2014. But if you do have 50 employees or more, then the ACA could affect your taxes at the end of the year.

One of the changes that 2015 brings with the ACA is an increase in tax penalty for people who do not have coverage. Along with stiffer fines comes the requirement that employers offer adequate insurance for a reasonable price. A professional tax expert can explain to you exactly what constitutes adequate insurance and reasonable prices.

If you are planning an expansion in 2015 that will force you to hire more employees, then the ACA could become an issue for you in 2016. With the ACA, it is always best to plan at least one year in advance to avoid tax problems.

Establishing a strong web presence through a successful online business can be a really profitable venture. The following techniques will help you get your business noticed online and stand out from your competitors.

Choose an accurate domain name
Many businesses fail to establish a strong online presence because their owners choose irrelevant domain names. The domain name of your online business should contain your key product. For instance, if you sell glasses, you should include the keyword “glasses” in your domain name. Unless you have an already established and reputable online business, customers will find you by typing in the search engine the keyword of the product they are looking for. So, make sure to select an accurate domain name in order to target the right audience and convey the right marketing message.

Optimize your website
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a crucial success factor for your online business. By optimizing your website, your online business earns a higher ranking in the search engine results pages (SERPS). Effective optimization means that when a user enters a keyword in a search engine like Google or Yahoo, your website will appear in the first pages of results. For example, if you sell women’s clothes, use keywords such as “women’s apparel”, “women’s fashion” and so on. Generic keywords like “jeans”, “underwear”, “skirts” etc. won’t bring traffic to your online business. By making your website “search-engine friendly” you can attract prospects and turn them into regular customers. In fact, Google uses “spiders”, a software that crawls the web frequently and finds sites to index.

Online sales are booming across the UK, and everything suggests that this trend is here to stay. The United Kingdom tops the list of European countries in terms of online sales, as during 2014 alone online transactions generated revenues for the value of nearly £45 billion. In only six years, the volume of online sales in the UK has tripled, especially since more and more consumers are using their mobile devices (like tablets and smartphones) to make purchases online.

Online retail sales (also known as e-tailing) offer consumers the convenience of purchasing their favourite goods from the comfort of their homes. This new way of conducting commercial transactions also benefits business owners, who can now easily reach a wider consumer base and multiply their income exponentially. Whether you are a consumer who shops online or the owner of an online business, it is important that you are aware of the new consumer regulations that apply to online commercial transactions since June 2014. Read through our summary below to familiarise yourself with your rights and responsibilities.

What type of transactions are included?
The new consumer regulations apply to online transactions used to purchase both goods and services. This includes the purchase of digital content (music, movies, software, etc.) but excludes things like the purchase of foodstuffs, gambling transactions, and transactions that involve residential accommodation.

What information are retailers obliged to provide?
Retailers must make the customer aware of the following information before any contract is signed and before orders are placed: the characteristics of the goods on offer; the final price including any relevant taxes; clear delivery information; the seller’s name and contact details; and the duration of the contract where applicable.

How do the changes affect the ‘cooling off’ period?
Previously, consumers had a seven-day ‘cooling off’ period that allowed them to cancel a contract or purchase without needing to have any specific reason. Under the new consumer regulations, this period has been extended to 14 days. The 14-day period also applies to other parts of the transaction, such as returns and refunds, which must be processed within 14 days of receiving the returned goods.

What about delivery terms?
Under the amended consumer regulations, online retailers must deliver goods or services without delay and within a maximum of 30 calendar days from the date in which the order was placed.

The following infographic, courtesy of Waterfront Solicitors, provides a detailed visual overview of the regulatory changes that every e-tailer in the UK should be aware of.

You may have heard the news that the way VAT (Value Added Taxation) is charged to companies based in the UK is changing. Those earning revenue through online trading need to pay VAT to the EU member state where the customer lives, as opposed to the previous system where the company paid the VAT from the country they chose to supply the goods or services from.

It is worth deciding if your firm needs to make a note of any new requirements. The government introduced changes specifically applying to anyone supplying telecommunications, broadcasting products and e-services. Below is a short summary of what to look out for, courtesy of HM Treasury and Customs.

VAT Changes – new supply rules and the introduction of the VAT Mini One Stop Shop (MOSS)
The new VAT rules apply to UK businesses from 1 January 2015. Some compliance issues worth considering are:
• Compliance option 1 – the main compliance issue each business will need to ask itself, is does it want to register for VAT, separately, in each Europe member state. This applies if they have a consumer, or non-VAT registered customer that is resident in that state.
• Compliance option 2 – Businesses can choose to apply for the mini one-stop shop (MOSS) option, which means the scheme simplifies VAT responsibilities into customer groupings by EU member state.

Under either scheme, a business will need to know the individual EU VAT rates in each member state they are trading in, and the particular rules that apply there.

Businesses need to be aware they are subject to an audit from that member state.

Systems and Processes Will Change for Business Account-keeping and VAT
Businesses will need to identify exactly where their customers are located. For many, this will mean a complete overhaul of record keeping systems. How customers are managed, means improved technology systems, which can take hold of large amounts of data. Part of the process of doing business may mean a business needs to enable more server space, for example.

New ways of storing customer information, and the increased details needed, mean a business will need to get this checked out by a legal team. If working in a B2B environment, this could lead to needing to negotiate new trading terms with suppliers.

Ways of invoicing customers will need to change. Member state invoices need to be in the language of the customer’s country, and with the corresponding local taxation and VAT information clearly displayed.

Commercial Issues around Pricing
For a business, deciding how to apply VAT in the past would mean adding a percentage value wherever the VAT applies. Obviously, each product or service will attract a different percentage VAT addition, depending on where the customer lives.

Pricing can be applied on an individual member state level, known as dynamic pricing, yet a business will need a good technology algorithm to apply the variations needed for auto-calculations to be accurate every time. It may be the case, a business will need to think about their customers at the point-of-sale. Do they need to fill out a bit more information, and if so, do contact and order forms need adjustment?

Another option is to go for a blended rate, or universal pricing, which gives uneven margins, but to the business provides an acceptable level of profit. This may be the preferred method of pricing.

Issues over pricing may cause a business to relocate, if many customers are in a certain EU state where VAT is lower than their current location.

Click here for a list of Accounting Services in the UK.

Source: kpmg.com/uk/vat2015

In recent years, digital conferences have become a top way to network fellow technology heavyweights and listen to ‘A’ list digital entrepreneurs. Sharing ideas with the likes of You Tube cofounder Chad Hurley, or Skype’s Niklas Zennstrom while listening to the world’s top technology venture capitalists describe their successes, is a real possiblility with today’s top ten tech conferences.

Top 10 Technology Conferences Held in the UK

1. Digibury in Canterbury
14 January 2015 and monthly.
Set on the University of Kent campus and the Gulbenkian Theatre, Digibury aims to connect digital and creative entrepreneurs together in a series of one day conferences held every month. For those new to the conference circuit, regular attendance at Digibury is a great platform to start networking the digital community and establishing contacts.
2. Tech UK – The Whole Truth and Nothing But the Truth.
12 February 2015
The way TV broadcasting will evolve with the 4K technology is a hot topic covered by Tech UK, who host regular conferences dealing with specialisted digital technology. This conference located in central London includes keynote speakers, Nigel Catlow, Business group director/Consumer electronics, UK & Ireland, GfK, Richard Lindsay-Davies, CEO, Digital TV Group and Stephan Heimbecher, Head of Innovations & Standards, Sky Deutschland.
3. Technology for Marketing and Advertising TFM&A Conference
25-26 February, 2015
Held at the London Olympic Exhibition Centre, this event is the gathering place for digital marketing experts and advertisers who know how to make use of technology powered marketing. Offering delegates workshops, round-table discussings, and showcasing cutting edge marketing applications with hundreds of exhibitions stands, this is a must for anyone involved in digital marketing. Key note speakers for 2015 include Kieran Flanagan from Hubspot.
4. QCon London – software development conference
4-6 March, 2015
QCon is the annual gathering of those working in software development, as a part of technical teams including architects, engineering directors, and project managers. Introducing the latest software innovations in the industry, QCon features over one hundred speakers. This year, Roy Rapoport from Netflix, John Wilkes from Google, and John Graham Cummin (open source POPFile email programme developer) lead the pack of speakers.
5. The Wearable Technology Show 2015
10-11 March, 2015
Held at the Excel Centre in London and hosted by Augmented Realtiy, the Wearable Technology Show is the biggest event for leading experts in the field to showcase their wares. Full of tech stands and offering delegates the chance to hear talks and views from the top entrepreneurs in this fast growing field, this is a must for hands on digital designers and developers. All the big names are there on a rota of talks, including representatives from Google, LG, Accenture, McLaren, Visa, Samsung and more.
6. The Digital Shoreditch Festival
11-12 May 2015
Organised by the local community, this tech conference, held in the heart of the UK’s ‘Silicon Roundabout’ in Shoreditch, attracts the very best tech, creative and entrepreneurial people from London and Europe. There’s plenty to engage you, and with over 12,500 technology businesses in the immediate vicinity, there’s plenty of networking to do. The theme for 2015 is ‘trends with digital philanthropy’ and the way digital media has become a tool for social impact projects.
7. Thinking Digital
19-21 May, 2015
This spectacular conference at The Sage, Gateshead, attracts fantastic speakers such as Google’s machine intelligence expert Blaise Aguera y Arcas. Last year, Arcas gave an insightful insight into the world of machines, and the potential of artificial intelligence. Developers and those in digital applications will enjoy this conference.
8. The Eco Technology Show 2015
Billed as the event which embraces innovation concerning technology for low carbon solutions, the Eco Technology Show holds its annual conference in Brighton’s American Express stadium. Showcasing the best in the building industry, the conference invites panel discussions and the opportunity to network with town and city planning decision makers across the UK. Digital technology partners interested in commissioning large projects in the eco-techmarket will enjoy this conference. Hosting talks from keynote speakers such as Stephen Golding from the Department of Energy and Climate Change and Paul Southall from the National Trust, this is a must for anyone doing business in digital innovation for environment planning.
9. Tech Entrepreneurs Week
July 2015 (TBA)
Leading tech entrepreneurs enjoy this conference specifically for start-ups. Located in Euston Square, London, the conference covers investor networking, opportunities, funding, entrepreneur seminars and hosts many cutting edge tech speakers. Last year attracted speakers from Microsoft (James Whittaker), Nigle Townsend from Kiroco, Professor Adrian Cheok from Reality Lab, and Leo Castellanos from Saatchi Investors.
10. JAX London 2015
October 2015 (TBA)
JAX aims to bring together Java, JVM and Enterprise professionals together to discuss technology and methodology. The annual conference is gaining a reputation for being the place where the latest developer and architect solutions are discussed alongside specialist JAVA technology innovations and issues.

Bizwiki provides a comprehensive list of Conference Venues across the UK.

Being an online retailer is not always easy, but it can be a lucrative way to make a living if you follow the right advice. With an online retail store, you literally have the entire world as your prospective customer base. The steps you take to create the ideal store and cultivate that customer base will determine what level of success you will enjoy.

Good marketing can be the difference between the success and failure of a company. The need for good marketing information can be satisfied at one of the many marketing conferences taking place across the United States in 2015.

Summit Digital Marketing Conference
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Dates: March 9 through 13, 2015

Digital marketing has become more prominent in recent years and the Summit has become the place where digital marketing experts make themselves available to business owners. For many years now, the Summit has been regarded as the one mandatory digital marketing conference that every business owner and marketing expert should attend.

Past Keynote Speakers Have Included:

• Robert Redford – Actor
• Yancey Strickler – Kickstarter
• Brad Brown – REI

Social Media Marketing World
Location: San Diego, CA
Dates: March 25 through 27, 2015

Social media has evolved over the years and plays a significant role in corporate marketing. At the Social Media Marketing World conference, marketing experts discuss new methods for using social media in expanding a company’s influence and customer base.

Past Keynote Speakers Have Included:

• Chris Brogan – Human Business Works
• Michael Hyatt – Author
• Jay Baer – Author

Content Marketing World
Location: Cleveland, OH
Dates: September 8 through 11, 2015

Internet content marketing is constantly changing and the annual Content Marketing World conference helps website owners and developers to keep up to date on the latest developments. Whether it is a debate about the value of good content or a discussion about Google’s latest changes, you will find it at this conference.

Get the New Year off to a great start by organising your key UK tax dates in your diary for 2015.

January 2015
Deadline for online submission of Self Assessment tax returns for tax year ended 5 April 2014.
Deadline for paying Self Assessment ‘balancing payments’ for tax year ended 5 April 2014.
Deadline for first Self Assessment payment on account for tax year ended 2015.

February 2015
No deadlines for NICs (National Insurance Contributions), PAYE (Pay as You Earn), or Self Assessment returns.

March 2015
As above – no deadlines.

April 2015 – July 2015 - for businesses with employees and a payroll.
If you are a business employer running payroll, you need to:
Report to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) on the previous tax year (which ends on 5 April) and give your employees a P60.
Prepare for the new tax year, which starts on 6 April.
Send your final payroll report of the year – by 5 April

The following is a calendar of key annual dates and federal deadlines for companies and corporations operating in the United States, including annual filing of company records and tax returns, company vehicles, employee benefits, pensions and trusts.

While economic growth for the UK in 2015 still looks good, analysts suspect it may be lower than expected. With contributing factors ranging from political uncertainty to events abroad, whether or not the UK will meet the latest predictions still remains questionable.

The General Election and Economic Forecasts

While the coalition government’s fiscal plans are still underway, uncertainty surrounding the next general election has seen the original forecast of 3.1% drop to 2.7%. As the business world remains unsure as to whether it’ll face further Conservative policies, or changes from a new Labour government, corporate confidence is dented.

The majority of this growth is set to take place during Q4, at 1.25%. Two-thousand-and-fifteen will see a good start, with 0.25% growth, followed by further modest increases in subsequent quarters.

Despite there being concerns over the way the political climate will affect current economic plans, it is expected that public sector borrowing will continue to decline. There may be concerns that projected plans are too ambitious, but a decline will occur nonetheless.

Although job growth is anticipated to continue during 2015, uncertainty surrounding wage growth is further affecting economic progress. Wages are expected to normalise in the middle of the year, leading to higher spending within the country. However, as the yen and euro may experience a 6.5% decline, the cost of the pound may increase by around 5%. This means UK exports become less competitive, which could in turn buffer the progress made through domestic spending.