An accountant is someone who helps businesses and individuals to stay on top of their financial affairs.

When do you need an accountant as an individual?

In most cases, you would only consider an accountant if you need to file a tax return. If you Pay As You Earn (PAYE), the tax you owe is sorted by your employer.

For an everyday individual taxpayer, your accountant’s main task is to prepare and file your personal tax return.

Other things that an accountant can do for you are:

• Help you to claim expenses
• Calculate the tax that you owe
• Find ways to help you lower your tax bill, like showing you which tax-free allowances you can claim

In the UK, you can either file a Self Assessment tax return yourself or get an accountant to file it for you. If you decide to work with an accountant, it’s important to make sure that they’re qualified i.e. that they have the basic AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) qualification.