Spring 2009 Newsletter Content Oh for a little hindsight Can't pay, won't pay? Shock in Essex Car tax You signed it Don't be late Age before beauty? IHT and falling prices More paper Shopping around Less paper PAYE or not PAYE... Flat rate scheme A change of heart There are limits Do your duty Free lunch VAT a mess Dissatisfaction guaranteed Don't believe it! Too late Tax on tick £100 note Temp reminder

Oh for a little hindsight The economic news is so bad that it's easy to forget to be shocked. Banks going cap in hand to the Government and being partly nationalised - fraudulent investment advisers losing 50 billion dollars - sterling on the slide - tax cuts to be followed by tax increases. Where will it all end? It's easy to be wise now, of course: the banks should have remembered that in business, it's a good idea to do what you understand and understand what you do. Their policies on lending and investment in recent years would have horrified traditional prudent financiers, and they have created a monetary whirlwind that is shaking everyone. No-one in banking or in Government appears to have had any inkling of how bad things were, and they are still arguing about how bad things are going to get while avoiding any suggestion that they were to blame. In difficult times, it's more important than ever to follow good financial practice. Don't close your eyes and hope that things will improve - even if that may sometimes seem to be Government policy - but make sure you understand how your business or your personal finances are affected. There are steps you can take if you plan ahead. If you don't, it's like crossing a motorway with your eyes shut. Or like running a bank, perhaps If you need sound advice on surviving a recession, we are here to help.