The Accountancy Office

Business Pay- Do You Know How Much Your Company Needs to Turn Over to Pay You What You Want?

Business Pay:-One of the biggest frustrations I hear from directors is this:

“I know what I’d like to take home, but I’ve no idea what my business needs to turnover to get me there.”

It’s a common challenge – and one that can leave you feeling like you’re working hard but not moving forward. The truth is, there’s a big difference between turnover and take-home income. Unless you’ve done the maths, you may be underestimating just how much your business needs to generate to cover both tax and operating costs before it ever reaches your pocket.

Why This Matters

  • Avoids Guesswork: Without a clear target, you’re flying blind when it comes to pricing, sales goals, and growth plans.
  • Realistic Goal Setting: Knowing the turnover you need gives you a concrete figure to work towards – whether that’s £100k, £250k, or more.
  • Tax Clarity: Income tax, National Insurance, Corporation Tax, and dividend tax all chip away at your profit. Understanding their impact upfront means no nasty surprises later.
  • Cash Flow Confidence: When you know your true numbers, you can plan salaries, dividends, pensions, and business reinvestment with confidence.
  • Work-Life Balance: Ultimately, your business should support your lifestyle—not the other way around. Clarity on the turnover required to fund your ideal income helps you design the business (and life) you want.

The Director’s Turnover & Tax Calculator

To make this simple, we’ve built our Director’s Turnover & Tax Calculator. It shows you:

  • How much turnover your business needs to deliver your target personal income
  • How different mixes of salary and dividends affect your tax bill
  • The impact of Corporation Tax and allowances on your take-home pay

It’s quick, easy, and tailored for UK directors who want clarity without spreadsheets or tax jargon.

Ready to Find Out Your Number?

Instead of guessing or waiting until year-end accounts to see what’s left, use the calculator to work backwards from your personal goals. That way, you’ll know exactly what turnover target to aim for – and can set realistic business goals with confidence.

 Try the Director’s Turnover & Tax Calculator today.

Please contact us if you’d like to discuss your Business Pay and  tax calculations then please contact us on 01386 366741 or email here and one of our advisers will be in contact.

Why a Full Finance Function Is Your Secret Weapon for Scaling

Ambitious business owners are natural multitaskers. But when your limited company is pushing beyond £250k turnover, the DIY approach to finances stops being clever—and starts costing you.

A full finance function, like the one we deliver, means we handle everything:

  • Bookkeeping and VAT
  • Payroll and pension submissions
  • Director payments and dividend planning
  • Management accounts and board packs
  • Year-end compliance and tax optimisation

You stop wasting time chasing receipts or second-guessing your cash flow. Instead, you get back the brain space to focus on growing your business—with full clarity on where the money’s going and how to keep more of it.

💡 Tax Tip: Let’s say you’ve got surplus cash and want to extract it tax-efficiently. A full finance function tracks retained earnings, so we can time your dividend declarations and pension contributions to minimise higher-rate tax exposure. Done right, this can save you thousands annually in dividend tax.

Please contact us if you’d like to discuss your Finance tax planning then please contact us on 01386 366741 or email here and one of our advisers will be in contact.

12 Monthly Checks To Keep Your Business Finance Healthy

Running a successful business isn’t just about making sales—it’s about keeping your business finances in order so you can grow sustainably and avoid cash flow surprises. 

Whether you’re handling your finances in-house or outsourcing them to a finance team like ours, there are key checks you should be making every month to keep your business in good financial health.

Here are 12 essential things to review every month:

1. Cash Flow Position

Cash is the lifeblood of your business. Check your cash flow statement to see how much money is coming in and going out. If your cash reserves are running low, identify where the bottlenecks are and take action – whether that’s chasing late payments or adjusting spending.

2. Bank Reconciliations

Ensure your bank statements match your accounting records. Unreconciled transactions could indicate missing income, duplicate payments, or errors that might distort your financial picture.

3. Aged Receivables (Outstanding Invoices)

Check your list of unpaid customer invoices. Who owes you money? How overdue are they? Consistently late payments can hurt your cash flow, so follow up on outstanding invoices and consider adjusting payment terms if late payments are a recurring issue. 

It’s also crucial to issue invoices promptly – delays in sending invoices can lead to delays in payment, which in turn affects your cash flow. The sooner your customers receive their invoices, the sooner they can process and pay them.

4. Aged Payables (Outstanding Bills)

Review what you owe to suppliers and ensure you’re paying on time. Late payments can lead to damaged relationships or unnecessary interest charges. If cash flow is tight, prioritise essential suppliers and negotiate payment terms.

5. Profit & Loss Review

Look at your monthly profit and loss (P&L) statement to see if your revenue and expenses are on track. Compare against previous months and your budget—are there any unexpected changes that need addressing?

6. Business Savings & Tax Reserves

Set aside money for tax liabilities such as VAT, Corporation Tax, and PAYE. Unexpected tax bills can cause cash flow problems, so having a dedicated savings strategy is crucial.

7. Payroll & Staff Costs

Ensure payroll is processed correctly and on time, and check for any discrepancies. If staff costs are rising, assess whether this aligns with business growth or if there are inefficiencies to address.

8. Expense Tracking & Cost Control

Are your expenses creeping up? Review your spending to ensure you’re not paying for unused subscriptions or unnecessary costs. Small leaks can add up over time.

9. VAT & Other Tax Deadlines

Ensure you’re keeping up with VAT returns, PAYE, and other tax obligations. Missing deadlines can lead to penalties, so stay on top of them or use an outsourced finance function to manage this for you.

10. Sales Performance & Pipeline

Revenue isn’t just about what you’ve made—it’s also about what’s coming in. Review your sales figures and check your pipeline. If sales are slowing, consider adjusting your strategy or increasing marketing efforts.

11. Stock & Inventory (If Applicable)

If you sell products, review your inventory levels. Are you holding too much stock and tying up cash? Or are you running low and at risk of losing sales? Keeping a balance is key.

12. Business Goals & Financial KPIs

Each month, assess your progress towards key financial goals. Are you hitting your revenue targets? Have you reduced costs where needed? Are you staying within budget? Tracking KPIs will help you make informed business decisions.

By running these checks monthly, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of your business’s financial health and be able to take proactive steps before issues arise. 

If you’d rather focus on growing your business and leave the numbers to experts, our outsourced finance function can handle all of this for you – giving you peace of mind that your finances are in safe hands.

Need help staying on top of your business finances? Get in touch with us today.

Call us on 01386 366741