For Finances Sake (FFS)

Ever hired someone who looked perfect on paper and turned out to be an absolute nightmare? You're not alone. One bad hire can cost more than a tax investigation, and cause twice the stress. In this episode of FFS, Rachael is joined by David Dand from Coreus, a boutique talent consultancy helping SMEs attract, recruit, and retain the right people. They get into why the biggest mistake businesses ma...

Because every generation thinks the one that follows them is lazy, lost, and heading for disaster. They're usually wrong. Are young people really entitled and work-shy, or simply responding rationally to a world that looks nothing like the one we walked into? Shorter attention spans, influencer culture, £60k of student debt, and an AI revolution nobody can predict the rules have changed. The quest...

In this episode of the FFS Podcast, Rachael is joined by networking expert and energy consultant Jon Zink to unpack the reality of modern business networking. From overpriced breakfast events and awards nights to expos, masterminds, and online networking, they discuss how to spot the events that genuinely deliver value and avoid the ones that waste your time and money. Jon shares practical tips on...

Because families are still being sold incredibly complicated trust arrangements at hotel seminars with stale biscuits and scary headlines and most of the time, they simply don't need them. "Put your house in a trust and HMRC disappears in a puff of smoke. The council can't touch your estate. Your inheritance is protected forever" It sounds compelling. It isn't true. And the people selling it know...

Landlord tax in 2026… and the 2% shift that's quietly costing more than anyone's admitting. It sounds small. It isn't. Because depending on how you hold your property, this change hits very differently and most landlords still haven't run the numbers. We're talking personal ownership versus limited company, dividend tax, alphabet shares, ownership splits, and the stamp duty trap that catches peopl...

MTD… the thing everyone is either talking about or hasn’t heard about! Making Tax Digital for Income Tax or as we’re calling it, the sole trader trap and the hidden cost nobody asked for. Because while HMRC calls this “modernisation”, what we’re actually seeing on the ground is confusion, last-minute panic, and a lot of people who don’t even realise it applies to them yet. And here’s the kicker, i...

In this episode of FFS, Rachael is joined by R&D specialist Christopher Harrison to unpack one of the most misunderstood areas of UK tax: Research & Development tax credits. They explain what actually qualifies as R&D in the eyes of HMRC, why something being new to your business doesn’t necessarily make it innovative, and the role genuine technical uncertainty plays in a successful cla...

How should you really pay yourself as a UK limited company director? In this episode of FFS For Finance’s Sake, Chartered Accountant and Managing Director Rachael Chadwick-Harrison shares the March Tax Planning Secrets most business owners never hear.  Rachael explains why March is the most important month in the tax year, how to avoid the brutal 60% tax trap over £100,000, and why extraction plan...

If you’ve ever felt like your business has gone from dream partner to high-maintenance nightmare, this episode is for you.  Rachael is joined by James Brookes, founder of Llumor Systems Ltd, who’s coming up to his first year in business. Together, they get brutally honest about what really happens once the honeymoon phase is over: the 3am wake-ups, the chaos you didn’t plan for, the systems you wi...

Have you ever felt like the business you built no longer feels like yours? In this episode of FFS, Beth is joined by Managing Director and Chartered Accountant Rachael Chadwick Harrison to talk honestly about falling out of love with your business and how to rebuild it in a smarter, stronger way. From hiring and delegation to leadership and buying back your time, Rachael shares practical, real-wor...

Your first VAT return can set the tone for your relationship with HMRC. In this episode Rachael is joined by accountant Charlie to unpack the myths, mistakes, and scrutiny that often come with a business’s very first VAT submission. From what you can actually reclaim to why HMRC pays closer attention to first returns, this episode is essential listening for any newly VAT-registered business wantin...

In this episode things are a little different as Rachael is firmly in the hot seat and is joined by her business coach Emma Slack for a candid conversation recorded live as part of an AVN webinar. Following a standout year in which Rachael was recognised with the Changing Lives and High Profile Practice awards, alongside the overall title of Most Inspiring Accountant, Emma puts Rachael under the s...

In this episode of FFS: For Finance’s Sake, I’m unpacking what you can and definitely can’t get away with at Christmas as a business owner. From staff gifts and festive perks to office parties, Prosecco, cash in sparkly envelopes, and those “it’ll be fine, surely?” moments. We’ll also cover Christmas parties, what’s allowable, what tips it over the edge, and how one extra pound can make the whole...

In this new Women at Work miniseries on FFS – For Finances Sake, we’re stripping back the polished LinkedIn gloss and diving into the real experiences women face in the workplace. In this episode, Rachael sits down with Joanna, Senior Accountant at Chadwick Accountants, who shares her incredible journey whilst navigating male-dominated environments, pay imbalances, childcare pressures, and those s...

I’m joined by none other than Shaun Caddick: AAT Rising Star finalist, certified wizard of Dext/QuickBooks/Xero, and one of the sharpest young talents at Chadwick Accountants. Shaun breaks down exactly why bookkeeping is the unsung hero of business, how consistency saves your sanity, and why the right tech can turn hours of admin into a quick snap-and-done moment.

Unless you’ve been living under a tax-free rock, you’ll know the government has finally dropped the Autumn Budget… in November… late, lumpy, leaked and, frankly, not great. After weeks of warnings that a financial hurricane was coming, what we actually got was heavy rain, a bit of wind and somehow they still managed to steal your wallet while you were looking the other way. In today’s episode, we’...

Today we’re diving into a topic that many people avoid until it’s too late: pensions! how they work, what’s changing, and how to plan properly for the future. I’m joined by Tony Ross, Chartered Financial Planner and founder of Velocity Financial Planning. With over 15 years of experience, Tony specialises in guiding people through the major life transitions that shape their financial decisions. In...

This week on the FFS Podcast, we’re tackling a topic most directors would rather avoid. If cashflow has dried up, creditors are circling, and the company can’t pay what it owes, this is your calm, straight-talking guide to what happens next. We’ll walk through your real-world options, from doing nothing (and why that’s the worst plan), to compulsory liquidation, creditors’ voluntary liquidation, s...

This episode of FFS is a really special one. We’re talking all about the AVN Awards  an incredible experience for me and the team at Chadwicks. We were absolutely thrilled (and a bit stunned!) to take home High Profile Practice, Changing Lives, and Most Inspiring Accountant. But this isn’t just about the awards, it’s about the journey that got us there. From starting during the pandemic to buildin...

Now… let’s talk cashflow. Because nothing kills business buzz faster than a tax bill that hits harder than your Monday morning coffee. I’m not tackling this one alone, joining me is our wonderful Charlotte, our senior accountant. She’s here with battle-tested tips, real stories, and a little tough love to help you stay in control of your cash. From tax bill dread to forecasting like a finance pro,...

In this episode, Rachael sits down with Hannah Morgan from Circle Insurance Services to demystify one of the most overlooked but essential parts of running a business — insurance. From professional indemnity to cyber cover, they unpack what every business really needs, what’s often misunderstood, and what might just be a waste of money. Expect practical advice, real client stories, and plenty of p...

In this episode, we’re diving into one of the biggest questions small business owners face: Should you go Limited or stay Sole Trader? We’ll unpack the pros, cons, and a few hidden HMRC quirks you’ll want to know about, plus, explore why Making Tax Digital could be a major shake-up for sole traders (and not necessarily for the better 👀).  

Are you working harder than ever, only to watch your earnings vanish into HMRC’s pockets? You’re not alone. We’re diving into real-world stories of smart restructuring that put serious money back where it belongs...in our clients hands. This could be the episode that changes how you think about tax forever.

From a challenging childhood and juggling paper rounds at 15, to single parenthood, career setbacks, and even starting her business from a back bedroom. Rachael's story is one of grit, resilience, and sheer determination. Fast forward to today, she’s an award-winning entrepreneur leading a thriving accountancy firm, with her sights firmly set on reaching £1 million turnover by 40. In this special...

We all know that sinking feeling when a brown envelope from HMRC lands on the doormat. From confusing tax codes that look like Wi-Fi passwords, to VAT penalty points, corporation tax reminders, and dreaded self-assessment notices. Rachael is joined by Kristel, our onboarding ninja. Together, they cut through the jargon, share insider tips, and explain what those letters really mean. If you’ve ever...