Contractor accountants who put every deadline in order from day one
Contractor accountants for consultants with a contract lined up and a limited company to run. We set up what is needed before the first invoice, check IR35 for each contract and plan salary and dividends.
One Abacus was recommended to me by several friends and I truly owe them a huge favour as this company has been exemplary! As a new limited…Molly Eve Stevens · Read the reviews
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A few quick questions, then a plain recommendation and a fixed monthly fee in writing. About two minutes. No monthly tie in.
- Contract signed
- Company still to set up
The dangerous gap is the week between signing the contract and sending the first invoice. Who checks the company, VAT, PAYE and how you will be paid before money starts moving?
One Abacus is a two-person accountancy practice in Brixton, run by Ryan Morton FMAAT, for contractors and consultants across the UK. One fixed monthly fee agreed in writing covers company filings, payroll, VAT, IR35 support and the director’s return. The accountant doing the work answers the phone.
- Rated 5.0 on Google
- One fixed monthly fee, agreed in writing
- FreeAgent or Xero included
- Brixton, by appointment
What gets settled before the first invoice
Your company is ready to invoice
The company details, software and registrations are in place before the client needs an invoice.
Each contract gets an IR35 check
The agreement is considered on its own terms before payroll and payments begin.
Your pay and deadlines are planned
Salary, dividends and filing dates are agreed before company cash starts moving.
Where a new contract can create the wrong order
One early decision can leave months of company admin to unpick.
- Incorporate
“I signed the contract, then realised I had no company ready to send the invoice.”
The invoice waits while the company, bank account and registrations catch up.
- IR35
“The client mentioned IR35 after I had agreed the day rate, and I did not know what changed.”
That can change how the engagement and payroll should be handled. Checking after payments begin leaves more to unpick.
- Dividends
“I paid myself when cash arrived, without knowing what belonged to tax or what I could safely take.”
A later tax bill can land against cash already spent. A salary and dividend plan sets the dates and amounts.
- Sorted
What changes once each contract has been checked?
The company is ready before the invoice. Each contract has been checked for IR35. Salary, dividends and filing dates are planned before cash moves.
Quick check · no email
If you cannot say how IR35 applies, what tax is due and who owns each deadline, it is worth a conversation
Answer these three questions about the contract you are working on now.
Question 1 of 3
Do you know how IR35 applies to this specific contract?
Do you know what your tax bill will be before it lands?
Do you know who to ring when a company question comes up?
Those gaps can affect how you invoice, run payroll and take money out. A conversation with Ryan is the sensible next step.
You have a workable base, with one gap to close. The first-invoice example shows why the order matters before money moves.
All three areas are covered. Read the guides when the next contract or working arrangement changes.
What changes when advice starts before year end
Annual filing covers important work, while contractors also make decisions during each engagement.
Year-end filing
Accounts are prepared after the period closes.
Corporation tax and company filings are completed.
Questions follow the annual timetable.
The contract may sit outside that work.
Advice from the first contract
IR35 is considered for each agreement.
Salary and dividends are planned before withdrawals.
VAT and PAYE are handled when needed.
Questions go to the accountant doing the work.
What must be ready before money starts moving
Eight checks show whether the company can run without last-minute unpicking.
- 01
Is the company incorporated before the client needs an invoice?
The company name and details can go straight onto the invoice.
- 02
Has each contract been considered separately for IR35?
A new agreement can change the answer, so each one gets checked.
- 03
Do you know when VAT registration may become necessary?
Registration and pricing are considered before the threshold is crossed.
- 04
Is PAYE ready before the first salary is paid?
Payroll starts in time for the first salary.
- 05
Is there a plan for salary and dividends?
Withdrawals follow agreed dates and amounts.
- 06
Is the bank feed connected to your accounting software?
The bank feed and invoicing routine are already working.
- 07
Do you know who owns each filing date?
Payroll, VAT, year end and personal tax each have an owner.
- 08
Is one fixed monthly fee agreed in writing?
The package and conversations sit inside the written price.
What the monthly package takes off your desk
The work follows the contract from company set-up to the director’s return.
A company ready to invoice
Company formation, PAYE, VAT and the software are handled in the order your contract needs.
IR35 and director pay
Each agreement is checked, then salary, dividends and payroll are planned around it.
Every company filing handled
VAT, year-end accounts, corporation tax, the confirmation statement and self assessment are kept on schedule.
Entry 01
What happens before the first invoice goes out
Contractors often arrive with work agreed and nothing ready behind it.
Clients described by type. Names withheld.
What clients say
One Abacus was recommended to me by several friends and I truly owe them a huge favour as this company has been exemplary! As a new limited company myself and a novice to the contracting world I have had tons of questions and they have been dealt with promptly, effectively and in an approachable and really helpful manner. I couldn't recommend One Abacus enough!
I am currently using one Abacus for sorting out all my freelance accounts and i have to say everything has been perfect with my accountant. they are normally always available even on the weekends when you need something sorted out really quickly. they have sorting out everything from helping with mortgage and notifying when you to pay your tax. really nice and responsive people to talk to if you have questions.
One Abacus has provided me a comprehensive service, very professional accountant, but friendly at the same time, maximum availability, I couldn't be happier.
How the first 90 days put every deadline in order
Each stage removes a decision from your desk before the next deadline arrives.
Ready to send the first invoice
We put the company, bank account, PAYE and VAT in the right order and check the contract for IR35.
A working routine for the company
FreeAgent or Xero is configured, the bank feed is linked and you are shown how to raise invoices.
Salary and dividends are planned
We agree how and when money comes out, with payroll running where needed.
Every deadline has an owner
Payroll, VAT, year end, corporation tax and your own return move onto our timetable.
Who the monthly package suits, and where it stops
Standalone bookkeeping sits outside this package.
Construction and CIS-led businesses need a different type of practice.
Stock-heavy retail and e-commerce require a different service.
One Abacus only signs off work it has done itself.
The quiz checks the fit before you spend time on a call.
Questions contractors ask before choosing an accountant
What do contractor accountants include in a monthly fee?
The monthly package covers FreeAgent or Xero, payroll, VAT returns, year-end accounts, corporation tax, the confirmation statement and the director’s self assessment. Advice during the year is included too. The exact scope and one fixed monthly fee are agreed in writing before any work starts.
Can contractor accountants help if I already have an accountant?
Yes. You can ask for a recommendation at any point in the year. If you choose to move, One Abacus asks for the handover information and picks up the next deadlines. There is no need to wait for your company year end, and the process stays professional throughout.
Do I have to move accounting software?
No. One Abacus includes FreeAgent or Xero and discusses which fits your company. If a change makes sense, the software is configured, the bank feed is linked and you are shown how to raise invoices and handle the day to day. Nothing moves without discussing it first.
What happens with my current accountant if I decide to switch?
Once you decide to move, One Abacus requests the information needed for the handover and confirms the next filing dates. Your existing adviser can provide the company’s accounts and tax information through the usual professional process. You keep working while the next payroll, VAT return or year end is put in order.
Does an accountant check IR35 for every contractor agreement?
IR35 depends on the working arrangement, so each contract needs its own check. One Abacus looks at the terms and how the work is carried out, explains the position in plain English, then plans payroll and company administration around it. A new or changed contract should be reviewed again.
How do contractors pay themselves from a limited company?
Salary and dividends are planned around the company’s profit, cash and the director’s circumstances. One Abacus sets up payroll, explains what can be taken and when, and keeps the tax dates in view. The right approach can change during the year, so it is checked before money is moved.
Three ways to take the next step
Get your recommendation and quote
Answer a few quick questions to get a recommendation and quote, then Ryan talks it through if there is a fit.
Get a free quote 02 · A question firstNeed to check one detail first?
Ask Ryan about the contract, company set-up or monthly package.
Ask Ryan a question 03 · Still decidingRead before deciding
The guides explain IR35, company set-up and the dates that follow your first invoice.
Read the contractor guides →