Anticipating your needs

At Greenback Alan we provide a comprehensive range of services to an extensive client list, a list that runs from major multi-nationals to UK professional partnerships to private individuals. Each of those clients has different requirements and expectations.

But when it comes to quality of service they all want the same thing. They want direct access to partners whenever they need it. They want common sense as well as professional expertise. They want reasonable fees agreed in advance. They want prompt replies to phone calls and emails and letters and faxes. And they want those replies to be clear, concise and accurate, not evasive or clouded with jargon. We deliver all that and more.

By getting to know all the ins and outs of your business we’re able to head off problems and to inform you of any impending liabilities and forthcoming opportunities. So you have time to assess the situation and make a considered decision rather than a panicked reaction. That’s why our clients, whether they first came for a corporate strategy or a personal tax return, have stayed with us.

Providing international solutions to corporate clients

In today’s global village the main focus of our corporate work is increasingly international. Our widespread network of associates spans Europe and the US and, coupled with our own expertise abroad, enables us to provide intelligent, cost-effective advice to a wide range of clients.

Many are UK based, setting up offshore operations. Others are top 100 Japanese companies looking to expand into the UK. Still others are American, Australian and European businesses involved in cross-border transactions.

We advise them on how the multitude of international double-taxation treaties can best be used to advantage. We advise them on how to deal with thin capitalisation. And on transfer pricing.

We specialise in both compliance and consultancy work, nationally as well as internationally. We prepare tax planning reports on all areas of offshore and UK taxation, including the ever more complex field of VAT.

Helping to build smaller companies from start up to market launch

When working with owner-managed businesses we have two clear objectives. The first is to provide all the input we can to ensure the company expands and prospers. The second is to do everything possible to ease the responsibilities, the pressures and workload of our clients.

We help develop business plans and secure venture capital. We advise on the company structure and handle all VAT, statutory and PAYE matters. In fact, in the early days, we often take on the role of finance director. We advise on strategies, systems and procedures. We help to minimise tax, NI and VAT liabilities. And we assess whether or not profits should be retained. At a more routine level we take care of monthly management accounts, payroll, VAT and all the rest of the financial drudgery.

When a business is ready for an offer for sale we not only act as reporting accountants but also ensure the sale is structured so as to make the most of the many tax planning opportunities that are available.

But that’s by no means the end of our involvement in the company’s growth and development. Clients can rely on our continuing commitment to provide invaluable input into company strategy, financial controls and corporate finance.

Catering for the individual needs of private clients

Thanks to recommendations from clients we’ve built up a reputation as the accountants for people from a number of particular fields. So leading investors, art dealers, actors, models and musicians, particularly those with transatlantic affairs and careers, know we understand the specific problems and pressures of their business.

But the point is we don’t see ourselves as specialists in specific fields. We see ourselves as specialists in individuals. What counts is our ability to get to know not just the income and outgoings of each of our clients but also their long-terms aims and expectations.

That means we’re able not only to manage our clients books but also to plan ahead to minimise their tax liabilities and maximise their financial opportunities. And that applies whether you’re an actor or an architect or an archaeologist, an expat or a UK national.