If you are a business owner, when you sit down with your accountant to discuss your year-end accounts, you will probably hear the term Director’s Loan Account. It’s not the easiest thing to get your head around, so we’ve put together a list of everything you need to know.
What is it?
It’s a log of how much money you owe your limited company, or how much it owes you. It will tell you what is left to withdraw tax-free from your company, and if you have withdrawn too much.
How Does it Work?
Your Director’s Loan Account works the same as a standard bank account. The only difference is that it’s not a real account. You can put money in, and you can take money out. However, unless you do your bookkeeping regularly, it’s not easy to monitor.
What Money Goes In?
The first thing that goes in will be any capital that you are using to set up your business. It could be a personal loan, equipment that you have purchased yourself, or any funds of goodwill. However, as your company starts to earn money, you will be putting things into the account that you have paid for, on behalf of the company.
What Money Comes Out?
You will likely take money from your Director’s Loan Account throughout the year. This will generally include personal expenses like fuel, small cash withdrawals, and regular direct debits.
What Happens If I Am Owed Money?
If your business owes you money, you can withdraw it whenever you want. There will be no tax on it because it’s like paying you back for a loan, rather than you taking additional income.
What If I Owe The Company?
It is never a good thing to owe your limited company money. It’s seen as a perk, which is why HMRC doesn’t take kindly to it. You need to pay the money back as soon as possible. If the amount you owe is over £10k, and you can’t pay it back within nine months of the financial year-end, you will be taxed on it, as it will then be seen as additional income
All of this can be very confusing, but having the right accountant can help to ease the burden and make things much more straightforward. If you have set up a new business and require an accountant, get in touch today to see how we can help you.