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potential client - farmer

lorrainelorraine Trusted RegularRegistered Posts: 400
in General accounting discussion
I have had an email from a farmer to do their bookkeeping, is there anything unusual about doing bookkeeping for farmers, just so that I am prepared beforehand.

Fingers crossed could be my first cline.
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Comments

  • groundygroundy Trusted Regular Registered Posts: 495
    Bookkeeping probably not. However, farmers accounts are something we avoid, some bad experiences as a junior in Chartered firm many moons ago. We used to have a manager who specialised in farms. Then again things might have changed since then.
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  • lorrainelorraine Trusted Regular Registered Posts: 400
    groundy wrote: »
    Bookkeeping probably not. However, farmers accounts are something we avoid, some bad experiences as a junior in Chartered firm many moons ago. We used to have a manager who specialised in farms. Then again things might have changed since then.

    Thats a bit concerning.
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  • lorrainelorraine Trusted Regular Registered Posts: 400
    lorraine wrote: »
    Thats a bit concerning.

    So I should be okay if I stick to just bookkeeping?
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  • groundygroundy Trusted Regular Registered Posts: 495
    Can't see why not, most bookkeeping is the same once you get an idea of te business.:thumbup:
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  • lorrainelorraine Trusted Regular Registered Posts: 400
    groundy wrote: »
    Can't see why not, most bookkeeping is the same once you get an idea of te business.:thumbup:

    okay thanks for the advice.
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  • TigerTiger Feels At Home Registered Posts: 63
    I do farmers bookkeeping and so long as you stay away from tax and self assesment you'll be fine... There are a few odd bits you may need to query ie subsidies, incentive payments and stewardships etc but you can always ask on here if you get stuck, there is nothng sinister in it.. the tax however is specialist and best left to the experts... not me I might add!!
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  • MonsoonMonsoon Font Of All Knowledge FMAAT, AAT Licensed Accountant Posts: 4,069
    I'm an accountant not a bookkeeper and I won't touch farmers. I really don't want to learn a whole new specialism!
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  • claudialoweclaudialowe Trusted Regular Registered Posts: 275
    Find out what software (if any!) they are using. Quite a few use Farmplan which IMHO is ghastly.

    I had to use it for a year, and never totally got to grips with it :blushing:

    Claudia
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  • Barry GouldBarry Gould New Member Registered Posts: 5
    Farmers Book-keeping

    Hi Lorraine,

    We briefly spoke on the phone the other week

    Congratulations on your first client.

    With regards to the farmers book-keeping, nothing to worry about.
    I worked in the rural services dept at my old firm of accoutants.

    Most farmers still have a manual book-keeping system, some have moved on to Sage or Quickbooks or even farmplan as previously mentioned.

    Any problems feel free to e-mail me i am always happy to help.

    Regards

    Barry Gould:001_smile:
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  • lorrainelorraine Trusted Regular Registered Posts: 400
    Well, I emailed the client back to say that I would be able to offer bookkeeping services etc but the customer hasnt yet got back to me.

    I remember talking to you the other week, and did notice your post below, good luck with everything!
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  • lorrainelorraine Trusted Regular Registered Posts: 400
    so I havent yet got a client arrggghhh!!!

    hopefully soon I want it soooo badly!
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  • Gem7321Gem7321 Experienced Mentor DevonMAAT, AAT Licensed Accountant Posts: 1,438
    Tiger wrote: »
    the tax however is specialist and best left to the experts...

    I'm concerned now, I do farmers tax returns and accounts at work all the time, what's so specialist about it? I prepare the tax comps the same as any other sole trader, am I missing something?
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  • AdamRAdamR Experienced Mentor Registered Posts: 668
    Other than agricultural averaging and the Agricultural Property Relief for inheritance tax, I don't think there's too much specialist work. I may be wrong though!

    Capital gains would be quite extensive though with the land side of things!
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  • groundygroundy Trusted Regular Registered Posts: 495
    I remember stock calculations used to be a problem espcially with cattle but like i said earlier its a long time since i got involved with farmers.
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  • lorrainelorraine Trusted Regular Registered Posts: 400
    The above client has contacted me back, and I have my first client. I have a question when doing valuation for alpaca for the balance sheet (his business is a alpaca farm) do I add the following to the value on the balance sheet to increae the value of assets with the following- the cost of care for the animals, medication, insurance, ear tags, stud fee etc.
    I thank you in advance for your help!

    Or do the items listed be put as expenses?
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  • jiltjilt Font Of All Knowledge Registered Posts: 2,903
    I'm afraid I can't help you with your query but I just wanted to say congratulations on obtaining your first client :thumbup::thumbup:
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  • Gem7321Gem7321 Experienced Mentor DevonMAAT, AAT Licensed Accountant Posts: 1,438
    lorraine wrote: »
    The above client has contacted me back, and I have my first client. I have a question when doing valuation for alpaca for the balance sheet (his business is a alpaca farm) do I add the following to the value on the balance sheet to increae the value of assets with the following- the cost of care for the animals, medication, insurance, ear tags, stud fee etc.
    I thank you in advance for your help!

    Or do the items listed be put as expenses?

    We always post veterinary expenses etc. as cost of sales in the P&L.

    Is your farmer using the herd basis or normal closing stock method?
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  • burgburg Experienced Mentor GloucesterModerator, FMAAT, AAT Licensed Accountant Posts: 1,440
    Usually with other livestocks vets fees, feed, tags etc are accounted for as expenses.

    The purchase and sale of the actual livestock is also accounted for in a standard fashion and then the livestock themselves valued as stock at the period/year end.

    I have also PM'd you
    Regards,

    Burg
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  • lorrainelorraine Trusted Regular Registered Posts: 400
    thank you for your replies, very helpful and appreciated its good to have somewhere where you can go to get help. Just like other people on this forum starting out, we are still learning.
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  • lorrainelorraine Trusted Regular Registered Posts: 400
    Gem7321 wrote: »
    We always post veterinary expenses etc. as cost of sales in the P&L.

    Is your farmer using the herd basis or normal closing stock method?

    He has only traded for one year and hasn't specified a method as yet, I believe it to be best to use the normal closing stock method.
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  • lorrainelorraine Trusted Regular Registered Posts: 400
    burg wrote: »
    Usually with other livestocks vets fees, feed, tags etc are accounted for as expenses.

    The purchase and sale of the actual livestock is also accounted for in a standard fashion and then the livestock themselves valued as stock at the period/year end.

    I have also PM'd you

    Thank you Burg for this reply and your help.
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  • lorrainelorraine Trusted Regular Registered Posts: 400
    now im stuck again, I have put the alpaca's as a stock figure on the balance sheet that bits okay, but do I also need to put down the balance left on my asset account for the alpacas under fixed asset at the top of the balance sheet, it doesn't balance unless I do this???????

    My thoughts are that the alpaca's are assets to the business -ltd comp, I don't think they would be fixed assets lol, what would they be called????.....sorry for all the questions!

    please note the alpacas were bought in the first year of trading and paid for from the farmers personal ac

    therefore i have posted as follows

    dr vat
    dr asset
    cr capital ac

    therefore i am left with bal on the asset ac and dont know wheter it is correct to put this in the fixed asset part on bal sh, please correct me if this is wrong
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  • burgburg Experienced Mentor GloucesterModerator, FMAAT, AAT Licensed Accountant Posts: 1,440
    The purchase should have gone to a p&l purchase account.

    i.e.

    Cr DLA
    Dr VAT
    Dr Livestock purchases

    Then at the year or period end:-

    Dr Stock (Bal Sheet)
    Cr Closing stock (P&L)

    You should need a double entry of:-

    Dr purchases
    Cr closing stock (P&L)

    to get to the correct position assuming you mean assets to equal stock in the balance sheet.

    As before, you have my details just let me know if you want more help.

    Ian
    Regards,

    Burg
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  • lorrainelorraine Trusted Regular Registered Posts: 400
    directors loan ac is a liability on the bal sh i take it?
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  • burgburg Experienced Mentor GloucesterModerator, FMAAT, AAT Licensed Accountant Posts: 1,440
    yes it is (well should be) a liability on the BS.
    Regards,

    Burg
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  • lorrainelorraine Trusted Regular Registered Posts: 400
    thank you its all making sense now! i am sooo tired!
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