book keeping for private trader

debil · Post by **debil** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 4:04 pm

hi all,
could you pls help me in getting started with paperwork related to business (private trader with vat reg.)? namely, which sort of bookkeeping is needed, i.e., in addition to keeping all the incoming and outgoing invoices, fiiling monthly vat returns, how the business activities should be documented? Thaks very much and all d best

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Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 5:45 pm

Try and find out if your local municipality is offering a course for foreigners who are setting up their own business. Some do - I know there is one in Espoo this autumn and I went to one in Lahti last winter. There is also a book you can buy called Starting and Establishing a Business in Finland (which I have posted many times on here) which gives a lot of information about bookkeeping. You may be able to get the book from your library. If you have no bookkeeping experience at all then you may want to hire someone to do it for you. There have also been posts about that on this forum. I don't think there is any bookkeeping SW available in English.

debil · Post by **debil** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 6:15 pm

Thanks very much Penelope. Is that really bookkeeping of private trader that complicated? The issue is that I am in the UK most of the time.... You mentioned SW..., does that mean that bookkeepeing can be made electronically?.. that would be really excellent, could you share any link for it? Thanks again

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 6:48 pm

Yes, I believe bookkeeping can be electronic (this is Finland) I think there have been posts on this (but not mine).... use the search engine to find the information.

Here: I searched for you (you owe me a coffee)

bb/viewtopic.php?t=24133

Lintu · Post by **Lintu** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 1:40 pm

hi, i also have registered as a private entrepreneur in Finland. thing is that there is no general advice. they way i did it:
1. i read everything available on the topic of taxation and accounting for private entrepreneurs, like http://www.enterprisefinland.fi/liston/ ... =3707&l=en and http://www.expat-finland.com/entreprene ... index.html.
2. then I went to my local tax administration office (i live in Finland) and talked to a person there about how and what should i do. the funny thing was that they didn't even know themselves should i single-entry or double-entry accounting. afterall they decided that signle-entry. so you see, things are not that defined and clear.
3. i'm doing my everyday accounting by myself (not that much as i'm in consulting business and have just a few clients). and outsource my annual reporting the accounting firm.

debil · Post by **debil** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:10 pm

Thanks Lintu for help I posted you a PM.

Jason Wright · Post by **Jason Wright** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 11:53 am

I've been an entrepreneur in Finland since 2001 and for the first couple of years I tried to do all of my taxes and bookkeeping myself. I wasted an unbelievable amount of time and effort struggling with this important part of my business, when I should have been focusing on further developing my services and client base.

After two years, I gave up doing my own books and started looking for a competent bookkeeper with reasonable fees, good service and excellent English skills.

I emailed over 100 bookkeepers in the Helsinki region and ONLY received a few responses. The most professional and comprehensive response came from Jari Parkkonen. At the time Jari was the Managing Director of a major accounting firm in Helsinki. I was immediately impressed with this professionalism and excellent customer service orientation. A few years ago Jari decided to start his own operation and has an excellent reputation for serving small and medium business in the Helsinki region.

Jari has saved me valuable time and money by advising me on what can be considered business expenses and properly accounting for them in my tax returns.

I highly recommend Jari Parkkonen as a competent bookkepper with very reasonable fees and excellent English skills.

Jari Parkkonen, KTM, KLT
Tilitoimisto Parkkonen Oy
Uudenmaankatu 36 A 1
00120 Helsinki

Tel. (09) 7279 3949
Fax (09) 7279 3950
GSM 050 5292 879

[email protected]
[email protected]
http://www.tilitoimistoparkkonen.fi

karel · Post by **karel** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:31 pm

I'm also using Parkkonen's services and can confirm Jason's recommendations.

I'm doing my own bookkeeping and have Parkkonen fill in my tax forms.

As an entrepeneur you are enough with a single bookkeeping. The tax year for entrepeneurs/single bookkeeping is always in sync with the calendar year, so from 01.01 until 31.12.
Double bookkeeping is Oy and the likes.

Note that you pay your VAT two months later. So in March you pay January's VAT.

Ciprian · Post by **Ciprian** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 10:22 pm

how much does he charge for those vat/tax papers?

karel · Post by **karel** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 7:26 pm

Why the

Ciprian · Post by **Ciprian** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 12:17 am

because the small guy

is paying attention to upper post

karel · Post by **karel** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 1:44 pm

Aah! Ok...
Price that I pay is 200 ex. VAT.

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