Professional services finance Ireland for practices

For most companies, preliminary corporation tax is due in the 11th month of the accounting period, while large companies pay in two instalments, in month 6 and month 11. Small companies can usually base it on 100% of the previous period's liability; others must pay 90% of the current period's. Paying too little or too late leads to interest. Your accountant will confirm your exact dates and amounts.

A short-term loan for tax bills pays Revenue on time and spreads the cost over the following months, which helps when fees are lumpy or tied up in work in progress. Paying on time protects your tax clearance, which public sector clients and lenders check. Tax-bill funding through a business loan is among the products our lender panel covers, subject to each lender's criteria.

Usually not as security. Unbilled work in progress can't be funded like an invoice, because the amount isn't yet due and may be disputed. Lenders look instead at your billing history, debtor days and fee pipeline when assessing affordability. Billing in stages, agreeing interim fees and invoicing promptly turn WIP into cash sooner and make your accounts easier for a lender to read.

Sometimes. Engineering firm funding through invoice finance works best where clients are businesses or public bodies, invoices are for completed work and payment isn't tied to milestones or approvals. Funders are more cautious with staged fees, retentions and long contracts. Tell us what your company needs and we'll tell you honestly whether our panel can help, or where to apply instead.

Only if it trades through a company registered in Ireland (LTD, DAC, PLC or ULC). Accountancy practice finance through us is open to incorporated practices; many law firms are sole practitioners, partnerships or LLPs, and they cannot apply. Those practices usually borrow from their bank or a specialist professions lender. For an incorporated practice, lenders look at fee income, debtor days and client spread.

Often, yes. Fit-out finance or an unsecured business loan can fund a fit-out, furniture and moving costs, and IT and phones can also be leased. Lenders look at fee income, profit, client base and existing borrowings, and at how the new space supports growth, such as room for more fee-earners. Unsecured loans are among the products our lender panel covers.

Yes, they'll ask about it. Where one or two clients make up a large share of fees, lenders look at contract length, how long you've worked together and what would happen if a client left. Framework agreements, retainers and a spread of public and private clients all help, and so does showing how you'd replace lost work.