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Dean Shepherd CTA FMAAT, Chartered Tax Adviser, ~30 years experience
I'm Dean Shepherd, a Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) and Fellow of the AAT, with approaching 30 years in UK tax and accountancy.
I run ESXR, a deliberately small accountancy practice for established service-based businesses — from creative agencies to consultants — who want their finances handled properly by someone who genuinely has time for them.
Before going out on my own, I spent eight years in the tax software industry, shaping how the products actually worked and helping build the software your accountant uses every day. I also lecture on tax and speak at industry conferences, which keeps me at the front of the profession rather than catching up with it.
I write these articles to make tax and money a little less stressful: plain English, no jargon, grounded in what actually works for real businesses rather than textbook theory.
If something here raises a question about your own situation, I'm always happy to help — drop me a message, or book a chat.
I run ESXR, a deliberately small accountancy practice for established service-based businesses — from creative agencies to consultants — who want their finances handled properly by someone who genuinely has time for them.
Before going out on my own, I spent eight years in the tax software industry, shaping how the products actually worked and helping build the software your accountant uses every day. I also lecture on tax and speak at industry conferences, which keeps me at the front of the profession rather than catching up with it.
I write these articles to make tax and money a little less stressful: plain English, no jargon, grounded in what actually works for real businesses rather than textbook theory.
If something here raises a question about your own situation, I'm always happy to help — drop me a message, or book a chat.
Recent Articles
In May, the government launched GOV.UK Chat — an AI assistant built into the GOV.UK app that answers questions in plain...
I have been telling clients to pay their VAT by Direct Debit for years. It is one of the few genuinely free wins in tax...
Picture this. You pay for something personal out of the company account because it happens to be the bank card in your...
A client asked me this the other day, and I suspect a lot of people quietly wonder the same thing:
Every July, I get a version of the same message: "HMRC says I owe more tax. Didn't I already pay in January?"
If you (or one of your clients) have recently received an email from Companies House about People with Significant...
If you’re running a creative business, chances are you didn’t start it because you love chasing invoices.
Some creative freelancers get a little nervous whenever a new HMRC initiative appears on the horizon.
- Dean Shepherd CTA FMAAT, Chartered Tax Adviser, ~30 years experience
- February 2, 2026
This is a question I get a lot from directors.
- Dean Shepherd CTA FMAAT, Chartered Tax Adviser, ~30 years experience
- December 15, 2025
It’s a familiar story.
