As one of the largest independent accountancy firms in North-east Scotland, Ritson Smith has substantial across-the-board expertise in all aspects of general practice.
For over seventy years, we have worked in particular with owner-managed businesses in every sector of the local economy.
Our services are founded on very high standards of personal service and regular partner involvement. We make sure, for example, that we are always as accessible as possible to clients, since the timing of advice and support can be a critical element in modern business management.
In recent years, we have also enhanced our team with the addition of a number of leading specialists in tax planning, corporate finance and business recovery. These partners and managers head up highly experienced specialist teams who support and augment the professionalism of our general practitioners whenever necessary.
All these services are seamlessly integrated by professional teams who are well-versed in working in close co-operation. Browse this section of our website for full details of all the many services Ritson Smith now delivers to its clients.
Ritson Smith’s busy audit and accounts department performs a wide range of services for clients in virtually every business sector, ranging in size from sole traders to large limited companies with international connections.
Every business needs to prepare accounts to understand how it is performing and identify areas where it can improve but also for compliance with statutory and tax rules.
The accounting work required will very much depend on the size and complexity of the business but Ritson Smith prepare accounts for all businesses in a format to suit them.
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At Ritson Smith we try and make the statutory audit as painless as possible for clients. Our professional, friendly staff are experienced in dealing with a wide variety of clients and systems and will tailor the testing to minimise the disruption to your working day.
There will undoubtedly be some inconvenience caused by “having the auditors in” but our approach is designed to get to know you and your business very quickly so that, as well as doing the required testing, we are able to produce a report for you that will help to improve your systems and controls.
We have considerable experience in dealing with companies with foreign parent companies or subsidiaries and where necessary, we can call on assistance from members of Praxity – our association of independent firms throughout the world.
Ritson Smith are registered auditors and details about our audit registration can be viewed at www.auditregister.org.uk under reference number 0649.
Despite all the talk about the UK's “enterprise culture”, the reality for many people in business is of a very different type of culture - one in which bureaucracy, despite government efforts, continues to burden entrepreneurial businesses with too many rules and regulations.
Ritson Smith’s specialist tax department guides clients safely and efficiently through the tax maze. In recent years, we have greatly enhanced our capability in tax planning by recruiting tax specialists at all levels from national practices.
This means our tax planning services are now among the best in the country, but delivered at prices which are aimed at the owner-managed business.
Among our specialist tax planning services are the following:
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Our highly experienced team of corporate finance professionals works not only with client companies and personal investors but also with banks, venture capitalists, financial institutions, management teams and non-client businesses.
In all of these, the team draws on all its extensive experience and substantial network of contacts to make sure you get the deal that is absolutely right for you.
We’ve helped hundreds of clients to start up or grow their businesses, with our active involvement in every type of corporate finance transaction.This means we can give you hands-on support at every stage of the process from initial business plan through to ultimate disposal.
Please click to see details of some of our successes.
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Disposals (selling your business)
Due diligence investigations, reviews and transaction support
It is a hard fact of life that not all businesses are successful. 
Whatever the challenges, Ritson Smith's highly experienced specialist Corporate Recovery team, headed up by partner Ewen Alexander, is trained to seek out innovative and practical solutions for under-performing businesses.
A member of R3, the Association of Business Recovery Professionals and a past Convenor of the ICAS Insolvency Permit Committee, Ewen is one of the most well-respected professionals in his field.
Ritson Smith fully supports the "rescue culture" approach, a concept which is widely endorsed by all responsible lenders and business recovery professionals. The essence of this approach is the early identification of problems, at a stage when they can be solved quietly and with less trauma.
Ewen has been instrumental in establishing a highly competent Corporate Recovery and Insolvency team at Ritson Smith, who work closely with shareholders, directors, creditors, lenders and professional advisers to take the appropriate action for both businesses and individuals.
When you take a financial difficulty to Ritson Smith, you are assured of a prompt response with full ongoing partner involvement.
Click on the links below for more details of the ways in which we help businesses or individuals facing financial difficulties.
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Services for directors or stakeholders of troubled businesses
Services for lenders to troubled businesses
Ritson Smith's litigation support team has worked with the legal profession for several years, providing expert opinion in a wide variety of disputes.
Our litigation support service is partner-driven and led by Niall Farquharson who is a registered expert witness with the Law Society of Scotland and has given expert witness opinion in court.
The litigation support team draws on all the individual fields of experience available within the Ritson Smith practice to ensure reports are well constructed, comprehensive and suitable to be used as evidence in court.
There are normally tax implications surrounding the nature and timing of any settlement, and the litigation support team works closely with the Ritson Smith tax team to provide a tax-efficient solution.
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At Ritson Smith we understand the need for owners and managers to be able to spend as much time as possible running their business. Our Outsourcing team can bring experience and expertise to assist owner/ managers with the financial administration of their business.
We can provide a partial or full outsourcing service which is tailored to your needs and can provide you with reliable, up to date management information on which effective business decisions can be made.
For further information on how Ritson Smith can assist you with your outsourcing requirements please contact Neil Simpson or Fiona Machray on 01224 643311.
Some of our outsourcing services are:
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Bookkeeping and credit control
Visit www.rspayroll.com for more information.