The obligations of running a Hong Kong company, handled properly.

Much of it you can do yourself. Annual returns and business registration renewals can be filed directly with the Companies Registry and the Inland Revenue Department, and plenty of small companies do exactly that. Two things you cannot do yourself: a Hong Kong company must appoint a company secretary who, if an individual, must ordinarily reside in Hong Kong, and the statutory audit must be carried out by a practising certified public accountant. If your affairs are simple and you are organised, say so when you contact us and we will tell you honestly whether you need us.

We quote a fee for defined work before starting, based on scope rather than hours — for bookkeeping, the volume of transactions; for company secretarial work, the number of officers and how often things change; for tax, the complexity of the computation. Government and filing fees are separate and passed through at cost, itemised on the quote so you can see which part is ours and which is the Registry's or the IRD's.

Normally without much drama. We write to your existing adviser for professional clearance and to request the handover file — the last set of accounts, the trial balance, the tax computations and correspondence, and the statutory records. The practical points to settle are timing relative to your financial year end and making sure nothing is in flight. Tell us where you are in the year and we will tell you whether to move now or at year end.

In broad terms: an annual return to the Companies Registry, renewal of the business registration certificate, keeping the statutory registers current including the significant controllers register, holding or dispensing with an annual general meeting, having the accounts audited by a practising CPA, filing a profits tax return with the computation, and filing employer's returns if you have staff. The dates depend on your incorporation date and your chosen financial year end, which is why we keep them on a calendar rather than in anyone's memory.

Usually yes, by voluntary deregistration, which is the simpler and cheaper route for a solvent company that has stopped trading. It requires the members' agreement, no outstanding liabilities, and a notice of no objection from the Commissioner of Inland Revenue before the Registry application can be made, so it is a several-stage process rather than a quick one. If the company is insolvent or there is a dispute, deregistration is not available and it becomes a winding-up — a different and more involved process. We will tell you which one you are in.

Yes — in Cantonese, Mandarin and English, in writing and in meetings. Our correspondence with the Registry and the Inland Revenue Department can be in either language.