Lisa Lokasto

Xeinadin Kildare

  • RSA’s Driver Tester Reallocation: Impacts on Haulage

    The Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) is warning that The RSA have reallocated driver testers from commercial vehicle licences to meet car test demand and this creates several challenges. The IRHA outlined these concerns in a letter to Minister Darragh O’Brien and Minister of State Sean Canney. Irish times article: https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/07/21/hauliers-accuse-rsa-of-moving-driving-testers-off-commercial-vehicles/ Key Finance & Budget… Read more

  • Should You Pay Off Debt or Build a Rainy Day Fund First?

    One of the most common personal finance dilemmas is whether to pay down debt or save for a rainy day first. It’s a tricky question and most people probably think they should park saving and work on getting their debt down first. My personal opinion, I’d say start with the rainy day fund. Why the… Read more

  • VAT Registration: When to Register for Your Business

    “Should I register for VAT, even if I’m under the threshold?” This is another question I hear a lot. The answer, as always, depends on your business, but here’s a plain-English overview to help you weigh it up. In Ireland, you only have to register for VAT if your turnover exceeds: When Revenue assesses whether… Read more

  • Relief for SMEs: Audit Rule Change Takes Effect

    After years of discussion and engagement across the business, legal, and regulatory communities, a long-anticipated change to Ireland’s audit exemption regime has finally come into effect. As of today, small and micro companies will no longer automatically lose their audit exemption for a first late filing of an B1 annual return to the CRO within… Read more

  • Starting a Business? Don’t Rush to Incorporate

    I thought I’d start off with the question new business owners ask me all the time… “Should I incorporate or trade as a sole trader?” It depends. I’m sorry… it does. This is one of the most common questions when starting a business.. The choice between sole trader and limited company has important implications for… Read more

  • Hello & welcome

    Why I Started This Blog (and Who It’s For) Hi, I’m Lisa Lokasto a Chartered Accountant, Chartered Tax Advisor, and a Director at a large Irish accountancy & advisory practice.But this blog? It’s something different. This is a personal project, where I’ll be sharing practical, plain-English advice on topics like business, finance, and tax, yes,… Read more

“We’re a nation of small businesses and big opinions.”