4 tips for keeping your books in order in 2018

Whether you’re someone who prides themselves on having their accounts in order every year, or you’ve just had yet another last-minute scramble to submit your tax return before the deadline at the end of January, the start of a new calendar year is a great time to review your books and ensure they’re all in order for the twelve months ahead. Here are our top four tips for 2018 in terms of your accounts, ensuring your bottom line is secure and most likely giving it a bit of a boost too.

Get the tax man on your side – okay, maybe you’re unlikely to be inviting ‘the tax man’ to the pub on a Friday night, but it’s a good idea to keep HMRC on side for your business. The HMRC website is the best way to get up to speed with everything you need to know and all the latest accountancy developments for your business. And, if you’re in doubt about anything, get in touch with the tax authorities sooner rather than later and find out the answer. Forewarned is forearmed, as they say.
Make your accountant’s life as easy as possible – your accountant’s job shouldn’t be to make sense of your business’s incomplete and poorly kept books. Not only does keeping your records in a reasonable order for them keep your costs low and reduce the likelihood of any unexpected fines coming back to haunt you, but it also frees up the time you’re paying your accountant for – to offer advice and save your business money over time. So, with that in mind…
… When it comes to finances, keep everything – all your receipts and invoices need to be logged and traceable. Digital technology makes this easier now than ever, as paperwork can often be provided electronically and anything that can’t, can be scanned and linked to your records. As long as you keep your records up to date, you shouldn’t find yourself turning your business upside down for that one vital receipt you can’t find come the next tax deadline.
Simplicity is key – Keeping financial records doesn’t have to be complicated; in fact, the simpler you can make your system, the better. That way you’re not having to decipher your own labyrinthine puzzle to understand your own business accounts. This will also make it far less likely that you’ll miss any unpaid invoices and have to chase them several months down the line. If your records have got out of control, the new year is a great time to start afresh with a modern system that works for you and your accountant.