Year-end accounts checklist for a limited company

Records from the client

Bank statements for every account to the year end, including savings and loan accounts
Sales and purchase invoices, receipts and delivery notes for the year (GOV.UK: company and accounting records)
Stock and work in progress at the year end
Details of assets bought and sold, with invoices
Amounts owed to and by the company at the year end
Loan and hire purchase statements
Payroll reports for the year and the P11D or payrolled benefits details
The director's loan account entries and any personal payments made from the company account
Dividend vouchers and board minutes for dividends paid

Reconcile every bank account to the year-end statement
Agree the VAT control account to the last VAT return and the payment or repayment
Agree PAYE and pension liabilities to the payroll records
Post accruals, prepayments and depreciation
Clear the suspense account
Review aged debtors and creditors and write off what will not be paid
Check the director's loan account balance at the year end; an overdrawn balance not repaid within 9 months of the period end is charged to corporation tax under section 455, at 35.75% for loans made from 6 April 2026 and 33.75% for loans made before then (close companies and section 455; GOV.UK: if you owe your company money)
Check whether a director owed the company more than £10,000 at any time in the year, which makes the loan a benefit in kind (GOV.UK: director's loans)
Lock the period in the books once the trial balance is agreed

Choose the framework: FRS 105 for a micro-entity or FRS 102 Section 1A for a small company
Complete the notes, including advances to directors and related party transactions
Prepare the accountant's report where the practice issues one
Send the draft accounts to the directors for review
Have the board approve the accounts and a director sign the balance sheet on its behalf (Companies Act 2006, section 414)

Prepare the tax computation and capital allowances claim
Count associated companies, which divide the £50,000 and £250,000 marginal relief limits (GOV.UK: marginal relief)
Reduce the limits for an accounting period shorter than 12 months (GOV.UK: marginal relief)
Prepare the accounts and computations in iXBRL for the Company Tax Return (HMRC: XBRL guide for UK businesses)
Tell the client the tax due and the payment date, 9 months and 1 day after the period end where profits are up to £1.5 million (GOV.UK: pay Corporation Tax)

File the accounts at Companies House within 9 months of the accounting reference date for a private company (Companies House: life of a company)
File the CT600 within 12 months of the end of the accounting period (GOV.UK: Company Tax Returns)
Keep the filing receipts with the accounts
Keep the company's records for 6 years from the end of the financial year they relate to (GOV.UK: company and accounting records)
Roll the books forward and set next year's deadlines

In Accountin, the company accounts are prepared on the Year end tab with their checks and iXBRL preview, and the CT600 starts from the approved accounts, ready to file once filing is switched on.

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