First-Year Accounts for Startups
Your first-year accounts, filed correctly.
Most new limited companies miss at least one filing deadline in year one, not because the owner is disorganised, but because the rules are genuinely confusing. We prepare your year-end accounts, corporation tax return, and confirmation statement, manage every deadline, and give you clear numbers from the outset. Fixed-fee pricing, cloud bookkeeping included, and questions answered within one working day.
- All year-one deadlines tracked and filed on your behalf
- Corporation tax liability confirmed well before the payment date
- Cloud bookkeeping set up from day one on Xero or QuickBooks
- Plain-English explanation of what you owe and why
No long-term contract. If it is not working after three months, you leave with clean books and nothing owed.
Get a fixed-fee quote
Tailored to your business. Reply within one working day.
What our clients say
★★★★★
Finance Made Less Stressful
“Communication is always prompt, professional, and easy to understand, which makes dealing with finances far less stressful.”
★★★★★
Good Results at a Reasonable Price
“Stuart is a thorough efficient worker who produces good quality results at a reasonable price.”
★★★★★
Holds Your Hand Throughout
“Stuart holds your hand and advises throughout!”
★★★★★
Takes Time to Explain Everything
“Very clear and gives excellent clarity on all situations when I am in doubt. They take the time to explain things.”
Sound familiar?
Year one is complicated. Most owners find out too late.
A new limited company comes with a cluster of overlapping deadlines: accounts at Companies House, a corporation tax return with HMRC, a confirmation statement, and possibly VAT registration and payroll on top. The rules around what counts as an allowable expense, how to treat pre-incorporation costs, and when exactly each deadline falls are not obvious. Many new directors get to month eight and realise their records are not in the shape they assumed.
- Unclear which Companies House and HMRC deadlines apply in year one
- Books kept in a spreadsheet with expenses mixed between personal and business
- No idea what the corporation tax bill will be until an accountant looks
What a clean first year looks like
When the accounts are set up properly from the start, year one becomes a controlled process rather than a scramble. Every deadline is tracked, the numbers are current, and you know what is coming.
- Every filing deadline mapped and managed from incorporation onwards
- Cloud bookkeeping set up from day one, business and personal kept separate
- Corporation tax liability calculated and confirmed months before it falls due
- Fixed-fee pricing agreed upfront, no unexpected bills at year end
What new business owners say
Small business owners across Hampshire and beyond — many of them in their first year of trading — working with Stuart directly.
I’m so grateful for the help received with my small cleaning business. Stuart holds your hand and advises throughout!
Very clear and gives excellent clarity on all situations when I am in doubt. Communication is always prompt, professional, and easy to understand, which makes dealing with finances far less stressful. They take the time to explain things.
Everything your first year requires
First-year accounts cover more than most people expect. Here is what the fixed fee includes and why each part matters.
Year-End Accounts and CT600
Your statutory accounts are prepared to the required format and filed at Companies House. The corporation tax return is submitted to HMRC at the same time, with your liability confirmed clearly in advance so there are no surprises on the payment date.
Included as standardCloud Bookkeeping Setup
We set up your Xero or QuickBooks Online account, connect your bank feed, and configure the chart of accounts for your business type. Your records are current and accessible from day one, which means year-end preparation takes hours rather than weeks.
Xero or QuickBooks includedConfirmation Statement and Deadlines
The annual confirmation statement is filed with Companies House on your behalf. We track every filing deadline across your first year and prompt you well in advance — including VAT registration thresholds if your turnover is growing.
All deadlines managedConsistently rated 5.0 on Google
Clients range from sole traders in their first year to established owner-managed companies — the common thread is plain-English advice and reliable follow-through.
Prompt, Professional, Easy to Understand
“Very clear and gives excellent clarity on all situations when I am in doubt. Communication is always prompt, professional, and easy to understand, which makes dealing with finances far less stressful. They take the time to explain things.”
Good Quality Results at a Reasonable Price
“Stuart is a thorough efficient worker who produces good quality results at a reasonable price.”
Holds Your Hand and Advises Throughout
“I’m so grateful for the help received with my small cleaning business. Stuart holds your hand and advises throughout!”
What sets us apart for new companies
There are plenty of accountants who will collect your paperwork and file it. Fewer will set you up properly from day one and tell you what is coming.
Deadlines Managed, Not Chased
A new limited company has four or five separate filing obligations in year one, each with a different deadline and a different recipient. We map them all at the start and manage them throughout, which means you are not relying on calendar reminders or HMRC letters to know what is due. No penalties. No last-minute scrambles.
Cloud Setup from Day One
Certified in Xero and QuickBooks Online, we configure your accounting software at the point of engagement rather than after a year of spreadsheets has accumulated. A properly connected bank feed and clean chart of accounts means year-end preparation is straightforward, and your numbers are visible throughout the year.
Commercial Advice, Not Just Compliance
First-year accounts are a compliance obligation, but they also set the pattern for how you run your finances going forward. Stuart works directly with clients to identify salary and dividend structures, allowable expenses, and tax planning opportunities early, so you are not leaving money on the table in year one. Over 20 years of hands-on business experience informs every conversation.
Up and running in four steps
The process is straightforward. Most clients are fully onboarded within a week of their first call.
A brief discovery call
We spend 20-30 minutes understanding your business, your incorporation date, what records you have so far, and what you need from your accountant. No preparation required on your end. You will leave the call knowing exactly what happens next.
A clear, fixed-fee proposal
You receive a written proposal setting out the scope of services, the fixed fee, and the key dates. No hourly rates, no vague estimates. If it looks right, you confirm and we begin.
Onboarding and cloud setup
We handle the setup. Your Xero or QuickBooks account is configured, your bank feed connected, and any existing records migrated or tidied. If the books are behind, we deal with the catch-up. You do not need to send us a folder of receipts and hope for the best.
Accounts filed, tax confirmed
Your year-end accounts and corporation tax return are prepared, reviewed with you, and filed. You know your tax bill before it is due, your Companies House record is current, and your cloud books are in good order for year two. The parts of running a limited company that most new directors find confusing are handled.
“Stuart is a thorough efficient worker who produces good quality results at a reasonable price.”
Things people ask before getting started
When exactly are my first-year accounts and corporation tax return due?
Your accounts must be filed at Companies House within 21 months of your incorporation date for the first period. Your corporation tax return is due 12 months after the end of your accounting period, and the tax itself is payable nine months and one day after the period ends. These dates are rarely the same, which is one reason year one catches people out. We track all three and flag them well in advance.
What does the fixed fee include and how is it worked out?
The fee covers preparation and filing of your statutory accounts, the CT600 corporation tax return, and the annual confirmation statement. Cloud bookkeeping setup on Xero or QuickBooks is included for new clients. The price depends on your turnover, the complexity of your transactions, and whether you need payroll or VAT added. You get a written quote before anything starts, and the fee does not change unless the scope does.
What if my books are in a mess or I haven’t kept proper records since incorporation?
This is fairly common with new companies, particularly in the first six months. We assess the state of your records on the discovery call and include a catch-up bookkeeping exercise in the proposal if it is needed. The cost is agreed upfront. We have seen considerably worse than a year of unreconciled bank transactions, and the process of getting things straight is more manageable than it tends to feel from the outside.
Is there a minimum contract term or lock-in period?
No minimum contract. If after three months the arrangement is not working, you can leave with clean books, all your records, and nothing further owed. In practice, clients who engage for first-year accounts tend to stay for the ongoing work, but that is their choice to make.
Can you help with salary and dividend planning for a director in the first year?
Yes. The most tax-efficient approach to drawing income from a new limited company depends on your personal circumstances, other income, and the company’s profit level. We cover this as part of the first-year engagement rather than treating it as a separate advisory project. Getting the structure right from year one makes a meaningful difference to what you retain.
Will I know roughly what my tax bill is before it falls due?
That is the point. Once your bookkeeping is current, we can produce an estimated tax position at any point in the year rather than waiting until accounts are formally prepared. For most clients, the corporation tax figure is confirmed two to three months before the payment deadline, which gives time to plan around it.
Get your first year done properly.
Fixed-fee first-year accounts for new limited companies. All deadlines managed, cloud bookkeeping included, and your corporation tax confirmed before it falls due.