Corporate Tax Returns: Prepare Your Accounts
Tax return preparation becomes harder when accounting questions are left until the final week. A structured preparation file gives the accountant a clear starting point and makes outstanding work easier to identify.
Confirm the period and deadline
The FTA states that taxable persons must file their corporate tax return and pay tax due within nine months of the end of the tax period. Record your company's actual deadline and allow time for review before submission.
Start with the accounting records
Prepare the trial balance, general ledger and available financial statements. Check that all files cover the same period and that closing balances can be connected to supporting schedules.
Where records are incomplete, list the gaps explicitly. Sending unexplained estimates can create more work later. A clear gap list helps establish the scope and timing of the preparation work.
Explain the balances
- Bank statements and completed reconciliations.
- Customer and supplier balance schedules.
- Asset additions and disposals.
- Financing and owner or related-party transactions.
This is a practical preparation list. The final requirements depend on the company's transactions, and not every supporting document is necessarily uploaded with the return itself.
Keep a single questions log
For each issue, record the amount, account, missing evidence and person responsible for responding. A large expense with an unclear description, for instance, may need both an invoice and an explanation of its business purpose before its treatment can be assessed.
Using one log is easier to follow than a mixture of emails, messages and verbal answers. Mark each issue as open or resolved and retain the evidence behind the resolution.
Separate accounting profit from tax analysis
Return preparation includes reviewing the relevant tax treatment of items. Simply copying the profit figure from the accounts is not a substitute for examining adjustments that may apply to the business.
Agree the final version
Once queries are resolved, retain a dated set of accounts and supporting calculations. Decide who approves the information before submission and who retains the filing and payment confirmations. Clear responsibilities help prevent a necessary step from being missed between the company and its accountant.
Official source — reviewed 9 September 2026: Federal Tax Authority. Check the requirements in force when applying this information to your business.
How EQRAR can help
EQRAR helps organise your information and identify the support your business needs within an agreed scope. Explore our related service or request a proposal.