Changing accountant? Build a company-tax handover pack

In short: Ask the outgoing accountant for the records behind the last filed return: the final accounts, CT600, tax computation and submission receipts, plus the schedules that carry forward, such as fixed assets, losses and the director's loan account. The company must keep its records for 6 years from the end of the last financial year they relate to, so keep a complete copy under the company's control (GOV.UK: Running a limited company: company and accounting records).

A PDF of the accounts alone is not a handover. A useful handover lets the next preparer understand the company's opening position, outstanding obligations and earlier tax treatments.

Changing accountant and changing software are different decisions, but both can expose the same gap: important information exists only inside someone else's working system.

The checklist below is an editorial preparation aid. It does not determine contractual ownership of an accountant's working papers or override professional handover procedures.

How do you hand over company tax records, step by step?

Request the filed records, list what is still outstanding, collect the carry-forward schedules, agree who does what, move access properly, test your exports, then check the pack is complete. Start while the outgoing engagement is still open, so gaps can still be resolved, and don't cancel old software until a test export has worked.

Step 1: Request the records behind the last filed return

Ask for the final accounts, CT600, tax computation, applicable supplementary pages and submission evidence for the latest relevant periods. Confirm which versions were actually submitted and whether any amendment followed. A PDF of the accounts alone is not enough: the next preparer needs to understand the company's opening position, outstanding obligations and earlier tax treatments.

Step 2: List the filings still outstanding

Obtain a list of filings still outstanding. "The accounts are finished" may mean prepared, approved, submitted to one authority or submitted to both, so translate that phrase into separate statuses and references. Record everything in a handover table with columns for document, period, version, location and unresolved question — more reliable than a folder containing several files called "final".

Step 3: Collect the schedules that carry forward

Ask what records can be supplied for fixed assets, losses, director accounts, receivables and payables, tax balances and equity — the areas in the table below. Do not turn an unexplained opening balance into zero because it is inconvenient to obtain the detail. Equally, do not assume a figure labelled "losses" is freely available for any future deduction: its nature and history matter.

Step 4: Agree in writing who does what

Agree who will finish work already under way and who will handle new work, including preparation, review, submission, payment reminders and replies to authority correspondence. If the outgoing accountant prepares accounts to 31 March but the incoming accountant files the Company Tax Return, both should know which accounts version is approved and which computation the filing will use.

Step 5: Hand over software and HMRC access properly

Use the appropriate user permissions or agent-authorisation process rather than sending passwords around, and keep access to software and official accounts under the company's control (GOV.UK: Appoint someone to deal with HMRC on your behalf). Keep personal and company information secure during transfer, and share only what the receiving person needs through an agreed method.

Step 6: Export and test records before cancelling software

Before cancelling software, establish what can be exported, which documents remain accessible and whether a read-only archive is available. Test a sample export by opening it. A download button is not evidence that the downloaded records are complete, so check the files open and contain the periods you expect before the subscription ends.

Step 7: Check the handover pack is complete

Ask the incoming adviser to identify gaps early, while the outgoing engagement is still open: a short list of missing items is easier to resolve then. The handover is complete when every row of your handover table has a document, version and location, no unresolved question is left without an owner, and the outstanding filings each have someone agreed to finish them.

Which schedules carry into the next year?

Schedules for fixed assets, losses, director accounts, receivables and payables, tax balances and equity all feed the next year's opening position. The next preparer may need supporting information for opening balances and continuing tax positions. Ask what records can be supplied for:

Do not turn an unexplained opening balance into zero because it is inconvenient to obtain the detail. Equally, do not assume a figure labelled "losses" is freely available for any future deduction. Its nature and history matter.

What if you are moving to self-filing?

Self-filing can suit a straightforward company, but treat uncertain losses, disposals, complex ownership, loans to directors or other unresolved issues as a reason to slow down and resolve them with confidence first. Having the previous year's numbers helps you establish continuity; it does not mean those numbers should be copied into the next return.

The right handover may be from one adviser to another, not from advice to software alone. An incoming practice that files through software can see CT600 software for accountants and practices. To weigh the two routes, read whether you need an accountant for your company tax return. If the company's affairs are straightforward, take the 30-second check to see whether Taxley fits your company.

The company remains responsible for keeping adequate accounting records (Companies Act 2006, section 386). GOV.UK: Running a limited company: company and accounting records is a useful baseline for the underlying documents you should be able to access.

Next step: compare your handover pack with our CT600 software checklist before deciding which work to do yourself.

Frequently asked questions

What records should you ask your old accountant for?

The final accounts, CT600, tax computation, applicable supplementary pages and submission evidence for the latest relevant periods, plus a list of filings still outstanding. Confirm which versions were actually submitted and whether any amendment followed.

How should you hand over software and HMRC access?

Through the appropriate user permissions or agent-authorisation process, not by sending passwords around. Keep access to software and official accounts under the company's control, and share only what the receiving person needs through an agreed, secure method.

How do you split responsibilities between the old and new accountant?

Agree in writing who will finish work already under way and who will handle new work, including preparation, review, submission, payment reminders and replies to authority correspondence.

Is the public Companies House accounts file enough?

No. Do not treat it as the complete company-tax handover. Request the tax return, computation, supplementary pages and submission evidence separately, plus the schedules that carry forward, such as fixed assets, losses and director accounts.

Should I wait until the deadline to ask for records?

No. Make the request while the outgoing engagement is still open and there is time to identify gaps and clarify responsibilities. A short list of missing items is much easier to resolve before the old engagement or software subscription has ended.

General information, not personalised tax or accounting advice.