Limited Company Record Pack
A polished Excel workbook containing a year-end checklist, director’s loan tracker, dividend log and company expense record.
- Year-end checklist
- Director loan tracker
- Dividend record
- Expense log
Tax & Business Resource Centre
Practical guidance.
Built for real life.
Free training, answers and downloadable spreadsheets for limited companies, Self Assessment clients and individuals.
Free spreadsheet packs
Useful from the moment you open them.
Each workbook includes instructions, professionally formatted trackers, built-in formulas and clear prompts for the evidence to retain.
Self Assessment Organiser
Bring together income, expenses, rental-property records and the documents needed to prepare an accurate tax return.
- Income summary
- Expense tracker
- Property record
- Document checklist
Individual Tax Record Pack
Organise employment expenses, savings, dividends, asset disposals and foreign income before speaking to your accountant.
- Employment expenses
- Savings and dividends
- Capital gains
- Foreign income
These templates help organise records and do not replace advice based on your individual circumstances. Please avoid entering passwords, bank login details or unnecessary sensitive identifiers.
Free planning tools
Turn tax rules into useful numbers.
Use these calculators for an initial estimate, then ask Toby to check the figures against your full circumstances.
Individuals & sole traders
Income Tax, NI & student loan estimator
See an annual estimate of Income Tax, self-employed National Insurance and student-loan repayments for 2026/27.
Estimated annual take-home
Enter your figures
Your estimate will update instantly and separate the three main deductions.
For England, Wales and Northern Ireland using 2026/27 main Income Tax rates. Assumes non-savings income and standard allowances; it excludes pension relief, benefits, dividends, savings, CIS deductions and payments already made.
Read HMRC guidanceLimited companies
Corporation Tax estimator
Estimate Corporation Tax using the small profits rate, main rate and marginal relief rules.
Estimated Corporation Tax
Enter your profit
The estimate will adjust for a short accounting period and associated companies.
Uses current 19% and 25% rates and the 3/200 marginal-relief fraction. Special company types, losses, reliefs and periods spanning a rate change need separate review.
Read HMRC guidanceWant these estimates checked before you act?
Ask Toby to review my figuresInteractive tool
What records should I collect?
Select everything that applied during the tax year. We’ll build a focused starting checklist for you.
Your records checklist
Choose what applies
Your personalised list will appear here. This is a starting point; further records may be needed once your circumstances are reviewed.
Training library
Understand the numbers, not just the deadline.
Short, practical lessons covering the questions clients ask most often.
Understanding your company accounts
A plain-English tour of the profit and loss account, balance sheet, reserves, tax charge and the questions directors should ask.
8 minute guide+
- The profit and loss account shows income and costs for the period, but accounting profit is not automatically the Corporation Tax profit.
- The balance sheet shows what the company owns and owes at the year end, including bank balances, debtors, creditors and director loans.
- Retained earnings help indicate accumulated results and may affect whether dividends can lawfully be paid.
Dividends done properly
Understand distributable reserves, board minutes, dividend vouchers and why the paperwork should exist before payment.
6 minute guide+
- Check current distributable profits before declaring the dividend; cash in the bank alone is not enough.
- Record the directors’ decision and prepare a voucher showing the date, shareholder, share class and amount.
- Record the payment consistently in the company accounts and the shareholder’s personal tax records.
Preparing for company year end
The records to collect, balances to review and unusual transactions to flag before the accounts are prepared.
7 minute guide+
- Collect complete bank, loan, payroll and VAT records covering the full accounting period.
- Identify unpaid customer invoices, supplier bills, assets purchased and costs that relate to another period.
- Flag grants, legal matters, finance agreements, director transactions and anything unusual rather than guessing the treatment.
How payments on account work
Why HMRC may ask for advance payments, when they fall due and when a reduction may be appropriate.
5 minute guide+
- Payments on account are advance instalments towards the next tax year and are normally based on the previous year’s relevant liability.
- The first is generally due on 31 January and the second on 31 July, with any balancing amount settled the following January.
- A reduction may be possible when the next liability will genuinely be lower, but reducing too far can lead to interest.
What to send for your tax return
A practical walkthrough of the records needed for employment, business, property, investment and pension income.
6 minute guide+
- Provide complete income documents such as P60s, invoices, rent statements, interest certificates and dividend reports.
- Summarise allowable costs and retain the underlying receipts, statements and calculations.
- Tell your accountant about disposals, foreign income, pensions, Gift Aid, Child Benefit and student loans even if no tax was deducted.
What happens after filing
Understand the calculation, payment deadline, tax code changes, enquiries and the records you should retain.
4 minute guide+
- Keep the submitted return, tax calculation and submission receipt together with the supporting evidence.
- Check the amount and payment reference carefully; filing a return does not automatically collect the tax.
- HMRC can ask questions after submission, so retain records for the relevant statutory period and longer where an enquiry is open.
Understanding your PAYE tax code
What the letters and numbers usually mean, why codes change and when to check the information held by HMRC.
5 minute guide+
- The number usually reflects tax-free allowances after adjustments, while the letter gives additional context about how PAYE is applied.
- Benefits, estimated untaxed income, earlier underpayments and transferred allowances can all change the code.
- Compare the code notice with your actual circumstances and contact HMRC promptly if the underlying information is wrong.
Savings and dividend income
How income outside an ISA may be taxed and what statements and vouchers should be retained.
5 minute guide+
- Keep annual interest certificates, dividend vouchers and consolidated tax reports for investments held outside tax wrappers.
- Use gross income figures and separately identify any foreign tax deducted.
- ISA income is generally sheltered, but retain evidence showing the investment was held inside the ISA.
When a tax return may be needed
Common triggers including untaxed income, property, capital gains, foreign income and the High Income Child Benefit Charge.
7 minute guide+
- PAYE employment does not prevent a filing requirement where other taxable income or gains exist.
- Property income, disposals, foreign income and certain benefit charges commonly need separate review.
- Check promptly after a major transaction because some reports, particularly UK property disposals, can have shorter deadlines than Self Assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Clear answers,
without the jargon.
What records should a limited company keep?
Keep accounting records that explain money received and spent, assets and liabilities, stock where relevant, invoices, contracts, bank records, payroll, VAT records and supporting company paperwork. Retention periods vary, so confirm the position before destroying anything.
Can a director take money from the company whenever they want?
Money taken may be salary, an expense reimbursement, a dividend, repayment of money owed or a director’s loan. Each has different paperwork and tax consequences, so the reason should be recorded at the time.
When can a company pay dividends?
A dividend should only be declared when sufficient distributable profits are available. The company should document the decision and issue dividend vouchers to the shareholders.
When are company accounts and Corporation Tax due?
The deadlines are not always the same. Corporation Tax is normally payable before the company tax return is due, while Companies House has its own accounts filing deadline. Check the company’s exact dates rather than relying on a single reminder.
When is a Self Assessment tax return due?
Online returns are normally due by 31 January following the end of the tax year. Tax due and the first payment on account, where applicable, generally share that deadline.
Why is my January payment higher than the tax bill?
It may include both the balancing payment for the year just ended and the first payment on account towards the following year. A second payment on account is normally due by 31 July.
Can payments on account be reduced?
Potentially, if the following year’s tax liability is genuinely expected to be lower. Reducing them too far can result in interest, so the estimate should be supportable.
How long should tax records be kept?
The required period depends on whether the return includes business or property income and whether it was filed on time. Keep the underlying evidence safely and confirm the relevant deadline for your circumstances.
Do I need a tax return if I am employed?
Not always, but additional untaxed income, property income, certain capital gains, foreign income or a Child Benefit charge can create a filing requirement even when PAYE applies to your salary.
Is interest or dividend income inside an ISA taxable?
Income and gains arising within an ISA are generally sheltered from UK Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax. Keep evidence that the investments were held within the ISA wrapper.
What if my PAYE tax code looks wrong?
Check the income, benefits and deductions HMRC has used. A code can be affected by estimated income, benefits, earlier underpayments or allowances transferred between spouses.
When must a UK property disposal be reported?
A disposal producing UK property gains may require a separate online report and payment within a short deadline, even where a Self Assessment return will also be filed. Seek advice promptly after completion.
Important
General guidance, personal advice.
Tax rules and filing requirements depend on your circumstances and can change. The Resource Centre gives you a helpful starting point; we’ll confirm the correct treatment before anything is submitted or relied upon.
Free, no-obligation consultation
Still have a question?
Tell Toby what you are dealing with and receive a clear recommendation on the records, return or accounting support you need.