When’s the best time to switch accountants?
Written by Akhtar Rana, FAIA · Last reviewed
You can switch accountants at any time of year. You do not need to wait for your financial year-end. The two cleanest moments are just after your year-end accounts are filed, or well ahead of a major deadline so there’s plenty of time for the handover. But if something’s wrong now, a good accountant can pick you up mid-year with no disruption, so there’s rarely a reason to wait.
General guidance. Check specifics with your accountant.
The year-end myth
Lots of business owners assume they’re locked in until their year-end. They’re not. Staying put for that reason is a bit like keeping a bad haircut until it grows out. Switching mid-year is completely normal, and your new accountant simply takes over from wherever things stand. Waiting usually just means more months with a firm that isn’t serving you, and if the problem is missed deadlines or poor advice, waiting can cost you real money.
The cleanest moments to move
Three windows are especially smooth. Right after your annual accounts and tax return are filed, there’s a natural break with little in progress. Well before a big deadline (VAT quarter, payroll run, Self Assessment), there’s time for the handover to complete unhurried. And the moment a real problem appears (a missed deadline, an unanswered question, a surprise bill) is often the right time to act rather than wait.
Switching mid-year: what actually happens
Say you’ve had enough in August. You don’t limp on until next April. Your new accountant collects the year’s records to date and continues from there. Your tax references, VAT registration and payroll scheme all stay the same, so nothing resets. You won’t usually pay twice for the same work. You settle whatever your old accountant has genuinely done, and your new one takes it forward.
One timing tip: Self Assessment season
If you’re a sole trader or director filing a Self Assessment return, try to switch either well before the 31 January deadline or just after it. Moving in the final days of January is possible, but leaving more time makes the handover calmer and safer.
Thinking it might be time? See how switching works, or take our 2-minute quiz for a tailored recommendation.
Akhtar Rana, FAIA
Akhtar is the founder of Xpert Tax Accountants and a Fellow of the Association of International Accountants, holding an AIA practising certificate. He works with business owners across Greater Manchester and the rest of the UK.
Verify his membership on the AIA register →
Xpert Tax Accountants is regulated by the AIA. We are not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and do not give investment, pension or insurance advice.
Xpert Tax Accountants is regulated by the Association of International Accountants. We are not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and we do not give investment, pension or insurance advice, or arrange financial products. Our content is general information about UK tax, not advice for your circumstances, and no responsibility is accepted to any person acting on the basis of it.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about when to switch.
Can I switch accountants in the middle of the tax year?+
Yes. You can switch at any time, and your new accountant picks up from where things stand. Your tax references and registrations stay the same.
Will I have to pay two accountants?+
No, not for the same work. You settle what your old accountant has actually done, and your new accountant continues from there.
Is January a bad time to switch?+
It’s fine, but if you file a Self Assessment return, it’s calmer to switch well before or just after the 31 January deadline rather than in the final days.
Do I lose anything by switching mid-year?+
No. Your history, references and registrations carry over. The only thing that changes is who’s authorised to act for you.
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