How Often Should I Meet My Accountant

At Towerstone Accountants we provide specialist small business accountancy services for owners, directors, and growing businesses across the UK. We created this webpage for small business owners who want clear guidance on managing finances, meeting tax obligations, and making informed decisions without jargon. Our aim is to help you stay compliant, improve cash flow, and build a more resilient business.

One of the most overlooked decisions a business owner makes is how often they actually speak to their accountant. Many people assume the answer is once a year, usually when accounts or tax returns are due. Others feel they should be speaking monthly but worry that doing so will be unnecessary or expensive. Some avoid meetings altogether because they associate accountants with bad news, tax bills, or paperwork they do not fully understand.

From my experience, how often you meet your accountant can have a direct impact on how well your business performs, how much tax you pay, and how confident you feel about your finances. This is not about booking meetings for the sake of it. It is about having the right conversations at the right time, so issues are dealt with early and opportunities are not missed.

In this article I want to explain how often you should meet your accountant, what those meetings should actually cover, and how the right meeting frequency changes depending on where you are in your business journey. This is written from first hand experience of working with UK sole traders, limited company directors, landlords, and growing businesses who want support, clarity, and proactive advice rather than a once a year compliance service.

Why Meeting Frequency Matters More Than People Think

Many business owners treat accounting as a backwards looking exercise. They hand over records, wait for accounts to be prepared, sign what is put in front of them, and move on. While this may keep them compliant, it rarely helps them build a stronger business.

The value of an accountant is not just in producing numbers, but in interpreting them and helping you act on them. That only happens when there is regular communication.

Meeting too infrequently often leads to:

• Unexpected tax bills

• Cash flow problems being spotted too late

• Poor pricing decisions

• Missed tax planning opportunities

• A general lack of confidence around the numbers

Meeting too often without a clear purpose can feel wasteful and unproductive. The key is finding the right balance based on your situation.

The Minimum Most People Need

At an absolute minimum, most business owners should speak to their accountant at least once a year. This is usually tied to the preparation of annual accounts or a Self Assessment tax return.

For some very simple situations, this may technically be enough to stay compliant. For example, someone with a small amount of self employed income alongside employment, very few expenses, and no growth plans may not need frequent meetings.

However, even in these cases, an annual meeting should be more than just a quick sign off. It should include a proper discussion about how the year went, what the numbers mean, and whether anything needs to change.

In reality, for most active businesses, once a year is rarely enough.

Quarterly Meetings and Why They Are So Popular

For many small business owners, quarterly meetings are the sweet spot.

Meeting every three months allows enough time for meaningful data to build up, while still being frequent enough to influence decisions before the year is over.

Quarterly meetings are particularly useful because they often align naturally with VAT quarters, management accounts, or internal reviews.

A typical quarterly meeting might cover:

• Review of income and expenses

• Profitability and margins

• Cash flow position and forecasts

• Upcoming tax liabilities

• Any changes in the business

• Opportunities to adjust strategy

These meetings help turn accounting from a historic record into a management tool.

I often see a noticeable shift in confidence when clients move from annual contact to quarterly discussions. They feel more in control, less reactive, and better informed.

Monthly Meetings for Growing or Complex Businesses

For some businesses, monthly meetings make sense.

This is usually the case where there is complexity, rapid growth, or tight margins. Examples include businesses with employees, high turnover, significant overheads, or fluctuating income.

Monthly meetings are not about rehashing everything from scratch. They are about staying close to the numbers so small issues do not become big problems.

Monthly meetings often focus on:

• Up to date management accounts

• Cash flow trends

• Payroll and staffing costs

• Performance against targets

• Short term planning decisions

This level of contact is particularly valuable during periods of change, such as rapid growth, investment, or restructuring.

Start Ups and Early Stage Businesses

In the early stages of a business, needs are often different.

New business owners tend to have lots of questions, many of which are not strictly accounting questions but have financial implications. Pricing, expenses, tax registration, and record keeping all come into play.

In the first year, I often recommend more frequent contact, even if meetings are shorter. This helps establish good habits early and avoids mistakes that can be costly later.

For start ups, meetings might focus on:

• Setting up systems correctly

• Understanding allowable expenses

• Planning for first tax bills

• Managing cash flow

• Making sure compliance is handled properly

As the business settles, meeting frequency can then be adjusted.

How Sole Traders Might Approach Meetings

Sole traders often assume they do not need much accountant input beyond a tax return. Sometimes that is true, but often there is more value to be gained.

For a sole trader with stable income, no VAT, and simple expenses, one or two meetings a year may be sufficient. However, as income grows, or if VAT is involved, more regular check ins usually help.

Sole traders benefit from meetings that cover:

• Profitability after tax

• How much to set aside for tax

• Whether pricing is sustainable

• When it might make sense to incorporate

• Pension and long term planning

Without these conversations, many sole traders drift along without real clarity about where they are heading.

Limited Company Directors and Meeting Frequency

Limited company directors often benefit from more regular contact.

Companies have more moving parts. Corporation tax, PAYE, dividends, VAT, and statutory filings all interact. Decisions made during the year have a direct impact on tax and cash flow.

For many directors, quarterly meetings are a minimum, with monthly meetings being appropriate where there are employees or significant turnover.

These meetings often cover:

• Company profitability

• Director remuneration planning

• Corporation tax forecasts

• Dividend planning

• Cash reserves and distributions

Regular meetings help ensure directors are taking money out of the business in the most efficient way and avoiding surprises.

Landlords and Property Businesses

Landlords and property investors often underestimate how useful regular meetings can be.

Rental income can look straightforward, but mortgage interest, repairs, capital expenditure, and tax rules can significantly affect profitability.

Meeting frequency often depends on portfolio size and activity. A landlord with one property may only need annual contact, while someone with multiple properties or development activity may benefit from quarterly or even monthly discussions.

Meetings help with:

• Understanding true rental profit

• Planning for tax changes

• Deciding when to reinvest or extract funds

• Preparing for future purchases or disposals

What Should You Actually Talk About in Meetings?

One reason some people avoid meetings with their accountant is that they do not know what the meeting is supposed to be for.

A good meeting should not feel like a lecture or a formality. It should be a conversation focused on helping you make better decisions.

Useful meeting topics include:

• What the numbers are telling you

• Whether the business is performing as expected

• Upcoming financial pressure points

• Opportunities to save tax

• Decisions you are considering and their impact

If meetings feel unproductive, it is often because the purpose has not been clearly defined.

The Cost Question and Value Perception

A common concern is cost. Some business owners worry that more meetings mean higher fees.

In reality, the cost of not meeting often outweighs the cost of meeting. Missed tax planning, poor cash flow decisions, and avoidable mistakes can be far more expensive than a few additional conversations.

That said, meetings should deliver value. You should feel clearer, more confident, and better informed afterwards.

If you do not, it is worth discussing expectations with your accountant.

Ad Hoc Meetings and Picking Up the Phone

Meeting frequency does not have to be rigid.

In addition to scheduled meetings, you should feel able to contact your accountant when something important comes up. Buying equipment, taking on staff, changing prices, or making significant personal financial decisions are all moments where a quick conversation can make a big difference.

This does not mean constant contact. It means knowing support is there when it matters.

Signs You Are Not Meeting Your Accountant Often Enough

There are some clear warning signs that meeting frequency may be too low.

These include:

• Regular surprise tax bills

• Feeling unsure about affordability of decisions

• Avoiding looking at financial reports

• Making decisions based on bank balance alone

• Feeling disconnected from the numbers

If any of these sound familiar, increasing contact is usually a good starting point.

How Meeting Frequency Changes Over Time

Meeting needs change as businesses evolve.

Early on, contact is often about setup and avoiding mistakes. During growth phases, it becomes about control and planning. Later, it may shift towards efficiency, extraction of profits, and succession planning.

There is no one size fits all answer. The right frequency today may not be the right frequency in two years time.

This is why I encourage clients to review how often they meet their accountant periodically and adjust as needed.

Making Meetings Work for You

To get the most from meetings, it helps to prepare.

Going into a meeting with questions, concerns, or decisions you are considering makes the conversation far more valuable. Your accountant can then tailor advice to what actually matters to you.

Meetings should feel collaborative rather than intimidating.

Final Thoughts

How often you should meet your accountant depends on your business, your goals, and your level of complexity. For some, annual meetings may be enough to stay compliant. For many, quarterly meetings provide clarity and control. For others, monthly discussions are an essential part of running the business well.

The right answer is not about frequency for its own sake. It is about having the right conversations early enough to make a difference.

An accountant should not just tell you what has already happened. They should help you understand what is happening now and what is likely to happen next. Regular contact is what makes that possible.

If you view meetings as an investment in better decisions rather than a cost, you are far more likely to get real value from the relationship and far fewer unpleasant surprises along the way.

You may also find our guidance on What reports should I review each month with my accountant and Should I use cloud accounting or spreadsheets useful when exploring related small business questions. For a broader range of practical advice, you can visit our small business guidance hub.