If you’re a small business owner who only meets with your accountant once a year, this story might just change how you view your finances. 

At Adaptive Accountancy, we don’t believe in last-minute advice. We believe in quarterly tax planning that puts business owners in full control—before it’s too late to make a difference. 

Last Friday, that approach saved one of our clients £11,000 in personal tax. 

📉 The Problem with Once-a-Year Accounting 

Many small business owners stick with accountants who only review their numbers annually—usually 6–9 months after their year-end. 

By then, it’s:
❌ Too late to change how you extracted profits
❌ Too late to optimise salary vs dividends
❌ Too late to distribute income across personal tax years
❌ Too late to prevent director’s loan issues 

That’s not tax planning—that’s tax reporting. 

💡 Real-Time Accounting Catches Real Problems 

In this case, we had a routine quarterly meeting scheduled to review a client’s tax position. When reviewing his management accounts, I spotted something important: 

📌 His director’s loan account was on track to become overdrawn 

This would have had a knock-on effect on: 

• Tax liabilities 

• Cash flow 

• Profit distribution strategy 

Instead of waiting until year-end, we acted immediately. 

🧾 How We Saved Him £11,000 

We took the time to:
✅ Explain how director’s loans work
✅ Review profit distribution across two personal tax years
✅ Adjust dividends and salary accordingly
✅ Plan forward—not backward 

By doing so, we legally reduced his tax bill by £11,000—all through timing and strategy. 

Even better? The client walked away fully understanding what we did, why it mattered, and how it benefitted him. 

He was in control. And that’s exactly how it should be. 

💰 The True Cost of a Cheap Accountant 

Too often, we hear: 

“I just want someone to file my accounts.”
“I don’t need quarterly meetings, it’s only once a year.”
“My current accountant is £100/month cheaper.” 

But here’s the truth:
Saving £100/month on an accountant can cost you thousands in missed opportunities. 

In this case, the difference between a once-a-year accountant and a proactive one was £11,000. 

That’s not a saving. That’s an expensive oversight. 

✅ What You Can Expect from Adaptive Accountancy 

We work with limited company owners and small businesses across the UK who want:
✔️ Quarterly tax planning and management accounts
✔️ Real-time bookkeeping and cash flow insights
✔️ Proactive advice—not reactive reporting
✔️ Clear communication and expert support 

When you work with us, tax planning isn’t an afterthought—it’s part of your regular service. 

📩 Ready to Stop Overpaying Tax? 

If you’re a small business owner or limited company director and you’re: 

• Guessing how much to take from your business 

• Unsure when to declare dividends 

• Only seeing your accountant after your year-end
  … then it’s time for a change. 

📞 Get in touch with Adaptive Accountancy and see how much smarter your tax strategy could be.