Closing the year is never just about sending out a few invoices and calling it a day. If you’re running a small or medium-sized business in the UAE, there’s a good chance you’re juggling last-minute client work, sorting payments, and wondering if your tax paperwork is actually ready for the FTA. 

With Simpla.ai, you’re always on top of your tax checklist. It keeps you updated, flags anything missing, and makes sure nothing important slips through before the year wraps up.

This checklist is here to help you get ready. It’s not about doing more, just about doing the right things in the right order.

1 . How to Reconcile Business Accounts Before December in the UAE

If you leave reconciliations until the very end, you’ll probably end up chasing missing invoices on New Year’s Eve. Match your bank statements, accounting records, and receipts now. Any gap you find today is easier to fix than one you spot a week before filing.

It’s worth checking:

• Sales invoices against VAT codes, keeping in mind broader VAT compliance UAE standards

• Expense receipts especially anything that might be zero-rated or exempt.

• Any transactions still showing as “pending” in your accounting system.

  
  

2. How to Review and Correct UAE VAT Returns for FTA Compliance

Pull up your previous VAT filings and see if anything looks off. Maybe a few invoices were coded wrong. Maybe you claimed input VAT twice. Mistakes happen, and the FTA does allow corrections but you want to make them before they ask questions.

If you use an AI accounting software just run a VAT report and compare it against your manual records. With AI accounting for SMEs like Simpla.ai, you can cross-check these instantly and fix them before filing.

3. Key Preparations for Corporate Tax Filing in the UAE

This is still new territory for many UAE SMEs. You’ll want to check:

• Your accounting year-end date.

• The revenue and expense categories you’ve been using and are they in line with FTA requirements?

• Whether your net profit matches your management accounts, especially since proper corporate tax compliance UAE rules now apply across multiple markets.

If you’re unsure about deductions, it’s better to confirm now than explain later. Simpla.ai can flag questionable entries and help you get clarity before the FTA ever asks.

4. How to Organise Expense Records for FTA Compliance

The FTA can ask for supporting documents for up to five years. That’s a long time to keep paper and PDFs in order, but it’s not optional. Create a separate folder for this year’s expenses and make sure everything is labelled clearly. AI accounting software like Simpla.ai can keep these records organized automatically,  working as a VAT automation software UAE solution, so you’re never scrambling when asked.

A few things people often forget:

• Petty cash expenses.

• Staff reimbursements.

• Online subscriptions and services billed in foreign currency.

  
  

5. Confirm VAT and Corporate Tax Payment Deadlines in the UAE

Late payments don’t just cost money in penalties but in the worst-case scenario: they can flag your business as non-compliant. Confirm your VAT and corporate tax deadlines now.

It’s easy to overlook if you have a different accounting year from the calendar year. Double-check with your accountant or on the FTA portal to stay aligned with UAE VAT digital compliance frameworks.

6. Use AI Accounting for Faster Year-End Tax Filing

If you’ve been doing everything manually, this is the time to rethink it. Simpla.ai can:

• Flag missing VAT codes

• Pre-fill FTA forms

• Sync with your accounting system so you don’t miss a transaction

It’s not here to replace you, just to make sure you’re not up at midnight digging through old receipts wondering what you forgot.

Make Your Next Tax Season Stress-Free with Simpla.AI

An end-of-year review might feel like one more job you don’t have time for, but it’s what makes tax season easier. A few hours now can save you days of stress in January. And if you set things up properly with Simpla.ai, next year’s checklist will be half as long because your records, reports, and VAT details will already be in order thanks to SME tax automation.

Start your free 14-day trial today and see how much easier tax season can be.

FAQs

1. Do UAE SMEs need to file VAT and corporate tax separately?

Yes. VAT returns are usually quarterly or monthly, while corporate tax is annual.

2. What’s the retention period for tax records in the UAE?

The FTA requires you to keep them for at least five years.

3. Can automation replace my accountant?

No, but it can take care of repetitive checks and form-filling, leaving your accountant to focus on strategy.