{"id":29399,"date":"2026-04-01T16:07:38","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T15:07:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/?p=29399"},"modified":"2026-05-06T12:03:04","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T11:03:04","slug":"mtd-income-tax-accountant-practice-plan-2026-2027","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-income-tax-accountant-practice-plan-2026-2027\/","title":{"rendered":"Help! MTD for Income Tax has started! A practice plan for the year ahead"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--standard entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--standard\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/category\/strategy-legal-operations\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Strategy, Legal &amp; Operations<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHelp! MTD for Income Tax has started! A practice plan for the year ahead\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tOperational capacity, behaviour change and the role of AI in keeping your practice moving forward\u2014MTD presents challenges but also countless opportunities.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \">Published <time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-04-01T16:07:38+01:00\">1 April, 2026<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"Help! MTD for Income Tax has started! A practice plan for the year ahead\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-income-tax-accountant-practice-plan-2026-2027\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/author\/keirthomasbryant\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/06\/keir-short-hair-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/06\/keir-short-hair-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/06\/keir-short-hair.jpg 760w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Keir Thomas-Bryant<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You know what MTD for Income Tax is. You know it\u2019s happening. The question from this point onwards is: will your practice actually be able to handle it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">MTD is a permanent rewiring of how your practice operates. The firms that thrive will be those that treat this as an operational challenge, not just a regulatory one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this article, we\u2019ll walk through how to build a plan\u2014practically, honestly, and with the inevitable AI conversation front and centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Needless to say, we&#8217;ve covered MTD for Income Tax a lot here on Sage Advice. Here&#8217;s some other jumping off points if you need to learn more:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-for-income-tax-switching-your-practice-from-self-assessment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MTD for Income Tax: How to switch your practice from Self Assessment<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/pricing-for-mtd-how-to-charge-more-and-prove-why-it-s-worth-it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pricing for MTD: How to charge more, and prove it\u2019s worth it<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-practice-planning-what-to-do-if-you-need-help\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MTD practice planning: What to do if you need last-minute help<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/making-tax-digital-accountants-prepare-landlord-clients\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: How accountants can prepare landlord clients<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/the-mtd-for-income-tax-accountant-mental-health-practice-capacity-playbook\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The MTD mental health capacity playbook for accountants and practices<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But here\u2019s what we discuss in this article:<\/p>\n\n\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><ul><li><a href=\"#h-the-mtd-capacity-problem-you-re-probably-underestimating\" data-level=\"2\">The MTD capacity problem you&rsquo;re probably underestimating<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#rescoping-tech-stack-mtd\" data-level=\"2\">Rescoping your tech stack: The audit<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#ai-removes-work-mtd\" data-level=\"2\">MTD needs AI that removes work, not moves it<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#sage-mtd-agent\" data-level=\"2\">The Sage MTD Agent: Exception-led AI in practice<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#next-wave-mtd\" data-level=\"2\">The next wave is coming: April 2027 and the &pound;30,000 threshold<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#behaviour-change\" data-level=\"2\">Behaviour change: yours and your clients&rsquo;<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#12-month-action-plan-mtd\" data-level=\"2\">Building your 12-month action plan<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-frequently-asked-questions\" data-level=\"2\">Frequently asked questions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-mtd-capacity-problem-you-re-probably-underestimating\">The MTD capacity problem you\u2019re probably underestimating<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s a number that still catches people off guard: under MTD for Income Tax, each client now generates roughly five data gathering touch points a year, compared to the single annual Self Assessment cycle you\u2019re used to. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Multiply that across your client book and the picture becomes stark, especially for mid-larger-sized firms:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><td><strong>Practice size (MTD clients)<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Old annual cycle (touch points)<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Minimum new MTD requirement (touch points)<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Smaller (100 clients)<\/strong><\/td><td>100<\/td><td>500<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Medium (250 clients)<\/strong><\/td><td>250<\/td><td>1,250<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Larger (750 clients)<\/strong><\/td><td>750<\/td><td>3,750<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is &#8220;more everything&#8221;: more data cleansing, more client calls or emails, and more chasing for missing paperwork. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your team is already at 80% capacity, these numbers simply won&#8217;t fit into a standard 37.5-hour week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the raw arithmetic is only part of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The real capacity drain comes from what sits underneath: the data cleansing that never quite stops, the client queries that spike every quarter, the education conversations with sole traders who are still confused about what\u2019s changing and why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And then there\u2019s the emotional weight. As we\u2019ve <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mental-health-and-mtd-the-importance-of-emotional-labour\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">already explored here on Sage Advice<\/a>, managing anxious or frustrated clients takes a toll that doesn\u2019t show up on any timesheet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most practices overestimate how much productive time their teams actually have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you subtract CPD commitments, internal meetings, admin, sickness, holidays, and the inevitable corridor conversations, a 37.5-hour week might deliver 25 to 28 genuinely billable hours\u2014and that\u2019s being generous. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you haven\u2019t mapped this out honestly, now is the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Practical step: Map your net capacity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">List every team member. Subtract non-client hours\u2014CPD, meetings, admin, breaks. What\u2019s left is your real capacity. Then overlay your MTD client list against it. If the numbers don\u2019t add up, you need to act before the first quarterly deadline on 7 August, not after.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"rescoping-tech-stack-mtd\">Rescoping your tech stack: The audit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your current tech stack was built for &#8220;once-a-year&#8221; compliance, it will break under the weight of quarterly reporting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To bridge the capacity gap, you must move from reactive tools to proactive agents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before the first deadline hits, run your current software through this four-step audit:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The chasing test:<\/strong> Does your software automatically identify missing records and nudge the client via WhatsApp, email, or app notifications? If your team is still manually emailing clients for receipts four times a year, your tech has failed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The cleansing test:<\/strong> Does the software use AI to flag anomalies or errors before you see them, or are you still the one spotting the duplicates?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The interoperability test:<\/strong> Do your client&#8217;s digital records flow seamlessly into your submission software without manual exports or &#8220;bridging&#8221; gymnastics?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The theatre check:<\/strong> Beware of &#8220;AI Theatre&#8221;\u2014tools that look impressive but just relocate the work from one screen to another. If you are still spending hours reviewing, reformatting, and correcting &#8220;automated&#8221; drafts, that tool isn&#8217;t saving time; it&#8217;s just changing the nature of your exhaustion.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ai-removes-work-mtd\">MTD needs AI that removes work, not moves it<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The goal for any modern practice is exception-led workflows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This means technology\u2014like the Sage MTD Agent\u2014handles the routine, rules-based tasks automatically and only alerts a human when a professional judgment call is required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What &#8220;exception-led&#8221; looks like in practice:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Automated segmentation:<\/strong> The AI identifies which clients are MTD-ready and which are lagging, then assigns tasks to your team.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Configurable control:<\/strong> You decide the level of automation. High-confidence tasks (like standard expense matching) happen in the background; ambiguous data is routed for your review.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Drafting &amp; pre-submission:<\/strong> The agent pulls data, checks NI numbers and HMRC authorizations, and drafts the quarterly report for a final &#8220;human-in-the-loop&#8221; sign-off.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"sage-mtd-agent\">The Sage MTD Agent: Exception-led AI in practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is where the Sage MTD Agent fits in\u2014and it\u2019s worth understanding what it does differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The MTD Agent isn\u2019t a chatbot or a bolt-on feature. It\u2019s an agentic AI tool built into every Sage for Accountants plan that handles the end-to-end MTD workflow: preparation, quarterly updates and submissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Critically, it operates on the principle of configurable control. You decide how far automation goes. High-confidence tasks are handled automatically; anything ambiguous gets routed for your review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In practical terms, that looks like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Automated client segmentation<\/strong>: The agent identifies which clients are MTD-ready and which need preparation, then adds tasks to a shared list that can be assigned and set to recur.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Document chasing<\/strong>: If records are missing, the agent contacts clients via email, WhatsApp or in-app notification, with you choosing the tone and timing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Quarterly submission reports<\/strong>: Data is pulled from digital records and drafted for your review before HMRC filing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Error detection<\/strong>: The agent reviews submitted data, flags anomalies and can suggest or apply corrections.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Authorisation checks<\/strong>: Verifying NI numbers, business structures and HMRC agent authority before anything is submitted.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The key phrase here is \u201cexception-led.\u201d The agent does the repeatable, rules-based work. You handle the exceptions, the judgement calls, and the client relationships. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s AI removing work, not moving it.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t<!-- Start of Brightcove Player -->\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div style=\"display: block; position: relative; min-width: 0px; max-width: 729px;\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div style=\"padding-top: 56%; \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<video-js\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tid=\"6387934106112\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-video-id=\"6387934106112\" data-account=\"1180526826001\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-player=\"HTeBRoTDF\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-usage=\"cms:WordPress:7.0.2:2.8.8:javascript\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-embed=\"default\" class=\"video-js\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-application-id=\"wordpress_en_gb_0\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tcontrols   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tstyle=\"width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; left: 0;\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/video-js>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<script src=\"https:\/\/players.brightcove.net\/1180526826001\/HTeBRoTDF_default\/index.min.js\"><\/script> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- End of Brightcove Player -->\n\t\t\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"next-wave-mtd\">The next wave is coming: April 2027 and the \u00a330,000 threshold<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">April 2026 is about the first cohort\u2014sole traders and landlords with gross income above \u00a350,000. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019re likely deep into working with them already. But the second wave deserves equal attention right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From April 2027, the threshold drops to \u00a330,000. That\u2019s a significant expansion of the client base that\u2019ll need MTD-compliant workflows, and many of these clients will be less digitally mature, less accustomed to quarterly reporting, and more reliant on you to guide them through the transition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This means the coming year isn\u2019t just about servicing your current MTD clients. It\u2019s about identifying and preparing the next cohort. The sooner you start those conversations, the smoother the transition will be. Clients who discover they\u2019re in scope six weeks before a deadline are clients who will take up disproportionate amounts of your time in panic mode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Action for the next 90 days<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Segment your client list by income band. Identify every client earning between \u00a330,000 and \u00a350,000. Begin outreach now\u2014explain what\u2019s coming, what they\u2019ll need to do differently, and what it means for your working relationship. Early education here saves crisis management later. And don\u2019t forget the \u00a320,000 threshold arriving in April 2028\u2014start flagging those clients, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"behaviour-change\">Behaviour change: yours and your clients\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">MTD requires new habits from everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For your clients, this means moving from an annual shoebox-of-receipts mindset to ongoing, real-time record-keeping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s a genuinely difficult behavioural shift for many sole traders, and it won\u2019t happen just because HMRC says so. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It happens because you help them build the habit: setting up digital tools, showing them how receipt capture works on their phone via apps like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.autoentry.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">AutoEntry<\/a>, running through the first couple of quarterly cycles with them until it feels routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For your practice, the shift is equally significant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019re moving from a model where much of the client relationship was concentrated into a few intense months approaching January, to one where contact is distributed throughout the year. That changes how you schedule staff, how you manage workflows, and how you think about client communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The practices that will handle this best are the ones that standardise relentlessly. Create a repeatable onboarding process for MTD clients. Build templated communications for each quarterly touch point. Establish clear internal workflows so every team member knows exactly what happens at each stage of the cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"12-month-action-plan-mtd\">Building your 12-month action plan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Theory is fine. But you need a timeline. Here\u2019s a practical framework for the year ahead, whether you\u2019re a sole practitioner or managing a team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-q2-2026-stabilising-the-first-wave\">Q2 2026: Stabilising the first wave<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Complete onboarding for all clients above \u00a350,000. Ensure digital recordkeeping is active, authorisations are in place, and the first quarterly submission process has been tested.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Run a capacity audit. Map net hours against your MTD client load. Identify bottlenecks before they become crises.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Deploy AI where it counts. If you haven\u2019t already adopted the Sage MTD Agent or similar tools, now is the time. Don\u2019t wait for the workload to become unmanageable.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Q3\u2013Q4 2026: Prepare the second wave<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Begin outreach to clients earning between \u00a330,000 and \u00a350,000. Explain the April 2027 deadline. Help them set up digital recordkeeping now, so the transition is gradual rather than a scramble.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Review your first round of quarterly submissions. What worked? Where did time leak? Refine your processes based on real data, not assumptions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Assess team well-being. The emotional labour of managing anxious clients is cumulative. Build in check-ins, spread high-intensity client relationships across the team, and make sure no one person is absorbing a disproportionate share.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Q1 2027: Scale and optimise<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The \u00a330,000 cohort is now in scope. Your workflows, templates, and AI tools should be tried and tested by this point, making onboarding faster and smoother than the first wave.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Look ahead to April 2028 and the planned \u00a320,000 threshold. Start the identification and outreach cycle again.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use the data you\u2019ve gathered\u2014from AI insights, quarterly cycles and client interactions\u2014to evaluate which clients are genuinely profitable, which need repricing, and where you can grow.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final thoughts: Growth is what happens when you get capacity right<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s easy to frame MTD as purely defensive: something you have to survive. But practices that build the right operational foundations and adopt AI that genuinely saves time will find themselves with something unexpected\u2014headroom and growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Headroom to take on new clients. Headroom to offer advisory services rather than just compliance. Headroom to invest in your team\u2019s development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Headroom to grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s the real opportunity here. MTD is forcing a modernisation that many practices would have needed to undertake anyway. The firms that lean into it\u2014with honest capacity planning, proactive client communication, and AI that actually does what it promises\u2014won\u2019t just keep up. They\u2019ll move ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-frequently-asked-questions\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1775054675701\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">How much extra work does MTD actually create for my practice?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Each client now generates roughly five data-gathering touch points a year instead of one. For a practice with 250 MTD clients, that&#8217;s a jump from 250 to 1,250 interactions annually\u2014and that&#8217;s before accounting for data cleansing, client queries, and education conversations.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1775055637834\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">My team is already at capacity. How do I cope with quarterly reporting?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Start by mapping your real net capacity: total hours minus CPD, meetings, admin, and holidays. Most practices find a 37.5-hour week delivers only 25 to 28 genuinely billable hours. Once you know your true capacity, you can identify where AI tools or workflow changes are needed before the first deadline hits.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1775055668632\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>What should I look for when reviewing my MTD tech stack?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Test every tool against four questions: does it automatically chase missing client records? Does it flag errors before they reach you? Do client records flow into your submission software without manual intervention? And critically\u2014is it genuinely saving time, or just moving the work from one screen to another?<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1775055691353\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Do I need to start preparing clients who aren&#8217;t yet in scope?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes, and urgently. The threshold drops to \u00a330,000 in April 2027. Clients who discover they&#8217;re in scope six weeks before a deadline will consume disproportionate amounts of your time. Begin outreach to anyone earning between \u00a330,000 and \u00a350,000 now.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1775055715444\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>What does good AI actually look like in an MTD workflow?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Good AI is exception-led. By that we mean it handles routine, rules-based tasks automatically and only routes work to a human when professional judgement is needed\u2014when an exception occurs, in other words. If you&#8217;re still spending hours correcting or reformatting what automated tools produce, the tool is moving work rather than removing it.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1775123299465\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">How do I use MTD for Income Tax to grow my practice?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">First, the use of AI is not an option. It&#8217;s a necessity. Aim for an exception-led process, where AI takes care of the work and flags only the exceptions that you and your team need to know. Usually, this involves the use of agentic AI, like Sage&#8217;s MTD Agent, which is part of all Sage for Accountant plans. Secondly, and as just one example, fish where the fishes are: HMRC says that around a third of MTD clients will be landlords. As you know, many existing landlords with inherited lets aren&#8217;t even aware they have a tax liability. We cover this in more depth in our dedicated article: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/making-tax-digital-accountants-prepare-landlord-clients\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: How accountants can prepare landlord clients<\/a> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1775123652666\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Is it OK for me to tell clients to ignore quarterly updates given that HMRC has said it won&#8217;t impose penalties for the first year?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Not really. It only postpones the inevitable. Furthermore, why push clients into a situation where their first attempts to provide quarterly updates could involve penalties if they get it wrong? The whole point of HRMC&#8217;s soft landing period is to provide a year&#8217;s grace for businesses to make mistakes without penalties. Furthermore, don&#8217;t forget that the Professional Conduct in Relation to Taxation (PCRT) rules, which require high ethical standards of accountants and bookkeepers. Any professional actively advising clients to ignore the legal requirements for MTD, for any reason, will certainly be in breach of the PCRT.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1775124250900\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">How can I get the MTD for Income Tax message out to as many clients as possible, as efficiently as possible?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Some examples could including having your team add a message to email signatures highlighting the change. Similarly, remembering to tag on a mention of MTD to the end of all phone calls will help get the message out. Consider running events, too. These needn&#8217;t necessarily be expensive. Some pub landlords will let you use rooms free, or for low cost, because of the food and drink income it brings in; if you can promise, say, 50 or 100 people for an event, then everybody wins. Consider contacting your local chambers of commerce, too, perhaps offering to run free explainer sessions for those affected\u2014and ensure you take along enough business cards to hand out! Lastly, if yours is a high street practice, make use of the gift that is your physical location: consider running window displays, for example, offering drop-in sessions for local tradespeople, landlords, or freelancers.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1775125382993\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">What&#8217;s happening with MTD for Income Tax for incomes below \u00a320,000?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">In the Spring Statement in 2025, the Chancellor said: &#8220;The government will continue to explore how it can best bring the benefits of digitalisation to more of the around four\u00a0million taxpayers who have income below the \u00a320,000 threshold.&#8221; However, there has been no legislation or timelines announced yet. <\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1775125964514\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">I keep reading the \u00a320,000 MTD for Income Tax tier isn&#8217;t law. Is that right?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">At the time of publication of this article, the government has just published a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/making-tax-digital-for-income-tax-self-assessment-reducing-the-mandation-threshold-from-30000-to-20000-from-april-2028\/reduction-of-the-mandation-threshold-from-30000-to-20000-from-april-2028\">policy paper<\/a>, announcing that it will modify The Income Tax (Digital Obligations) Regulations 2026 to bring 970,000 additional taxpayers into scope that have incomes between \u00a320,000 and \u00a330,000. <\/p>. <\/p> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner on-scroll-highlight__target\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">E-Book: MTD for Income Tax\u2014The final countdown playbook for practices<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>Accountants and bookkeepers still have time to create a repeatable plan for MTD success. This e-Book explains how, via a fast-track mindset, and a 5-phase countdown to April 2026\u2014and beyond.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-983aa507-78de-4b74-bc4d-ca90a0b2ff1f\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Get Making Tax Digital: The Final Countdown Playbook<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1215\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1392324314-1215x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1392324314-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<section class=\"more-topics alignfull has-grey-light-background-color wp-block-sage-post-topics\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"more-topics__title h2\">Browse more topics from this article<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-8\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/accountant-accounting\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAccountant accounting\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/accountant-automation\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAccountant automation\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/accountant-tax\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAccountant tax\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/accountants-online-hub-gb\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAccountants Online Hub\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/mtd-accountants\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMaking Tax Digital for accountants\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<div class=\"alignfull wp-block-sage-related-posts\">\n\t<section class=\"related-posts card-grid has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--featured h1\">Explore more wisdom<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-0 post-7033 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-mtd-accountants tag-mtd-business tag-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax tag-making-tax-digital-for-vat tag-tax tag-vat business_type-small-business business_type-accountants card-post--is-clickable\"\n>\n\t<div class=\"card-post__media-wrapper\">\n\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1215\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1464824741-1215x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1464824741-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1464824741-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1464824741-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"card-post__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__label\">Recommended<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-07-30T13:17:06+01:00\">30 July, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">11 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/what-is-an-mtd-digital-link\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tMTD digital links explained: Avoid penalties, understand how to move data\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"card-post__description\">\n\t\t\t\tTransferring key accounting data from one place to another isn&#8217;t quite as simple as you might think with Making Tax Digital. Here&#8217;s what you need to know.\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__non-featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--more h4\">More on this Topic<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-1 post-6314 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-accountant-accounting tag-accountant-tax tag-mtd-accountants tag-mtd-business tag-need-to-know tag-tax tag-vat business_type-small-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/vat-return-making-tax-digital\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media card-post__media--video\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-539434591-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Dealing with payment tasks as a business owner\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-539434591-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-539434591-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-539434591-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__play-video\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" class=\"card-post__play-icon svg-icon\" width=\"28\" height=\"28\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 33 36\"><path d=\"M3.947.936C1.889 1.016 0 2.661 0 4.878v27.11c0 2.956 3.36 4.896 5.999 3.463l24.965-13.555c2.715-1.474 2.715-5.451 0-6.925L6 1.416a3.96 3.96 0 0 0-2.052-.48Zm.032 2.6c.232-.001.475.058.713.187L29.66 17.28c.986.535.986 1.774 0 2.309L4.692 33.144c-.952.517-1.999-.088-1.999-1.155V4.878c0-.533.261-.95.642-1.17.19-.11.411-.171.644-.172\" \/><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" class=\"card-post__meta-icon svg-icon\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path d=\"M5.25 3C3.74 3 2.5 4.24 2.5 5.75v12.5C2.5 19.76 3.74 21 5.25 21h14c1.51 0 2.75-1.24 2.75-2.75V5.75C22 4.24 20.76 3 19.25 3zm0 1.5h14c.699 0 1.25.551 1.25 1.25v12.5a1.24 1.24 0 0 1-1.25 1.25h-14A1.24 1.24 0 0 1 4 18.25V5.75c0-.699.551-1.25 1.25-1.25m.25.75a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm-8.25 2.751A1.248 1.248 0 0 0 9 9.251v5.5c0 .442.231.849.613 1.074.389.231.846.237 1.239.021l5.001-2.751c.396-.219.646-.639.646-1.094s-.25-.876-.646-1.095l-.001-.001-5.002-2.751a1.25 1.25 0 0 0-.601-.153zM5.5 8.25a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm-8 1.423L14.731 12 10.5 14.328zm-5 1.577a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm-13 3a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm-13 3a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5H6a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5zm13 0a.5.5 0 0 0-.5.5v.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5.5h.5a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5v-.5a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5z\" \/><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-07-29T14:48:03+01:00\">29 July, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">11 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tMaking Tax Digital for VAT: complete guide to compulsory requirements\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-2 post-30690 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations tag-accountant-accounting tag-accountant-automation tag-accountant-tax tag-ai tag-bookkeeping tag-cloud tag-digital-transformation tag-mtd-accountants business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-quarterly-update-accountants-bookkeepers\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/07\/AdobeStock_1319348913-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"An accountant looking at client paperwork for an MTD quarterly update\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/07\/AdobeStock_1319348913-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/07\/AdobeStock_1319348913-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/07\/AdobeStock_1319348913-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-07-03T15:16:54+01:00\">3 July, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">17 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tThe MTD quarterly countdown: A practice guide\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-3 post-30483 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-free-guides-templates category-people-leadership category-strategy-legal-operations category-trends-insights tag-business-performance tag-business-support tag-create-business-plan tag-grow-business tag-make-receive-payments tag-mtd-accountants tag-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax tag-payments tag-performance-management business_type-small-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/the-hidden-hours-behind-late-payments\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-607477465-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-607477465-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-607477465-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-607477465-1214x810.jpg 1214w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" class=\"card-post__meta-icon svg-icon\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path d=\"M11.988 2.989a.75.75 0 0 0-.739.761v10.689l-1.72-1.72a.75.75 0 0 0-.957-.099.75.75 0 0 0-.315.776c.031.146.104.28.211.384l3 3a.75.75 0 0 0 1.06 0l3-3a.76.76 0 0 0 .231-.533.74.74 0 0 0-.22-.538q-.108-.106-.247-.164c-.139-.058-.191-.057-.291-.056s-.198.022-.29.061-.174.097-.243.169l-1.72 1.72V3.75a.76.76 0 0 0-.22-.541.76.76 0 0 0-.542-.22zM5.75 8.5C4.24 8.5 3 9.74 3 11.25v7C3 19.76 4.24 21 5.75 21h12.5c1.51 0 2.75-1.24 2.75-2.75v-7c0-1.51-1.24-2.75-2.75-2.75h-3a.76.76 0 0 0-.537.216.74.74 0 0 0-.223.535.76.76 0 0 0 .223.535.74.74 0 0 0 .537.216h3c.699 0 1.25.551 1.25 1.25v7a1.24 1.24 0 0 1-1.25 1.25H5.75a1.24 1.24 0 0 1-1.25-1.25v-7c0-.699.551-1.25 1.25-1.25h3a.76.76 0 0 0 .537-.216.74.74 0 0 0 .223-.535.76.76 0 0 0-.223-.535.75.75 0 0 0-.537-.216z\" \/><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-06-19T11:24:18+01:00\">19 June, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">8 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tThe hidden hours behind late payments\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-4 post-30379 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations tag-accountant-accounting tag-ai tag-bookkeeping tag-cloud tag-digital-transformation tag-e-invoicing tag-grow-accounting-practice tag-mtd-accountants tag-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax tag-work-life-balance business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/the-hidden-hours-of-accountancy-sage-research\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1261563958-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1261563958-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1261563958-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1261563958-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-06-16T15:35:44+01:00\">16 June, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">8 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tWhat HMRC&#8217;s digital transformation is doing to the hidden hours of accountancy\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Operational capacity, behaviour change and the role of AI in keeping your practice moving forward\u2014MTD presents challenges but also countless opportunities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":280,"featured_media":11713,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":true,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"sage_hide_published_date":false,"sage_hide_read_time":false,"sage_hide_share_buttons":false,"_pwl_sage_podcast_buzzsprout_src":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[223,224,226,755,29],"business_type":[115],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[67],"imagine_tag":[220,221,726,756,331,309,727],"coauthors":[369],"class_list":["post-29399","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-strategy-legal-operations","tag-accountant-accounting","tag-accountant-automation","tag-accountant-tax","tag-accountants-online-hub-gb","tag-mtd-accountants","business_type-accountants"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-gb","author_name":"Keir 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