{"id":31395,"date":"2026-08-08T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-08T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/?p=31395"},"modified":"2026-08-10T12:04:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T11:04:40","slug":"mtd-quarterly-updates-supercharge-your-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-quarterly-updates-supercharge-your-business\/","title":{"rendered":"How MTD quarterly updates can supercharge your business. Yes, really."},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--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\tHow MTD quarterly updates can supercharge your business. Yes, really.\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\tYour MTD quarterly update isn&#8217;t just about keeping HMRC happy. From live tax estimates to easier borrowing and smarter planning, here are the fringe benefits for sole traders and landlords that nobody talks about.\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 class=\"col col-8 col-lg-4 entry-header__image\">\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"entry-header__thumbnail js-hero-section\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/07\/mtd-tricks-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"entry-header__thumbnail-image\" alt=\"A small business person working on MTD\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/07\/mtd-tricks-1440x810.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/07\/mtd-tricks-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/07\/mtd-tricks-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/07\/mtd-tricks-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/07\/mtd-tricks-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/>\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\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=\"2026-08-08T09:00:00+01:00\">8 August, 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=\"How MTD quarterly updates can supercharge your business. Yes, really.\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-quarterly-updates-supercharge-your-business\/\"\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<section id=\"key-takeaways\" class=\"wp-block-sage-key-takeaways\"><div class=\"sage-key-takeaways__inner\"><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-3-font-size\">Key takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>MTD&#8217;s quarterly updates means you&#8217;re in the best position to know<strong> about your tax bill<\/strong>, thanks to HMRC&#8217;s estimate.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>MTD&#8217;s focus on better accounting and up-to-the-minute records could help you get <strong>finance such as loans or mortgages<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>MTD is your time to finally get on top of your accounting by <strong>making it digital<\/strong>\u2014and reaping the benefits like automation and AI.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>MTD can <strong>improve the value you get from your accountant<\/strong> and improve your relationship.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The next Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax quarterly update is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-quarterly-update\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">due by 7 November 2026<\/a>, and if you&#8217;ve read the many articles we\u2019ve written here at Sage Advice, you&#8217;ll already know the what, when, and how.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-income-tax-recognised-ready-software\/\">Is your software MTD-ready\u2014and are you? Here\u2019s how to find out<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/mtd-for-income-tax-switching-from-self-assessment-explained\/\">MTD for Income Tax: How to switch from Self Assessment<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But let\u2019s pause a moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The quarterly update isn&#8217;t just a hurdle to jump over that keeps HMRC happy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It comes bundled with a set of genuine business benefits\u2014the kind that were previously reserved for bigger businesses with finance teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, once compliance is in the bag, here&#8217;s what else you get. Some of it might surprise you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here&#8217;s 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-mtd-quarterly-updates-give-you-a-real-time-forecast-of-your-tax-bill\" data-level=\"2\">MTD quarterly updates give you a real-time forecast of your tax bill<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-mtd-quarterly-updates-are-a-free-quarterly-business-health-check\" data-level=\"2\">MTD quarterly updates are a free quarterly business health check<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-mtd-quarterly-updates-mean-your-accounting-is-finally-properly-digital\" data-level=\"2\">MTD quarterly updates mean your accounting is finally, properly digital<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-mtd-quarterly-updates-mean-you-can-have-proof-of-income-whenever-you-need-it\" data-level=\"2\">MTD quarterly updates mean you can have proof of income whenever you need it<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-mtd-quarterly-updates-mean-you-can-do-tax-planning-while-it-still-counts\" data-level=\"2\">MTD quarterly updates mean you can do tax planning while it still counts<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-mtd-quarterly-updates-mean-your-accountant-becomes-an-adviser-not-a-historian\" data-level=\"2\">MTD quarterly updates mean your accountant becomes an adviser, not a historian<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-final-thoughtsz\" data-level=\"2\">Final thoughts<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-frequently-asked-questionsz\" data-level=\"2\">Frequently asked questions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-mtd-quarterly-updates-give-you-a-real-time-forecast-of-your-tax-bill\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">MTD quarterly updates give you a real-time forecast of your tax bill<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the fundamental one, but probably the most useful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every time you submit a quarterly update, HMRC sends back an estimate of the tax you owe so far, based on your figures. You&#8217;ll see it in your software or your HMRC online account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s every time you submit an update. You could submit one now and get that estimate. In other words, it doesn\u2019t just have to be a quarterly thing. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&#8217;ve ever done the classic sole trader thing of setting aside \u201croughly a third\u201d of everything and hoping for the best, you&#8217;ll appreciate what a difference this makes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To be clear, what HMRC provides is not a 100% cast-iron guarantee of what you&#8217;ll owe. But it should be a reasonable ballpark figure that can cushion surprises\u2014so, no more January heart attack when the real number lands via your accountant\u2019s arcane calculations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You know what&#8217;s building up, quarter by quarter, so you can put the right money aside as you go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And don\u2019t forget: four updates a year is the minimum, not the maximum. You can submit frequently\u2014such as once a week\u2014and each submission refreshes your estimate. If you want a near-live view of your tax position, it&#8217;s yours for the taking.<\/p>\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\">MTD: Your business survival guide<\/h2>\n\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-d74b8314-e3b1-4385-9b30-51a7de0ca091\"\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 MTD for Income Tax: The business survival guide<\/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=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/08\/AdobeStock_565116862-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"A business woman successfully navigating MTD for Income Tax\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/08\/AdobeStock_565116862-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-mtd-quarterly-updates-are-a-free-quarterly-business-health-check\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>MTD quarterly updates<\/strong><\/strong> are a free quarterly business health check<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A quarterly update forces you to do something many small business owners hardly ever make time for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sit down with your actual numbers, four times a year, and make sense of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That rhythm is powerful in a quiet, actually-quite-useful way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You&#8217;ll spot spending creep while it&#8217;s still a trickle. You&#8217;ll see seasonal patterns you&#8217;d only ever sensed before. You&#8217;ll know whether that price rise actually stuck, and whether the quiet months are quieter than last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Better still, because your income and expenses now live in software as digital records, you&#8217;ve got the raw material for proper reporting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most MTD-ready accounting software will turn those records into dashboards, profit reports, and cash flow views with a couple of taps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That&#8217;s the kind of visibility that used to require a finance team. Now it&#8217;s a by-product of staying compliant, just by doing the minimum HMRC now requires of you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-mtd-quarterly-updates-mean-your-accounting-is-finally-properly-digital\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">MTD quarterly updates mean your<strong> accounting is finally, properly digital<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plenty of businesses have been getting by on a carrier bag of receipts, a spreadsheet of good intentions, and a heroic January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It works, just about, by the skin of your teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the digital records requirement of MTD is the moment that era ends\u2014and honestly, it&#8217;s surely about time, if you speak to those who&#8217;ve already made the leap to digital accounting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once your accounting lives in software, the tedious stuff starts doing itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your bank feed pulls transactions in automatically. You snap a photo of a receipt and the details are read off for you. Categorisation gets suggested, recurring expenses handle themselves, and AI features increasingly do the heavy lifting in the background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The admin that used to eat your evenings and weekends can shrink to minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There&#8217;s a knock-on benefit too: connecting a bank feed makes mixing business and personal spending genuinely annoying, so this is the natural moment to open a dedicated business account. Once you do, everything\u2014from bookkeeping to borrowing\u2014gets simpler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-mtd-quarterly-updates-mean-you-can-have-proof-of-income-whenever-you-need-it\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>MTD quarterly updates<\/strong><\/strong> mean you can have proof of income whenever you need it<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ask any sole trader who&#8217;s applied for a loan or a mortgage: proving your income when you&#8217;re self-employed has always been a faff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lenders want SA302s and tax year overviews, and by the time you hand them over, the figures can be the best part of two years out of date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With quarterly updates and live digital records, you&#8217;re potentially in a much better position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You&#8217;re able to evidence your income position at any point in the year, backed by data that&#8217;s already been submitted to HMRC. For a remortgage, a van on finance, or a business loan, that&#8217;s a genuinely stronger hand\u2014especially when your current year is going better than your last tax return suggests (as we all hope it does!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To be clear, it will ultimately depend on what kind of evidence the lender demands from you. Some might still require last year&#8217;s accounts because the banking system can be very slow to modernise\u2014and MTD for Income Tax is brand new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But as a fringe benefit almost nobody mentions, this kind of visibility for lending could matter more than any of the others the day you need it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-mtd-quarterly-updates-mean-you-can-do-tax-planning-while-it-still-counts\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>MTD quarterly updates<\/strong> mean you can do tax planning while it still counts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here&#8217;s the difference between predicting your tax bill and actually reducing it. Under the old regime, most people only understood their year in the January after it ended, when it was far too late to do anything about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Quarterly updates change the timeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you know by October that you&#8217;re having a strong year, you can act before 5 April: bring forward that equipment purchase and use your Annual Investment Allowance, top up your pension, or think carefully about the timing of big invoices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">None of this is exotic. It&#8217;s the ordinary, sensible planning that&#8217;s only possible when you know where you stand while the tax year is still live. And it\u2019s the kind of thing that growing businesses do all the time. It\u2019s just been hidden from you until now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is also exactly the conversation to have with your accountant in the autumn, rather than never.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Which brings us neatly to a final benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-mtd-quarterly-updates-mean-your-accountant-becomes-an-adviser-not-a-historian\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>MTD quarterly updates<\/strong><\/strong> mean your accountant becomes an adviser, not a historian<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under annual Self Assessment, your accountant spends most of their time with you doing archaeology. They\u2019re reconstructing a year that&#8217;s already over, receipt by receipt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s necessary work, but it&#8217;s backward-looking, and it leaves little room for anything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You don\u2019t drive by looking in the rear-view mirror. Why run your business that way, by looking at things that are behind you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With shared, up-to-date digital records, the compliance grunt work can shrink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That frees your accountant to talk about what&#8217;s ahead\u2014your pricing, your profitability, that tax planning above\u2014instead of what&#8217;s behind. Same relationship, much more value from it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And there&#8217;s a lovely long-term payoff: by the time your first digital tax return is due on 31 January 2028, and if you&#8217;ve done things right, most of your data will already be sitting with HMRC, submitted quarter by quarter. The January cliff-edge just quietly dissolves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-final-thoughts\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Get your next quarterly update in\u2014early, ideally, and well before 7 November. But don&#8217;t stop there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Check your tax estimate and set the money aside. Have a proper look at your quarterly numbers. Let the software automate the boring bits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And book a forward-looking chat with your accountant while the year can still be shaped. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A tax deadline that pays you back. Whoever thought we&#8217;d see the day?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-frequently-asked-questions\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">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-1784567308277\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Can lenders actually use my MTD records as proof of income?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">It will depend on the lender and how quickly they take advantage of your new way of working. But it&#8217;s not going out on a limb to suggest this is surely going to become more common as MTD beds in. Lenders can already ask for management accounts or in-year figures alongside SA302s and tax year overviews, and records submitted to HMRC through quarterly updates carry real credibility. Policies vary by lender, so check what they&#8217;ll accept\u2014but up-to-the-minute, software-backed figures will rarely hurt your case and often help it, particularly if this year is stronger than your last tax return (as it&#8217;s likely to be in a growing business).<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1784567331725\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>How reliable is HMRC&#8217;s tax estimate if my income is seasonal?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">The estimate is based on the figures you&#8217;ve submitted so far, so if you earn most of your income in summer, an early-year estimate may look low, and vice versa. It&#8217;s a running picture, not a prophecy. It becomes more accurate as the year fills in, and it&#8217;s always a better guide than guessing. If your trade is strongly seasonal, treat the estimate as a floor or ceiling accordingly, and ask your accountant to sense-check what you&#8217;re setting aside.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1784567342285\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Will quarterly updates make my accountant&#8217;s fees go up?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Not necessarily, and for many people the value improves either way. Some practices are moving from a single annual fee to a monthly or quarterly arrangement to reflect the new rhythm. But because good software automates so much of the record-keeping, the manual work your accountant used to charge for shrinks. Many firms are using that saved time to include advisory conversations in the same package. It&#8217;s worth an open chat about what your fee now covers.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1784567354676\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Do I need a separate business bank account for MTD for Income Tax?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Legally, no\u2014MTD per se doesn&#8217;t require one. But practically, a business bank account is one of the best moves you can make. A dedicated business account means your bank feed pulls in only business transactions, which makes categorisation faster, your records cleaner, and your quarterly updates quicker to prepare. It also makes life easier if you ever apply for finance or face an HMRC enquiry. Most banks offer sole trader accounts with low or no monthly fees.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1784567383280\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>What reports can I actually get from my digital records?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">More than you might expect. Most MTD-ready accounting software will generate profit and loss reports, income and expense breakdowns by category, and cash flow views directly from the records you&#8217;re already keeping for your quarterly updates. Many also offer visual dashboards showing trends over time. Because the data updates as you go, if you&#8217;re correctly updating digital records, these reports reflect your business as it is now\u2014not as it was at your last year-end.<\/p> <\/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\">MTD: Your business survival guide<\/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>Your real world guide to using Making Tax Digital for Income Tax in April 2026, April 2027 or April 2028. For sole traders, landlords, freelancers, side-hustlers\u2014and more.<\/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-d74b8314-e3b1-4385-9b30-51a7de0ca091\"\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 MTD for Income Tax: The business survival guide<\/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=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/08\/AdobeStock_565116862-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"A business woman successfully navigating MTD for Income Tax\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/08\/AdobeStock_565116862-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\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\/bookkeeping\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBookkeeping\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-business\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMaking Tax Digital for businesses\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\/making-tax-digital-for-income-tax\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMaking Tax Digital for Income 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<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\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-30636 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations tag-mtd-business tag-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax business_type-small-business 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=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/06\/AdobeStock_737875163-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Man at a desk working through papers on a computer\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/06\/AdobeStock_737875163-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/06\/AdobeStock_737875163-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/06\/AdobeStock_737875163-1440x810.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\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=\"2026-10-05T17:26:22+01:00\">5 October, 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\">20 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\/mtd-quarterly-update\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tMTD&#8217;s 2nd quarterly update: What to do now\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\tHere\u2019s the what, why, when, and how of making an MTD for Income Tax update\u2014quarterly, or otherwise. Simple language, no jargon, just the facts.\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-32237 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-people-leadership category-strategy-legal-operations category-trends-insights tag-bookkeeping tag-efl tag-productivity tag-workplace-technology business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-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\/afc-wimbledown-dlag-efl\/\"\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\/2026\/09\/DLAG-blog-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"AFC Wimbledon shows how a fan-owned club can unite charities, businesses, volunteers and supporters across Southwest London\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/DLAG-blog-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/DLAG-blog-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/DLAG-blog-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" 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=\"2026-09-29T09:00:00+01:00\">29 September, 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\">5 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 businesses behind AFC Wimbledon: How one badge unites a community\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-32232 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-growth-customers category-people-leadership category-strategy-legal-operations category-trends-insights tag-bookkeeping tag-digital-transformation tag-efl tag-workplace-technology business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-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\/afc-wimbledon-lead-on-pathway-efl\/\"\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\/2026\/09\/Female-coaching-JPEG-YSYN-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Trusted financial data is helping AFC Wimbledon expand opportunities for female coaches through its LeaD ON pathway\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/09\/Female-coaching-JPEG-YSYN-684x384.jpg 684w, 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\/><\/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=\"2026-09-22T09:00:00+01:00\">22 September, 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\">6 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\tHow trust in the numbers is helping AFC Wimbledon develop the next generation of female coaches\u00a0\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-16041 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-bookkeeping tag-business-finances tag-cash-flow tag-freelancers business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/invoice-tips-round-up-paid-on-time\/\"\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-1282134863-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Man working on laptop at desk and looking at business priorities\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1282134863-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1282134863-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1282134863-1440x810.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=\"2026-09-17T12:27:57+01:00\">17 September, 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\">5 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\tInvoice tips round-up: Essential advice to help you get paid on time\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-2229 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-bookkeeping tag-business-finances tag-cash-flow tag-freelancers tag-start-business tag-make-receive-payments tag-tax tag-vat business_type-small-business\"\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-ultimate-guide-to-basic-business-accounting\/\"\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-1267191201_updated-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-1267191201_updated-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1267191201_updated-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1267191201_updated-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=\"2026-09-14T15:43:42+01:00\">14 September, 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\">18 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 ultimate guide to small business accounting and bookkeeping\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>Your MTD quarterly update isn&#8217;t just about keeping HMRC happy. From live tax estimates to easier borrowing and smarter planning, here are the fringe benefits for sole traders and landlords that nobody talks about.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":280,"featured_media":31396,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_is_cornerstone":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_schema_page_type":"","_yoast_wpseo_schema_article_type":"","_sage_video":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskeywords":"","_yoast_wpseo_keywordsynonyms":"[\"making tax digital\"]","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"9","sage_membership_post_content_type":"article","sage_membership_post_featured_video_id":"","sage_membership_post_video_type":"trailer","sage_membership_post_featured_video_duration":"","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":[23,30,343],"business_type":[4],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[73,75],"imagine_tag":[287,77,142,334,727],"coauthors":[369],"class_list":["post-31395","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-strategy-legal-operations","tag-bookkeeping","tag-mtd-business","tag-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-gb","author_name":"Keir Thomas-Bryant","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/07\/mtd-tricks.jpg","imagine_tags":{"287":"Accounting Individual","77":"Accounting software","142":"Making Tax Digital for businesses","334":"Making tax digital for income tax","727":"Self Assessment and Making Tax Digital for Income Tax"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice UK","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31395","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/280"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31395"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31395\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32149,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31395\/revisions\/32149"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/31396"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31395"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31395"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31395"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=31395"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=31395"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=31395"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=31395"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=31395"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=31395"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=31395"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}