Bookkeeping
Catch-Up Bookkeeping in Dubai
We rebuild the months you missed from the bank outwards, then tell you in writing which filed returns still hold up and which do not.
- Backlog rebuilt month by month, each one reconciled to the bank
- Filed VAT returns tested against the rebuilt books
- A clear list of what needs a voluntary disclosure, and what does not
Who this is for
- Your bookkeeper leftAnd nobody has touched the books since.
- A VAT return is due soonBut the last three were filed on estimates.
- The bank or an investor asked for accountsAnd you do not have any you would show them.
- Year-end is closeTwelve months to rebuild before the auditor arrives.
What is included
- Every bank, card and cash account rebuilt from statements
- Sales and purchases matched to invoices, with gaps listed
- Missing documents requested from you in one consolidated list
- Filed VAT returns compared with the rebuilt figures, period by period
- A written note on any difference and whether it needs correcting
- Opening balances agreed so the monthly cycle starts clean
How far behind is too far?
Being behind is common. Being behind and having filed returns from those books is where it gets expensive.
If a filed VAT return turns out to be wrong, the fix is a voluntary disclosure. Under Cabinet Decision No. 40 of 2017, as amended by Cabinet Decision No. 129 of 2025 and in force since 14 April 2026, the penalty is 1% a month on the tax difference, from the day after the return's due date until the disclosure is filed. If the FTA has already notified a tax audit, it becomes a fixed 15% plus the 1% a month.
So time matters. Every month the backlog sits, an error in it gets dearer.
The order we rebuild in
- Bank first. The statement is the one record nobody can argue with. Every month must agree to it.
- Sales next. Each receipt is matched to an invoice, and receipts with no invoice are listed.
- Purchases and expenses. Each payment is matched to a supplier invoice. Input VAT is only claimed where a valid tax invoice exists.
- VAT check. The rebuilt output and input tax are compared with what was filed.
- Opening balances. Agreed and signed off, so the monthly cycle starts from figures you trust.
A worked example
A services company comes to us nine months behind, with three VAT returns filed from its sales report.
The rebuild finds AED 120,000 of invoices raised in the quarter whose return was due on 28 April 2026 but left out of that return. Output VAT on them is AED 6,000.
If the voluntary disclosure goes in on 28 October 2026, six months have run. At 1% a month that is 6% of AED 6,000: AED 360. Had the FTA found it first through an audit, the fixed 15% alone would be AED 900, before the monthly part.
The tax itself must also be paid. If it is still unpaid 20 business days after the disclosure, late payment interest of 14% a year starts on top.
What to send us first
- Bank statements for every account, covering the whole backlog
- Whatever sales records exist: invoices, POS reports or a sales spreadsheet
- Supplier invoices you still have, in any order
- Copies of every VAT return filed in the period
- Login to the old software, if there is one
Missing pieces are normal. We start with what exists and send one list of what is still needed, rather than a stream of separate requests.
The mistake we see most
Filing the next return on estimates "to fix it later".
Later rarely comes, and each estimated return adds one more period to correct. Pause, rebuild the open quarter first, and file that one properly. Then work backwards.
How it works
- Tell us how far behindWhich months, which accounts, and what has been filed.
- Free reviewWe size the backlog and list the documents we need.
- Fixed quote and a dateOne price for the backlog, and a date for the rebuilt books.
- Rebuild, then monthlyOnce the backlog is clear we keep it clear, if you want us to.
Catch-Up Bookkeeping in Dubai — questions we get asked
How long does catch-up bookkeeping take?
It depends on the number of months, accounts and missing documents. After the free review we give you a committed date in writing, not an estimate.
What if invoices are missing?
We work from the bank statement and list every payment we cannot match. You can then request copies from suppliers. Input VAT is only claimed where a valid tax invoice exists.
Will catching up trigger a penalty?
Catching up the books does not. A penalty arises only if a filed return turns out to be wrong, and then the voluntary disclosure penalty is 1% a month on the tax difference.
Our previous accountant left nothing. Can you start from zero?
Yes. Bank statements and your sales records are enough to begin; the rest is rebuilt around them.
We used different software before. Is that a problem?
No. We can rebuild in your current system or move you to a better fit, and keep the old data exported for the retention period.
Do you also file the corrected returns?
Yes, including any voluntary disclosure, through our voluntary disclosure service.
Book your free compliance review
Fifteen minutes, no charge, and you leave with a written summary of where you stand whether or not you engage us.
