Control the Controllables in 2026

Cashflow: Look forward, not just at the bank balance 

Most business owners know their current bank balance. Fewer have real confidence in what the next three to six months will look like.

Cashflow problems rarely arrive without warning. They build quietly through late-paying customers, rising overheads, increasing tax liabilities and optimistic assumptions about future income.

If cashflow is going to stay under control in 2026, it needs to be treated as a forward-looking discipline, not a retrospective check.

Practical steps to take now:

1. Prepare a rolling cashflow forecast that looks at least three months ahead, ideally six
2. Separate one-off receipts from recurring income so forecasts are realistic
3. Factor in VAT, PAYE and Corporation Tax as real cash outflows, not accounting entries
4. Review debtor days and challenge slow payment patterns early
5. Good cashflow visibility gives you options. Poor visibility forces rushed decisions

How we help: At A4G, we help clients build practical, usable cashflow forecasts (you can download one for free here) that support real decision-making, not spreadsheets that sit unused.

Systems: Reduce reliance on memory and firefighting 

When systems are stretched, businesses rely on people remembering things, fixing issues manually, or stepping in at the last minute. That approach works until it doesn’t.

In 2026, systems matter more because:

• Reporting requirements are increasing
• Decisions need to be made faster
• Owners are under pressure to do less operational firefighting
• Good systems are not about complexity. They are about consistency

Practical steps to take now:

1. Review how bookkeeping data is captured and how often it is reviewed
2. Reduce duplicate processes and manual re-keying
3. Ensure information flows cleanly from operations into financial reporting
4. Use cloud software that integrates properly rather than creating workarounds

Systems should make the right behaviour easier, not harder.

How we help: We work with clients to streamline finance systems so information is timely, accurate and genuinely useful, particularly where Making Tax Digital will apply.

Pricing and margins: Check that today’s prices still work 

Many businesses carry pricing decisions forward without revisiting them. Costs rise gradually. Margins erode quietly.

By the time profitability becomes an issue, fixing it often requires uncomfortable changes.

2026 is not the year to assume that last year’s pricing still works.

Practical steps to take now:

1. Review gross margins by product, service or client
2. Identify where costs have increased without corresponding price adjustments
3. Separate emotional pricing decisions from commercial reality
4. Build pricing reviews into regular management discussions

Strong margins create resilience. Weak margins remove flexibility.

How we help: Our advisers help clients analyse margins properly and make confident pricing decisions supported by real data.

Tax Planning: Decide early while you have options

Tax planning works best when it happens early in the year. Waiting until deadlines approach limits options and increases stress.

In a year where costs are under pressure, tax efficiency can make a meaningful difference to cashflow and long-term value.

Practical steps to take now:

1. Understand your expected tax liabilities early rather than estimating late
2. Review remuneration strategies for directors and shareholders
3. Consider timing of profits, investments and reliefs
4. Separate tax money from operational cash to avoid surprises

Tax should support business decisions, not distort them.

How we help: A4G provides proactive tax planning advice tailored to your business, helping you make informed decisions before deadlines dictate outcomes.

Making Tax Digital: A structural change, not just compliance

Making Tax Digital sits behind many of the changes businesses are facing in 2026.

For those affected, it is not simply a reporting obligation. It requires better systems, cleaner data and clearer separation between different types of income and activity.

Businesses that struggle with MTD are usually not struggling with the rules themselves. They are struggling with structure.

Early actions that make MTD easier:

• Ensure bookkeeping is up to date and reviewed regularly
• Separate different income streams clearly
• Use compatible software that suits how your business actually operates
• Avoid last-minute transitions

Handled well, MTD can improve visibility and control. Left late, it becomes a source of stress.

How we help: We support clients through MTD readiness, software selection, implementation and ongoing compliance, making sure it fits the wider business rather than sitting in isolation.