🇮🇳India Tax Guide

End of Financial Year Checklist - India

The end of your financial year is a critical time for every business. Whether your year ends on 30 June (Australia, New Zealand), 5 April (UK tax year), 31 March (India, some NZ businesses) or 31 December (US, Canada, many others), the same preparation applies. A thorough end-of-year process ensures accurate tax returns, clean financial statements and a solid foundation for the year ahead.

Step-by-Step Process

1

Reconcile all bank accounts and credit cards

2

Send final invoices and follow up on outstanding receivables

3

Record all payables and accrued expenses

4

Review and write off any bad debts

5

Complete a stocktake if you hold inventory

6

Review and process depreciation on all fixed assets

7

Reconcile payroll, super/pension and tax withholding records

8

Review prepaid expenses and adjust as needed

9

Back up all financial records and data

10

Prepare financial statements - P&L, balance sheet, cash flow

11

Review tax position and plan any last-minute deductions

12

Engage your accountant for tax return preparation

India Compliance with GST Council

Businesses in India operating under the GST system must meet these compliance requirements set by GST Council:

Multi-rate GST tracking (5%, 12%, 18%, 28%)
CGST, SGST and IGST auto-categorisation
GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B preparation support
Input Tax Credit (ITC) reconciliation
TDS tracking and compliance
E-invoicing support

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Starting end-of-year preparation too late

Not reconciling all accounts before closing the year

Forgetting to process depreciation entries

Not writing off bad debts before year-end

Missing opportunities for pre-payments that could bring forward deductions

Not backing up financial records before year-end adjustments

How SortBooks Automates This for India Businesses

SortBooks connects to your Xero account and handles GST compliance automatically. Every transaction is categorised with the correct tax treatment, bank feeds are reconciled in real-time and your GST Council-ready reports are always up to date. No more last-minute scrambles or manual data entry.

Automated Categorisation

Every transaction gets the correct GST code automatically - 97%+ accuracy from day one.

GST Council-Ready Reports

Generate compliant reports for GST Council at any time - no reconciliation needed.

Deadline Reminders

Never miss a filing deadline. SortBooks tracks your obligations and reminds you in advance.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the financial year end in my country?

Australia and New Zealand: 30 June (some NZ businesses use 31 March). UK tax year: 5 April (many businesses use 31 March or 31 December). US and Canada: typically 31 December for calendar-year businesses. India: 31 March. Your business may use a different year-end if approved.

How far in advance should I start EOFY preparation?

Ideally, start 4-6 weeks before year-end. This gives you time to chase outstanding invoices, process depreciation, review your tax position and make any last-minute adjustments. With SortBooks, much of this preparation happens automatically throughout the year.

How does SortBooks help with EOFY?

SortBooks keeps your books clean year-round, so EOFY is not a scramble. Bank accounts are reconciled in real-time, transactions are categorised correctly and your financial statements are always current. Your accountant receives clean, audit-ready data.

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