Every year, we receive similar calls:
A business owner contacts us because their accounting provider failed to submit the annual report or tax return on time.
The result?
➡️ penalties of up to €4,000.
Submitting annual reports and tax returns is a legal obligation supervised by AJPES and FURS.
Where problems usually occur
In practice, delays most often happen due to:
- late submission of documentation,
- lack of deadline tracking,
- poor communication between the company and the accountant,
- overloaded accounting providers.
Business owners often assume that “the accountant will handle everything” — but legally, this is not the case.
Who is responsible
Regardless of who manages the accounting, the legal responsibility for timely submission lies with the company or its director.
This means:
- the company receives the penalty,
- not the accounting provider,
- even if the mistake was not directly caused by the business owner.
➡️ Important: Responsibility cannot be transferred.
Why this happens
The most common reasons include:
- insufficient capacity of the accounting provider,
- lack of a structured deadline system,
- delayed communication,
- incomplete or late documentation.
In such situations, the business ultimately bears the risk.
What companies should check
Companies should regularly verify:
- whether deadlines are clearly monitored,
- whether the accounting provider proactively warns about obligations,
- whether there is a system ensuring timely submissions,
- whether financial data is up to date.
➡️ Practical advice: A reliable accounting partner does not react to deadlines — they anticipate them.
Conclusion
Missed deadlines are not just an administrative issue. They can lead to:
- financial penalties,
- increased audit risk,
- additional costs.
If it happens once, it’s a warning.
If it happens repeatedly, it’s a systemic problem.
CTA:
👉 If you are unsure whether your accounting is reliable, we can review your obligations and deadlines.