Annual accounts: three distinct steps

01 / Preparation

Financial statement preparation brings the records for a reporting period into a structured set of accounts. The state of the bookkeeping and supporting documents affects what needs to be done. Start with the entity, the year-end and which records are already available.

02 / Audit, where required

An audit examines financial statements and supporting evidence. It is separate from preparing or filing the statements. Where Lotus facilitates a statutory audit or assurance engagement, it is undertaken by an independent affiliated auditor, not by Lotus Consultancy Limited. The auditor separately considers acceptance, professional independence and applicable requirements.

03 / Filing with the Registry

Accounts that have been prepared are not necessarily accounts that have been filed. Submission to the Malta Business Registry is a separate step, using the applicable process, including BAROS. The MBR notice reviewed on 17 October 2026 identifies 12 December 2026 for annual accounts of companies with a 31 December 2025 financial year-end. This is a period-specific notice, not a universal deadline for every company.

An annual return and beneficial ownership reporting are separate from the financial statements. The July 2026 MBR guidance introduces BO4 in specified circumstances; it is not a declaration every company must automatically submit. Ownership and control arrangements need to be checked.

1. Confirm the financial year-end, company anniversary and each applicable obligation separately.
2. Reconcile the records and identify missing schedules.
3. Establish any independent audit or review requirement; assess exemption separately.
4. Check annual accounts, annual return and beneficial ownership requirements for the entity and period.
5. Confirm tax, VAT and payroll obligations separately, including payment as well as filing.
6. Agree responsibility for each submission and retain acceptance or receipt.