Questions Every Dubai Business Owner Should Be Asking Their Accountant

Most business owners in Dubai have an accountant. Far fewer are getting everything they could from that relationship. Often it's not because the accountant isn't capable. It's because nobody has ever asked the right questions.

A good accountant should welcome these conversations. If yours doesn't, that tells you something useful too.

Are my books up to date and accurate?

This sounds basic, but it's the foundation everything else builds on. Your financial statements, your VAT returns, your corporate tax filing — all of it depends on your books being correct.

You should be able to ask this question at any point in the year and get a clear, confident answer. If the response is vague, or the answer is that things will be sorted at year end, that's worth taking seriously.

Am I paying the right amount of VAT?

VAT errors are more common than most business owners realise, and they tend to be systematic. The same mistake repeated across every transaction for months before anyone catches it.

Ask your accountant to walk you through how your VAT is being calculated, what's being included and what's being excluded, and whether your input tax reclaims are being maximised. If they can't explain it clearly, that's a problem.

What is my corporate tax position?

Since the introduction of corporate tax in the UAE, every business owner should have a clear understanding of what they owe, when it's due, and whether their structure is as efficient as it could be.

If your accountant hasn't proactively discussed your corporate tax position with you, ask them directly. What is your estimated taxable income? Are there any adjustments being made? Are there any planning opportunities worth considering before the year end?

How is my cash flow looking over the next three months?

An accountant who only looks backwards isn't giving you everything you need. Cash flow forecasting, even a simple version, gives you visibility of what's coming and time to respond to it.

Ask your accountant what the next three months look like. If they can't answer without going away and spending significant time on it, that's a sign the forward-looking side of your financial management needs attention.

Am I compliant with everything I need to be compliant with?

This is a broader question and an important one. VAT registration, corporate tax registration, WPS compliance for payroll, audit requirements if you're in a free zone — there are multiple obligations running simultaneously for most businesses in Dubai.

Your accountant should be able to give you a confident yes on all of them, or flag clearly if something needs attention. If the answer is uncertain, that uncertainty is itself the answer.

What should I be doing differently?

This is the question most people never ask, and it's often the most valuable one.

A good accountant has seen a lot of businesses. They know what works and what doesn't. Asking them directly what they would change about how your business manages its finances often surfaces things that wouldn't otherwise come up in a standard conversation.

If the answer is nothing, push a little harder. There's almost always something.

Final thought

Your accountant works for you. The relationship should feel like that.

If any of these questions feel uncomfortable to ask, or you already know the answers won't be satisfying, that's useful information. The right accounting support makes your business better, not just compliant. It's worth making sure you're getting that.