Business Tax and Accounting Obligations Calendar: What Must Be Done Each Month

Why You Need an Obligations Calendar

A missed obligation usually does more than incur a fine: it creates a chain of consequences, including discrepancies in AADE cross-checks, delays in VAT refunds and a higher audit risk. An organised calendar turns deadlines from a surprise into a planned process. Your business does not need to remember each one individually, provided it has a consistent system to monitor them.

Every Month: Recurring Obligations

The following obligations recur monthly and form the backbone of every business calendar:

• VAT return: submitted by the last working day of the month following the tax period. Businesses keeping double-entry books submit monthly returns. For example, the July 2026 VAT return for a business with double-entry books is due by 31 August 2026.
• Transmission of documents to myDATA: takes place continuously, and income and expense classifications must be complete before the VAT return is submitted.
• Payroll: submission of the Analytical Periodic Declaration (APD) and payment of employer contributions to e-EFKA for the previous month, usually by the end of the following month.
• Withholding of salary tax: remittance of tax withheld from employees’ earnings within the prescribed deadlines.
• ERGANI updates: recording every staff change, including hiring, contract termination and changes to working hours, within the deadlines set by law.
• e-EFKA contributions for owners and the self-employed: paid monthly.
• VIES recapitulative statement: for periods with intra-Community supplies, within the prescribed deadline of the following month.

Every Quarter: Businesses with Quarterly VAT Returns

Businesses keeping single-entry books usually submit quarterly VAT returns. The rule is the same: by the last working day of the month following the quarter.

• First quarter (January–March): by the end of April
• Second quarter (April–June): by the end of July
• Third quarter (July–September): by the end of October
• Fourth quarter (October–December): by the end of January

At the end of each quarter, a brief review of liquidity and expected tax is also worthwhile, so the business is not caught unprepared by a large liability.

Annual Obligations Throughout the Year

In addition to monthly and quarterly obligations, every business has annual obligations with specific timing:

Before December, see the guide to year-end tax planning 2026.

• March: the platform opens for annual income tax returns, with discounts for early submission and lump-sum payment
• Late April: declaration electing or revoking a quarterly or monthly VAT period, for businesses that have this option
• July: the deadline for income tax returns (E1 and E3 for individuals, corporate returns for companies), with a possible extension announced by AADE; in 2026 the deadline was extended to 24 July
• After assessment: payment of tax and advance tax in instalments according to the assessment schedule
• At financial year-end: preparation of annual financial statements and, for capital companies, their publication in GEMI
• Late December: payment of the Christmas bonus by 21 December, inventory stocktaking and a review of fixed-asset depreciation
• Before Easter: payment of the Easter bonus, and before leave, payment of the holiday allowance

An Example: What an IKE with Three Employees Must Do in August 2026

Assume an IKE with double-entry books and three employees. For August 2026, its calendar includes:

• By 31 August: submission of the July VAT return, after checking document classifications in myDATA
• By the end of the month: July payroll APD and payment of employer contributions to e-EFKA
• Within the prescribed deadlines: remittance of tax withheld from July earnings
• If goods were sold to businesses in another EU country: a VIES recapitulative statement
• If an employee was hired or left: the corresponding ERGANI update

If the same business were a sole trader with single-entry books and quarterly VAT returns, July VAT would not be submitted in August, but together with VAT for the other months of the July–September quarter, by the end of October. Correctly identifying the bookkeeping category and return period is the first step towards a correct calendar.

5 Tips to Avoid Missing Deadlines

1. Enter recurring monthly deadlines in a calendar with a reminder at least five working days in advance.
2. Complete myDATA classifications in good time, because incomplete records delay the VAT return.
3. At the start of each year, check whether your business has a monthly or quarterly VAT period and whether an election declaration is required.
4. Monitor AADE announcements for extensions, particularly during the income tax filing season.
5. Assign calendar monitoring to one specific person or your accountant, so there is a clearly responsible person for each deadline.