Changing accountants starts with three decisions: when the new provider takes over, which records must move, and who remains responsible for outstanding work. Agree those points before the first filing deadline arrives.
Can you change your accountant in Bulgaria during the year?
Yes. A Bulgarian company can change its accounting provider during the financial year. You do not have to wait until January. First check your existing service agreement for the notice period, termination procedure, outstanding fees and any separate terms for annual reporting. Agree a start date with the incoming accountant that respects those arrangements.
A month-end cut-off is often practical because it separates bookkeeping periods. However, a clear date alone is not enough: declarations for the final month are normally submitted after that month ends, and annual work may still be outstanding.
This guide is primarily for EOOD and OOD companies, including foreign-owned businesses. Freelancers can use the same approach, but their records and reporting requirements differ.
1. Agree the scope before giving notice
Tell the new accountant what the business does, where its customers are, whether it is VAT registered, how many documents it generates and whether it has employees. Include all bank and payment-provider accounts, currencies, shareholder transactions and any open correspondence with the authorities.
Ask for a written scope covering monthly bookkeeping, VAT and VIES where applicable, payroll, annual tax reporting, financial statements and publication support. Confirm how historical corrections and missing records will be priced. A fee for current monthly work should not be assumed to include rebuilding earlier periods.
For foreign owners, also agree the working language, how documents will be submitted and how tax-payment instructions will be communicated. See our accounting services in Sofia and across Bulgaria for the ongoing service scope.
2. Choose a cut-off date and allocate each filing
Write down the final accounting period handled by the outgoing provider and the first period handled by the incoming provider. Then name the person responsible for every declaration or report that crosses that boundary.
Example: your new accountant takes over from 1 November. The outgoing accountant completes October bookkeeping. Under the agreed handover, they also submit the October VAT return and applicable payroll declarations in November. The new accountant begins with November transactions, after receiving the October closing balances. This is an agreed division of work, not an automatic rule.
If access held by the outgoing accountant is needed for those final filings, coordinate its end date with the filing plan. Do not leave broad access in place indefinitely. Keep submission receipts and confirm that filings were accepted, rather than relying only on copies of prepared forms.
Decide separately who will prepare the annual corporate tax return, annual financial statements, statistical reporting and Commercial Register publication where applicable. The accountant handling December does not automatically inherit every annual task from the previous engagement.
3. Request a usable accounting handover
The following is a practical handover list, not a universal statutory document package. The exact records depend on your activity. Request accounting reports in readable form and structured exports where available; PDF statements alone may not provide enough detail to continue the books.
| Records to request | Why the incoming accountant needs them |
|---|---|
| Trial balance and general ledger up to the cut-off | Closing balances and the entries behind them; include the chart of accounts and relevant accounting policies. |
| Customer and supplier balances | Outstanding invoices, credit notes, prepayments and reconciliation details. |
| Bank, payment-provider and cash records | Statements and reconciliations for every account, including foreign-currency balances. |
| Source documents and contracts | Sales and purchase invoices, expense documents, leases, financing agreements and other supporting evidence. |
| Fixed assets and depreciation records | Acquisition values, disposals, accounting depreciation and tax depreciation where applicable. |
| Tax and VAT records | Submitted returns, VAT ledgers, applicable VIES returns, acceptance receipts, tax calculations and relevant correspondence. |
| Previous annual reporting | Financial statements, corporate tax returns, applicable statistical submissions and evidence of publication. |
| Owner and related-party transactions | Shareholder loans, remuneration, dividend decisions, expense reimbursements and supporting balances. |
| Payroll and employee records, if applicable | Year-to-date payroll, contracts and amendments, employment-record filings, leave balances and outstanding payroll matters. |
| Open issues and missing documents | Unresolved transactions, filing problems, inspections, audits, unpaid liabilities and work still in progress. |
Ask whether the current software can produce a database export or backup, as well as reports in Excel or CSV. Software licences and incompatible systems may limit what can be transferred. Agree a usable alternative rather than assuming the new accountant can open the old database.
Use a handover inventory showing the document, period covered, file format, delivery date and any outstanding items. The incoming accountant should confirm receipt and flag gaps. Preserve the company’s archive; a change of provider does not restart document-retention periods.
4. Arrange authorisations and secure access
The new accountant needs the appropriate authority to act for the business. Confirm the required powers of attorney and access to the National Revenue Agency electronic services. The NRA’s guidance distinguishes between access types and authorisation requirements, so the procedure depends on the services needed.
Ending the accounting contract should not be treated as proof that electronic access has ended. Review the previous provider’s authorisations and arrange their withdrawal when their agreed work is complete. Update the email address used for official correspondence so notices continue to reach the business.
Review access to payroll systems, document folders and any banking permissions separately. Use named accounts and secure file sharing. Do not transfer an accountant’s personal electronic-signature credentials or share the owner’s password as a substitute for proper authorisation.
5. Check opening balances before the first reporting cycle
A received trial balance is the starting point for a review. The new accountant should check that bank and payment-provider balances reconcile, unpaid customer and supplier items are supported, tax balances are understood and shareholder transactions have a documented basis.
For a VAT-registered company, reconcile the accounting records with the latest submitted VAT information and identify outstanding adjustments. For employers, reconcile payroll balances, contributions, tax and employee leave records. Payroll transfer should be planned alongside bookkeeping; see our payroll services in Bulgaria.
Agree the extent of this opening review. A handover check is not an audit or a guarantee that every historical error will be discovered. If a problem emerges, document it, assess any correction needed and agree who will handle it.
What if the previous accountant is slow to deliver records?
Send a specific written request with the periods, documents, formats and proposed delivery date. Refer to the service agreement and retain the correspondence. Keep any fee dispute separate from the immediate plan for upcoming filings.
Give the incoming accountant the records already available to the company and flag what is missing. Copies retrieved from authority portals can help establish what was submitted, but they do not replace the general ledger or the supporting documents.
Do not assume a filing can be completed accurately from incomplete data. If essential records remain unavailable, seek advice on the contractual position and agree the immediate reporting response. Never share employee or financial records through an unsecured public link.
Owner’s checklist before the change is complete
- Existing notice and termination terms checked.
- Incoming service scope, fee and start date confirmed in writing.
- Final and first bookkeeping periods agreed.
- Responsibility assigned for each pending monthly filing.
- Annual reporting and publication responsibilities confirmed separately.
- Handover inventory received, with missing items identified.
- New authorisations established and previous access reviewed.
- Official correspondence directed to a monitored address.
- Opening balances reviewed to the agreed extent.
- Monthly document deadline and payment-approval process agreed.
FAQ
Do I need to wait until the end of the year?
No. You can change during the year, subject to your contractual arrangements. A month-end handover is often easier to organise, provided pending filings and annual work are assigned.
Will changing accountants affect my VAT registration?
Changing the accounting provider does not, by itself, change the company’s VAT registration. Reporting obligations continue. Agree who handles the transition-period returns and maintain the necessary filing access.
Who is responsible for the annual accounts?
Confirm this in writing. The outgoing provider may retain agreed annual work, or the incoming provider may take it on after receiving adequate records. Outsourcing does not remove management’s responsibilities under Bulgarian accounting law.
Can the new accountant correct earlier mistakes?
Potentially, after reviewing the records and the relevant correction procedure. Historical work should have a separate agreed scope, timetable and fee; it is not automatically part of the monthly service.
Can a foreign owner organise the handover remotely?
Document exchange and coordination can usually be handled remotely. Authorisation formalities depend on the required access and the owner’s signing arrangements. Confirm those before the first deadline.
How long does an accounting handover take?
There is no single timetable. A small business with complete records can be easier to transfer than a company with payroll, multiple accounts or unresolved reporting. Request a realistic schedule after the new provider reviews the available information.
Planning to move your accounting to SofiaTax?
Send your business activity, VAT status, employee count, approximate monthly document volume and preferred start date to info@sofiatax.com. Mention your current notice period and any known missing records or pending filings. We will review the proposed transition and define the accounting and payroll work to be covered.
Explore our accounting services or payroll support before requesting an offer.
This guide provides general information. Contract terms, reporting obligations and correction procedures depend on the business and the facts of the handover.