Quick facts
| What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| SARAS register | A publicly verifiable sign the firm sits in the supervised field |
| Liability insurance | Who pays when an error costs money |
| Scope of service | Filing returns is the floor, not the full set |
| Who owns the deadline | Responsibility for a missed filing belongs in the contract |
| Working language | Source documents and tax correspondence run in Georgian |
| Understanding your regime | Small Business, VAT, and the Estonian model work differently |
First: the SARAS register
Georgia has a Service for Accounting, Reporting and Auditing Supervision, known as SARAS. It maintains a register of accounting and audit firms.
A provider's presence in that register is the fastest objective filter available. It does not guarantee the quality of the work, but it means the firm operates in a regulated field rather than as an individual with no supervisory tie at all. It can be checked publicly.
Ask separately about professional liability insurance. The question is simple: if a bookkeeping error triggers penalties and interest, whose money closes that. The answer belongs in the contract, not in a verbal assurance.
Second: what the service actually contains
The phrase "we handle your accounting" means nothing on its own. Ask for it itemised. Full outsourcing usually covers:
- bookkeeping in dedicated software
- processing source documents
- filing tax returns
- filing financial statements
- filing statistical data
- preparing bank transfers
- consultations
An extended package adds documents that small business owners often produce themselves: handover acts, contracts, invoices. And management reporting: profit and loss, cash flow, balance sheet.
The gap between those two sets is the gap between "we will not be fined" and "we understand what is happening to the money".
Third: who owns the deadline
This is the item that gets clarified in March, when it is already too late.
The core reporting rhythm in Georgia is monthly: by the 15th, returns go in for IE turnover, LLC profit tax, VAT, and payroll alike. Once a year, the personal income declaration falls due by 1 April and financial statements by 1 October. A full breakdown of who files what is collected in the article on reporting obligations.
Questions to put to a provider before signing:
- who tracks the deadlines, you or us
- what happens if a deadline is missed through the accountant's fault
- at what point do you chase us for documents
- what counts as our failure to supply documents
"We will handle it on time" is not an answer. A clause is an answer.
Fourth: language and dealing with the tax office
Source documents, the personal cabinet on the tax portal, and correspondence with the authority all run in Georgian. Even if you communicate with your accountant comfortably in English, the work with the state happens in the state language.
The practical test: can the provider close a tax office query on their own, or will every letter be forwarded to you to figure out.
Fifth: do they understand your specific regime
Georgian tax regimes are built differently, and an accountant used to one will not automatically handle another.
- Small Business status means 1% of turnover, monthly reporting, and income recognised when the money actually arrives.
- The standard regime for an individual entrepreneur means income minus expenses and an annual declaration.
- An LLC runs on the Estonian model: tax arises on distribution of profit, not on earning it. How that works is covered in the article on profit tax.
- VAT adds a separate monthly cycle once the turnover threshold is crossed.
A useful screening question: ask them to explain at what moment tax arises for your specific structure. A generic answer is a bad sign.
Red flags
Promising to "optimise" your taxes before seeing the structure. Savings cannot be promised without knowing the business.
Refusing to put deadline responsibility in writing.
A price well below market for the same scope. Usually it means part of the work is not being done, and that surfaces at the first audit.
No answer on separate accounting if you run a mixed model, for instance part of the revenue inside Georgia and part outside.
Is hiring an accountant mandatory in Georgia?
No, the law does not require it, and returns can be filed independently through the tax service portal. But with monthly reporting, VAT registration, or employees on payroll, doing it yourself becomes risky on deadlines.
What is the SARAS register?
A register of accounting and audit firms maintained by the Service for Accounting, Reporting and Auditing Supervision. A provider's presence in it is a publicly verifiable sign that they operate in a regulated field.
Who is liable if the accountant misses a filing deadline?
Before the tax authority, the taxpayer is liable. Compensation from the provider is possible only where the contract says so, which is why the deadline responsibility question belongs before signing.
Do I need an accountant if turnover is zero?
Returns are filed even with zero turnover. The workload is minimal, but skipping the filing still triggers penalties.
How does outsourcing compare to an in-house accountant?
Outsourcing is usually cheaper for a small business and gives access to a team rather than one person. An in-house accountant makes sense with heavy document flow and a need for constant presence.
What language is the bookkeeping done in?
Source documents and dealings with the tax service run in Georgian, regardless of the language you use with your provider.