First year with an accountant: what they do and how much it costs

Quick answer. During your first year in business, your chartered accountant (expert-comptable) supports four major phases: (1) choosing and setting up your legal structure (SARL, SAS, sole trader, etc.), helping with incorporation formalities at the INPI single-window portal; (2) establishing your accounting infrastructure (software, chart of accounts, tracking system); (3) monthly monitoring of entries and cash flow; (4) preparing year-end financial statements (balance sheet, income statement) and tax schedules. Fees typically combine a one-time incorporation setup fee (€500–€2,000) plus a monthly subscription (€150–€500 based on revenue and complexity). This upfront investment prevents costly errors and secures your decisions.

Creating a business involves a series of legal, tax and accounting decisions. Each choice — legal status, tax regime, incorporation location, record-keeping approach — affects your cash flow and your decade-long compliance obligations. An error corrected later can cost far more than the setup fee.

Since France's unified INPI portal reform (January 2023), incorporation procedures are centralized and digitized. Yet this simplification does not remove the need to know what to register and how to structure your books from day one. That is exactly where your accountant steps in during this critical first year.

In 2026, TPE and SME directors observe that engaging an accountant from incorporation reduces future tax audits and simplifies bank lending or investment rounds.

1. Choosing and setting up your legal structure#

Before incorporating, you must decide: sole trader, EIRL, SARL, SAS, or SASU? The choice depends on:

• Your business activity (trade, service, freelance, mixed).
• Anticipated turnover (VAT exemption thresholds, micro-entity rules).
• Your personal situation and asset-protection needs.
• Your growth plans and whether you have co-founders.

What your accountant does:

1. Analyzes your profile and objectives.
2. Models the tax and social impact of each option (corporate tax vs income tax, employee vs self-employed contributions).
3. Recommends the most tax-efficient structure.
4. Prepares legal documents (articles, bylaws, authorization forms).
5. Guides or handles INPI single-window registration.
6. Secures your SIRET registration number and VAT ID if applicable.

2. Setting up accounting infrastructure#

Once your structure is chosen, your accountant establishes your accounting foundation.

Key steps:

1. Select accounting software: MyUnisoft, Pennylane, Sage, etc. Your accountant recommends tools matched to your industry and transaction volume.

2. Configure your accounting file: customer/supplier codes, chart of accounts, analytical tags, fiscal period settings.

3. Training and handover: your accountant or their team explain how to record invoices, log payments, reconcile cash. Many run a short kickoff workshop.

4. Establish a routine: how often you'll submit documents, processing turnaround time, review frequency (monthly closes, annual balance sheet). A letter of engagement formalizes this scope.

5. Ad hoc support: invoice compliance (mandatory fields), payroll if you hire staff, monthly or quarterly social filings.

3. Monthly bookkeeping and cash management#

Each month you submit your documents (client invoices, supplier invoices, bank statements, payroll if applicable). Your accountant:

• Records all accounting entries.
• Runs control checks (no duplicates, cash reconciliation, cost allocation).
• Provides a cash-position summary (current balance, outstanding receivables, payables due).
• Alerts to anomalies (unexplained gaps, missing documents, data integrity issues).

Frequency: usually monthly, sometimes bi-weekly for high volumes or quarterly for very light activity.

4. Year-end closing and tax filings#

At the close of your first fiscal year (typically 31 December, unless you chose otherwise), your accountant:

1. Closes the books: balances all accounts, posts year-end adjustments (provisions, depreciation, inventory write-downs).

2. Prepares financial statements: balance sheet and income statement summarizing your activity.

3. Prepares tax schedules: corporate tax return (or income tax schedules), VAT return, supplementary filings if needed.

4. Advises you: interprets results, forecasts your tax bill, recommends next steps (provisions, dividend planning, reinvestment).

5. Files legally: if your structure requires it (SARL, SAS, SASU), your accountant deposits year-end accounts at the commercial court (tribunal de commerce) within statutory deadlines. This formalizes your lawful operation.

Timeline for a typical first fiscal year (1 January – 31 December 2026):

Accountant fees in France are unregulated and vary by region, industry, transaction volume and complexity. Below are indicative ranges based on 2026 Paris market rates.

One-time incorporation fee#

This covers: legal structure analysis, tax scenario modeling, statute preparation, INPI filing, SIRET issuance, accounting file setup.

• Solo micro-business, EIRL : €400–€800
• SARL, SAS, SASU (solo) : €800–€1,500
• Multi-shareholder structure with complex clauses : €1,500–€2,500

Monthly accounting subscription#

Typically based on anticipated turnover and complexity (invoice volume, employees, multi-sector activity, regulated sector).

Example: a services SARL with €250,000 turnover and 2 employees typically pays €800 (setup) + 12 × €350 (subscription) ≈ €5,000 ex-VAT for the full first year.

Optional add-ons (negotiable)#

• Fundraising support: custom quote.
• External audit or review: €1,000–€3,000 depending on size.
• Investment-round assistance: flat fee or % of capital raised.
• Tax audit/compliance review: annual assessment of filing adherence.
• Payroll and HR: often billed separately, typically €25+ per payslip/month.

Micro-business / Solo trader#

Simplified record-keeping (not full bookkeeping), but you must maintain a register of sales and purchases. An accountant simplifies this and optimizes your income-tax reporting (micro regime benefits).

SARL or SAS with employees#

Complexity rises: monthly payroll, social filings, employer contribution accruals. Professional accounting is near-essential to avoid URSSAF (social security) audits.

Regulated sectors (hospitality, construction, freelance, fintech)#

Specific accounting rules apply (depreciation, provisions, sector-specific norms). A specialized accountant is invaluable.

1. Insist on a written engagement letter#

Formalize exactly what services are in scope (bookkeeping, filings, payroll), at what cost, with what turnaround. This prevents misunderstandings and surprises.

2. Explore available grants and subsidies#

Some programs (Nacre, Adie, France Travail) offer startup grants or co-fund professional support. Research before finalizing your budget.

3. Choose an accessible accountant#

An accountant far away or unresponsive slows your setup. Prefer a local or responsive team (typical processing < 15 days).

4. Prepare for your first close#

Year-end closure often surprises founders: "Why doesn't my balance sheet match my bank balance?" Discuss accounting principles (accruals, depreciation, receivables) with your accountant from the start.

5. Budget for VAT from day one#

If you exceed €85,000 (services) or €170,000 (trade) turnover, or opt for VAT on all sales, VAT owing and recoverable VAT complicate cash flow. Reserve funds accordingly.

Recently, an HR consultant founding her practice contacted us in January 2026, three weeks after incorporation. She had chosen a SASU and selected a low-cost online accountant, then received a €12,000 bill six months later — double her expectation. Inspection revealed that setup, monthly fees, an audit, and a tax review had all been charged without advance clarity.

Lesson: your first year deserves a real investment, but also complete transparency upfront. At Hayot Expertise, we draw up a detailed, priced engagement letter and always optimize structure before registration. A three-hour strategy session in January can save €5,000 by July.

Hayot Expertise advice. As soon as you seriously contemplate incorporation, ask yourself three questions: (1) Which legal structure minimizes my tax and contributions? (2) Am I eligible for startup grants? (3) Who manages my books from day one? For the first two, a startup-focused accountant repays itself immediately. For the third, demand a written engagement letter before committing. We offer a free initial consultation to validate your structure and quote fees upfront, no obligation. Reach out to us or explore our dedicated startup accounting service.