Top 10 charity accounting mistakes – and how to avoid them

Charity accounting is complex. Many charities - particularly smaller ones - still get the basics wrong.

Between evolving regulations, unique governance structures and the quirks of SORP, even experienced accountancy professionals can stumble.

At TaxCalc, we’ve reviewed hundreds of charity accounts and seen the same mistakes crop up time and again.

Many of these issues stem from charities preparing accounts manually in Word or Excel, where errors are easy to make and hard to catch. Here’s a rundown of the most common pitfalls - and how you can avoid them.

Engager and TaxCalc: integration, updates and roadmap revealed

Earlier this year, TaxCalc and Engager announced an exciting new partnership that will bring the two popular accountancy solutions together, making them even more powerful and efficient for customers.

Since TaxCalc’s significant investment in Engager, the teams have been working hard on building a deep integration between the two solutions.

Andy Wainwright, founder of Engager, the highly regarded cloud-based Practice Management software has long been a dedicated user and vocal supporter of TaxCalc, crediting it as a key contributor to the success of his own accountancy firm.

This month, we sat down with Andy to discuss the latest developments, plans, and how the integration is shaping up.

Ellis Atkins joins the TaxCalc family

We’re delighted to welcome Ellis Atkins Chartered Accountants based in Dorking, Surrey, to the TaxCalc family. The firm joined in February 2025, after switching from IRIS. 

Founded in 1977, Ellis Atkins has a proud heritage. While the original namesake partners have long since retired, the strong foundation they built lives on. Thanks to a dedicated and long-standing team, the firm remains well regarded in the Dorking community, known for its long-established client relationships and a reputation built largely on word-of-mouth recommendations. 

Private equity in accountancy: what does it mean for owners, partners, staff, and clients?

There’s been an explosion in Private Equity (PE) firms investing in accountancy practices over the last two years. 

And interest appears to remain high, judging by reports in the media, and industry research.  

According to a paper by Accountancy Europe, PE activity in the accountancy sector across Europe surged from 10 to 20 deals a year pre-2022 to about 200 in 2024. And the country leading the way? the UK – with 40% of the deals within that total being British firms. 

Indeed, a recent TaxCalc survey suggested 62% of firms had been approached by PE investors.