Running a beauty, hair or aesthetics business means spinning a lot of plates — clients, staff, treatments, stock, social media and growth plans.
Tax planning often ends up at the bottom of the list… until a bill arrives.
But there is one meeting that can completely change how your business feels financially — and most beauty business owners don’t even know it exists.
That meeting is your Month-9 Tax Planning Meeting.
🌟 What Is Month-9?
Month-9 is the ninth month of your company’s financial year.
By this point:
- Around 75% of the year has already happened
- Your income and costs show clear patterns
- Your profit position is no longer guesswork
- There is still time to make changes before year-end
It’s the perfect moment to step back and ask:
“Where is my business really heading — and what can I still influence?”
💄 Why Month-9 Is Critical for Beauty, Hair & Aesthetics Businesses
The beauty industry grows fast — and that growth brings complexity.
Month-9 matters because this is when we can clearly see:
✔ how profitable your treatments actually are
✔ whether your VAT position is correct
✔ what your Corporation Tax bill is likely to be
✔ if your salary and dividends are structured efficiently
✔ whether cashflow will be tight later in the year
By the time year-end arrives, these decisions are locked in. Month-9 is where you still have control.
📊 What Happens in a Month-9 Tax Planning Meeting?
This is not a box-ticking exercise.
It’s a strategic conversation about your business.
At Accounting Matters, a Month-9 meeting typically covers:
1️⃣ Your year-to-date profits
We review how your business has actually performed so far — not just what the bank balance shows.
2️⃣ Your projected tax position
You’ll get a clear estimate of:
- Corporation Tax
- VAT liabilities
- how much cash should be set aside
No more surprises.
3️⃣ Salary & dividend planning
We review whether you’re paying yourself in the most tax-efficient way — and whether adjustments before year-end could save tax.
4️⃣ Opportunities to reduce tax legally
This might include:
- timing equipment or machine purchases
- training and professional development
- pension contributions
- stock purchasing strategies
- reviewing director loan accounts
These opportunities only exist before the year ends.
5️⃣ VAT review for treatments & retail
Beauty and aesthetics VAT is complex.
Month-9 is the time to spot errors and fix them before they become HMRC issues.
6️⃣ Cashflow planning
We look ahead to quieter periods, busy seasons, payroll increases and supplier costs — so you can plan with confidence.
🚨 What Happens If You Skip Month-9?
Without a Month-9 review, many beauty businesses experience:
❌ unexpected tax bills
❌ cashflow panic near year-end
❌ missed tax-saving opportunities
❌ incorrect VAT treatment
❌ stress and uncertainty
Most of these issues aren’t caused by poor performance — they’re caused by poor timing.
💜 How Accounting Matters Supports Beauty Businesses at Month-9
At Accounting Matters, we believe tax planning should be proactive, not reactive.
That’s why Month-9 meetings are a core part of how we support growing beauty, hair and aesthetics businesses.
We help you:
✔ understand your numbers clearly
✔ plan for tax before it’s too late
✔ avoid nasty surprises
✔ make confident business decisions
✔ feel in control of your finances
✨ Final Thought
Year-end accounts tell you what’s already happened.
Month-9 planning gives you the power to shape what happens next.
If you’re running a beauty, hair or aesthetics business and you’ve never had a Month-9 Tax Planning Meeting, you’re missing the most valuable financial conversation of the year.
If you’d like to book your Month-9 review or simply find out more, the team at Accounting Matters would be happy to help.