Half the year is already behind you — and if you’ve been deep in the day-to-day, it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture.
That’s why July is one of the most powerful pivot points in your business calendar.
At J2 Accounting, we help business owners take control of their finances, reduce stress, and make smarter decisions — and one of the simplest, most effective tools we recommend is the mid-year business review.
This isn’t about building complicated dashboards or overhauling your entire strategy.
It’s about taking one hour to pause, reflect, and reset — so the second half of your year feels intentional, not reactive.
Here are the four focus areas we guide clients through to help them finish the year with more clarity, control and confidence.
1. Run a Mid-Year Financial Health Check
Gut feeling has its place — but it’s not the same as visibility.
We encourage clients to start their review with a simple health check across the key numbers:
- Revenue: Are you on track to hit your sales target?
- Profit: Are margins holding steady?
- Expenses: Are there any creeping costs or unexpected overheads?
- Cash flow: Can you confidently forecast the next 3–6 months?
- Tax: Are you prepared for Corporation Tax, VAT, and other liabilities?
One of the benefits of working with J2 Accounting is that our clients already have clean, up-to-date reports. But even if you don’t, now is the perfect time to stop guessing and start reviewing.
💡 Tip: Don’t rely on your bank balance alone — it rarely tells the whole story.
2. Make the Most of Mid-Year Tax Planning
If you only think about tax in January, you’re leaving money on the table.
At J2 Accounting, we use July as a midpoint check-in to ensure clients are making the most of available reliefs and allowances — while there’s still time to act.
We typically look at:
- Salary vs. dividend mix: Can we tweak it for better tax efficiency?
- Pension contributions: Have you used your annual allowance?
- Director bonuses: Planning early avoids surprises later.
- Allowable expenses: Are you claiming things like mileage, use of home, and mobile phone costs?
- VAT timing: Are your quarters aligned with your cash flow?
💡 Tip: A small adjustment now can have a big impact on your January tax bill.
3. Revisit Your Goals from January
You likely set goals at the start of the year, but are they still relevant? Are you still working toward them… or just working?
A quick review can help you:
- Spot where things have gone off-track (and why)
- Adjust targets based on real-world performance
- Reconnect your actions with your bigger ambitions
We encourage clients to align financial reports with real business goals — like team growth, improved profit margins, or more time off. If those things aren’t happening, the numbers will tell you why.
💡 Tip: “Make more profit” is a goal. But “increase retained earnings by 20% while reducing admin hours” is a strategy.
4. Build a Clear Plan for the Second Half of the Year
The beauty of a mid-year review is that it gives you time to change course, not just reflect.
Here’s how we support J2 Accounting clients to plan ahead:
- Create updated forecasts and cash flow plans
- Adjust budgets to reflect what’s really happening
- Review and increase pricing if costs have risen
- Plan for big outgoings like tax, investment, or team changes
- Build in breathing space to reduce overwhelm
This isn’t about rigid spreadsheets or long to-do lists. It’s about making space to think clearly, act confidently, and grow sustainably.
💡 Tip: The second half of the year always moves fast. Your best chance to shape it is now.
Ready to Take Back Control of the Year?
If your finances feel messy, overwhelming, or reactive — you’re not alone.
At J2 Accounting, we work with business owners who want more than just bookkeeping. We help you understand your numbers, plan ahead, and build systems that give you peace of mind.
Whether you want to run a proper mid-year review, adjust your tax setup, or plan for the next growth phase — we’re here to help.
Want support? Let’s talk.
Send us a message to book a call — and we’ll show you what a calmer, more confident second half of the year could look like.