Kenya tax, payroll and business guides

Plain-English articles on Kenyan taxes, payroll and compliance.

• 17 Oct 2026 Year-end tax planning checklist for small businesses in KenyaWhat to do in the last two months of your financial year: stock counts, bad debts, asset purchases, payroll checks and instalment tax, to avoid surprises.
• 17 Oct 2026 Setting up simple accounting in Excel: from cashbook to trial balanceYou do not need expensive software to keep proper books. Here is a simple Excel system, in four steps, that takes a small business from a cashbook to a trial balance and a profit figure.
• 16 Oct 2026 How to write a business plan that banks and investors take seriouslyThe sections that matter, how to build realistic financial projections, what lenders in Kenya look for and the templates that make it faster.
• 15 Oct 2026 Employer obligations checklist: PAYE, NSSF, SHIF and the housing levyEvery statutory payment a Kenyan employer must make each month, when each is due, what rates apply and how to prove compliance.
• 14 Oct 2026 How to close or deregister a business in Kenya: tax, staff and registry stepsThe steps to wind down a sole proprietorship or company: final tax returns, cancelling KRA obligations, paying staff, closing accounts and keeping records.
• 10 Oct 2026 Hiring your first employee in Kenya: contracts, tax and statutory deductionsWhat to do before and after hiring your first employee: the contract, KRA and NSSF registration, PAYE, SHIF, the Housing Levy and records.
• 10 Oct 2026 What to expect in a KRA audit and how to prepareThe kinds of tax audit KRA runs, what triggers one, how to prepare your records, your rights and what to do if you disagree with the result.
• 10 Oct 2026 Sole trader or limited company: which is right for your business?How a sole proprietorship and a limited company differ in tax, liability, cost and paperwork, with a worked example of the tax on the same profit.
• 10 Oct 2026 Separating business and personal money: why it matters and how to do itWhy mixing money causes tax, loan and legal problems, and a simple system of accounts, owner's pay and records to keep them apart.
• 10 Oct 2026 Starting a business in Kenya: registration and tax stepsThe order of steps to register a business, get a KRA PIN, choose your taxes, get a county permit and set up records and payroll from the start.
• 10 Oct 2026 Inventory management basics for small shops and tradersHow to count stock, set reorder points, avoid running out or overstocking and value your stock for the accounts and for tax.
• 10 Oct 2026 Invoicing and getting paid on time: a practical routineHow to write an invoice that gets paid, set payment terms, follow up politely and keep your cash flow healthy, with eTIMS and VAT in mind.