January isn’t just a fresh start; it’s your control month. For SMEs in Trinidad & Tobago, the best 2026 outcomes will come from a simple reset: Compliance. Cashflow. Confidence. Here’s a crisp Moore TT roadmap for both start-ups and established businesses.
1) Compliance: lock in your monthly rhythm
Treat statutory payments like “non-negotiable bills” and build a repeatable system:
- Payroll taxes & Health Surcharge: reconcile deductions and submit your PAYE/Health Surcharge monthly return by the 15th of the following month.
- NIS: ensure contributions are paid by month-end (with a grace period up to the 15th of the next month).
- VAT (if registered): confirm your VAT category/period and prepare your return and payment by the 25th after the tax period ends.
- Plan ahead: January is also when employers should prepare for the PAYE Annual Return due by February 28. Be on the lookout for any amnesties.
- New NIS Rates – Effective 5 January 2026. Apply the new rates to deductions and remittances from January 2026. The first payment under the new rates is due by 15 February 2026.
- Landlord Business Surcharge – Effective January 2026. All landlords (individuals, companies, and agents) must register rental properties with the BIR by 31 March 2026 and pay a one-time $2,500 registration fee. Surcharge payments are due in 2026 on 30 April, 31 July, 31 October, and 31 January 2027 at 2.5%.
2) Cashflow: run a 13-week forecast
SMEs don’t fail from lack of sales; they fail from timing. Map inflows/outflows weekly, set minimum cash thresholds, and separate “tax cash” from operating cash.
3) Confidence: upgrade your business readiness
For start-ups: tighten pricing, invoicing, and collections.
For established SMEs: review margins, renegotiate supplier terms, and validate your 2026 growth plan (funding-ready financials included).
Moore TT helps SMEs reset fast with payroll & statutory compliance, VAT support, bookkeeping clean-ups, cashflow advisory, and business planning, and we can collaborate with business support agencies and networks to reach you where you already are and provide guidance to get you where you want to be. If you want January to feel clear, not chaotic, book a Moore TT SME Business Reset Clinic and start 2026 on solid ground. Send an email to [email protected] or give us a call at 226-1215.
