Like OP, I do everything myself through ROS during the year, and my accountant checks all & then calculates & completes the year-end reports. However, he doesn't sign anything, and his TAIN number isn't on anything. And he told me only the directors sign the year-end reports, which is fair enough. So, imo there is no legal requirement for a signoff.
But what do others think, should I insist on a physical sign-off ? I suppose having an invoice from him will prove that he did them ?
OP - I'd pay an accountant for 1 more year to go through all the B1s, Form 11, CT1 etc. and then if you're confident go the diy route.
The directors and the directors alone are responsible for audit exempt financial statements. Paying an accountant in no way reduces that responsibility. Neither does it make the financial statements better or put the directors in a position where they might think "oh the accountant signed off so everything is hunky dorey, no fear if Revenue ever comes calling". Having an accountant will usually reduce the potential for error, and will ensure that the financial statements comply with Companies Acts etc., issues which the directors usually don't and couldn't be expected to have, an exhaustive knowledge of. (even though the Companies Acts themselves expect this ). The professionally drafted financial statements will also give a certain level of comfort to the client's bankers, especially if the company is looking for a loan or increased overdraft.
Where financial statements are required to be audited, the auditors report gives a certain level of assurance that the financial statements are free of "material misstatement" and whether they give a "true and fair view". This level of assurance is an onerous responsibility for the auditor and results in greater level of scrutiny of the records , and hence, cost.
Yes, professional accountants/auditors have professional indemnity insurance and if, in their engagement they have erred then they may be sued. There is also recourse to their professional body.
There continues to be many threads on AAM about doing ones own accounts, CT returns & CRO returns for limited companies. Fair play to you if you can do them all, more power to you. I know that I could, very probably, service my own car if I learned how to do it. I'd save some money and have a new skill. But I think my time is better spent at my profession. I also have the (perhaps misplaced or not) belief that the job on my car by my mechanic may be done better by that person who has been trained for it and spent, possibly, many years at that craft. Each to their own I guess.