Year-End Organizer

Close the year cleanly—stress-free and lender-ready.

The right year-end process turns tax time into a formality and makes capital conversations easy. Use this checklist to reconcile, summarize, and present your numbers like a pro.

Step 1 — Reconcile Every Account

• Bank and credit cards match your ledger to the penny.
• Confirm payoff balances on loans; record interest separately.
• Note any owner draws/distributions and classify correctly.

Step 2 — Categorize Consistently

• Adopt a simple chart of accounts (no duplicates, minimal “misc”).
• Split transactions (e.g., mixed receipts) so P&L reflects reality.
• Lock categories after review so future imports map automatically.

Step 3 — Collect Documents

• W-9/1099s, receipts, contracts, payroll reports, sales tax filings.
• Store in a YYYY/Year-End folder, subfolders for each doc type.
• Back up to cloud; share access with your accountant.

Step 4 — Build a One-Page Summary Pack

• P&L, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow (YTD + last year for comparison).
• Include a short executive note: milestones, anomalies, and plans.
• Add bank statements (last 3 months) and AR/AP aging.

Step 5 — Taxes & Compliance

• Verify estimated tax payments; calendar due dates for Q1 filings.
• State annual report/renewal scheduled; registered agent confirmed.
• If S-Corp/partnership: prepare K-1 timeline with your CPA.

Step 6 — Vendor & Credit Review

• Update your credit profile summary (limits, bureaus, terms).
• Request soft-pull limit increases on primary accounts.
• Close non-reporting or unused lines; keep utilization < 20%.

Step 7 — Plan Q1

• Set 3–5 KPIs and a 90-day initiative list.
• Roll a weekly finance cadence: reconcile → review → decide.
• Schedule your annual meeting and document minutes.

Need hands-on help? We’ll reconcile, assemble your summary pack, and set up your finance cadence so you start the new year lender-ready.