The end of the year has a way of sneaking up on us. Between the holidays and the rush to wrap up projects, it's easy to let year-end business planning fall through the cracks. But taking time now to get your financial house in order—and to reflect on the year—can set you up for a smoother tax season and a stronger start to 2026.
Here's a checklist to help you close out the year with intention:
☐ Estimate your 2025 income – Get a clear picture of where you'll land so you can plan for taxes and make informed decisions before December 31.
☐ Make strategic purchases – If you're planning any equipment upgrades or business investments, consider whether making them before year-end makes sense for tax purposes.
☐ Clean up your bookkeeping – Reconcile accounts, categorize expenses, and get your records in order now rather than scrambling in tax season.
☐ Review outstanding invoices – Follow up on unpaid invoices and collect what you can before the year closes.
☐ Audit recurring expenses – Review subscriptions, software, and services. Cancel what you're not using and evaluate whether current tools still serve you.
☐ Assess cash flow for Q1 – Look at your January-March projections. Do you need to adjust pricing, payment terms, or build up reserves?
☐ Reflect on what worked (and what didn't) – Take stock of the year. Which projects, clients, or strategies were worth your time? Which weren't?
☐ Set 3-5 priorities for 2026 – Instead of an overwhelming list of resolutions, identify the handful of things that will move your business forward.
You don't have to tackle everything at once. Pick one or two items to focus on this week, and you'll be in good shape heading into the new year.
If you need support with strategic planning, operations, or thinking through what comes next for your business, learn more about how I work with small business owners here.
