Your 4th-Quarter Checklist: 8 Things to Do Before December
It's October. You've got about 73 days left in the year, and what you do in the next few weeks decides whether January is calm or chaos. Every year I watch business owners scramble in January for paperwork they could have handled in October. Don't be that owner. Here's your checklist.
Reconcile everything through September. Every bank account, every credit card. If your books don't match the bank, nothing else on this list works.
Chase down missing receipts. That stack in your truck or your inbox? Sort it now. Come January, you won't remember what half of them were for.
Read your profit and loss statement. Not skim — read. Where did the money actually go this year? Knowing your real numbers now gives you time to act on them.
Collect W-9s from every contractor you paid. This is the one that bites people. For 2026, anyone you paid $2,000 or more for services gets a 1099-NEC, and those forms are due February 1. Get the W-9 now while the contractor still answers your calls.
Look at big purchases before year-end. Thinking about equipment or a vehicle? The timing of a purchase can change which tax year it counts in. Talk to your tax pro before you buy, not after.
Set aside cash for taxes. Your fourth-quarter estimated payment is due January 15. If you've had a good year, that payment might be bigger than you expect. Start setting it aside now.
Clean up your books before the holidays bury you. December is the worst month to catch up on bookkeeping. Get current now so you can actually enjoy the holidays.
Talk to your bookkeeper now, not in April. By April, it's damage control. In October, it's planning. That's the difference between paying what you owe and paying more than you had to.
None of this is complicated. It's just easier to do now than later. And if your books aren't in shape to work through this list, that's exactly what I'm here for.
High Plains Bookkeeping — Reliable Books. Midwest Values. Call 402-478-8878 and let's get your fourth quarter sorted.
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