01
Start with the bank accounts
Make sure each business bank and credit card account is connected, reconciled, and reviewed for missing periods.
Bookkeeping
How to clean up messy books before tax season
A practical guide for organizing records, reconciling accounts, and getting financial statements ready before tax deadlines.
02
Clean the chart of accounts
Remove duplicate categories, separate owner activity, and create categories that support useful reporting.
03
Review problem transactions
Flag uncategorized expenses, transfers, loans, payroll entries, sales deposits, and vendor payments that need context.
04
Create a monthly close rhythm
A clean month-end process helps tax planning, lending, cash flow, and better decision-making.
05
Separate cleanup from ongoing work
Catch-up bookkeeping and monthly bookkeeping are different scopes. Define what needs repair first, then create the rhythm that keeps it from happening again.