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19 Nov Year-End Accounting Playbook: Essential Tips Every Business Owner Needs to Boost Profits and Stay Ahead

Posted at 22:21h in Blog by

For business owners, year-end accounting isn’t just another administrative task—it’s a critical opportunity to assess your company’s financial health, make data-driven decisions, and prepare effectively for the year ahead. When handled well, the year-end process offers valuable insights that can help guide your business strategy. This guide will take you through each essential step of the year-end process and explain why these actions are crucial for your business’s success.

Why Year-End Accounting Is Important

Before diving into the details, it’s important to understand why year-end accounting matters so much. The process acts as a comprehensive health check for your business, enabling you to:

  • Make Informed Decisions: Accurate financial data allows you to make better decisions regarding investments, hiring, and growth strategies.
  • Prepare for Taxes: A thorough review helps you avoid errors during tax filing, potentially reducing your tax liability by ensuring you capture all eligible deductions.
  • Spot Trends and Plan for Growth: Reviewing your financials helps identify trends in income and expenses, aiding in goal-setting and forecasting for the new year.
  • Strengthen Financial Control: Closing out the year ensures all financial discrepancies are resolved, which helps prevent fraud and improves overall financial management.

 

With these benefits in mind, let’s walk through the year-end accounting process step by step.

  • Reconcile All Accounts
    • Start by reconciling all of your financial accounts, including bank accounts, credit cards, and loan statements. This process involves comparing your internal records with your bank statements to ensure everything matches. Reconciliation is essential because it helps identify discrepancies like double entries, missing payments, or unauthorized charges.
    • By addressing these issues early, you can correct errors and prevent costly mistakes, setting a strong foundation for accurate financial reporting.

 

  • Review and Organize Financial Documents
    • Gather and organize all necessary financial documents, such as receipts, invoices, and contracts. Use an accounting software like QuickBooks to verify that all transactions have been categorized correctly.
    • A well-organized document review helps streamline the entire year-end process, making it easier to spot errors and maximize deductions during tax filing.

 

  • Assess Accounts Receivable and Payable
    • Review your accounts receivable (AR) to ensure that all outstanding invoices have been followed up on. Collecting overdue payments before year-end improves your cash flow and provides a clearer picture of your financial position. Similarly, review your accounts payable (AP) to ensure all expenses have been accounted for.
    • Clearing up AR and AP balances not only helps present an accurate financial snapshot but also strengthens relationships with customers and suppliers.

 

  • Conduct a Physical Inventory Count
    • If your business deals with physical products, a year-end inventory count is crucial. It helps verify your inventory records, identify any obsolete or damaged stock, and adjust your financial statements accordingly.
    • An accurate inventory count prevents discrepancies and allows for better planning in terms of purchasing, pricing, and sales strategies.

 

  • Reconcile Payroll Accounts, Prepaid Expenses, and Accruals
    • This often-overlooked step can have a big impact on your year-end financials. Make sure to reconcile your payroll accounts, including payroll taxes, employee benefits, and any outstanding wages. This step is vital because payroll discrepancies can lead to costly penalties or compliance issues.
    • Additionally, review prepaid expenses (payments made for services or goods to be received in the future) to ensure they are properly recorded. Common examples include insurance premiums and software subscriptions. These expenses should be allocated correctly based on the period they cover.
    • Lastly, check your accruals—expenses that have been incurred but not yet paid, such as utilities or interest. Ensuring that all accruals are recorded accurately provides a complete picture of your liabilities and expenses, aligning your financial statements with actual cash flow.
    • Reconciling these accounts helps prevent errors in your financial reporting and ensures compliance with accounting standards. It also provides a more accurate view of your business’s financial health.

 

  • Update Your Fixed Asset Register
    • Fixed assets such as equipment, vehicles, and property are significant investments. Review your fixed asset register to ensure all additions and disposals throughout the year have been properly documented.
    • Accurate asset tracking allows for correct calculation of depreciation, which can significantly impact your taxable income. Depreciation methods can vary, so consulting your accountant on the best approach is recommended.

 

  • Analyze Your Profit and Loss Statement
    • Your profit and loss (P&L) statement is one of the most powerful tools for understanding the financial health of your business. It gives you a comprehensive summary of your revenue and expenses throughout the year, helping you assess overall profitability and spot areas that may need attention.
    • Start by reviewing the P&L to identify any trends—rising costs, decreasing sales, or unexpected fluctuations. Pay close attention to your largest expense categories, particularly building repairs and maintenance, supplies, and auto expenses. These areas often include items that might be incorrectly classified as regular expenses when they should actually be capitalized as assets. For example, a significant repair or vehicle upgrade might qualify as a capital expenditure rather than an ordinary expense, impacting your bottom line and tax liability.
    • Taking the time to reclassify and capitalize these expenses when appropriate can provide a more accurate financial picture, improve your tax strategy, and help you make better decisions about investments and spending in the year ahead.

 

  • Prepare for Tax Filing
    • Tax preparation is a critical component of year-end accounting. Ensure you have all necessary documentation, including W-2s for employees, 1099s for contractors, and records of deductible expenses. Review any potential tax credits, such as the Research and Development (R&D) credit, to maximize your savings.
    • Starting early reduces stress and minimizes the risk of errors during tax filing, potentially saving you money and time.

 

  • Consult with Your Accountant
    • Even if you manage your own accounting, it’s wise to schedule a year-end review with a professional accountant. They can offer expert advice on tax strategies, help you interpret your financial data, and ensure compliance with accounting standards.
    • A meeting with your accountant can also help uncover potential issues, giving you time to address them before finalizing your financial statements.

 

  • Set Goals for the New Year
    • With your year-end review complete, use the insights you’ve gained to set strategic goals for the upcoming year. Whether it’s increasing revenue, reducing expenses, or expanding into new markets, clear objectives will help guide your business’s path forward.

 

Year-end accounting isn’t just about closing the books—it’s about gaining a deeper understanding of your business, preparing for tax season, and setting the stage for growth. By following these steps, you’ll not only simplify the process but also equip yourself with the information needed to make better financial decisions.

Remember, the time you invest in a thorough year-end review will pay dividends throughout the year. It’s a crucial step in ensuring your business remains strong, resilient, and well-prepared for whatever challenges and opportunities lie ahead. Here’s to a successful and financially sound new year!

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Kimberly Mitchell
Partner Development Manager

Kim is a Partner Development Manager with 10 years of experience working with Strategic Partners. As a 19-year veteran with Intuit and a history of driving growth and sales results within the QuickBooks echo system Kim, brings a wealth of knowledge to our team by assisting us with sales and marketing initiatives while helping us strive for the highest net promoter (clients satisfaction) scores. Kim is passionate about creating and nurturing new partnership opportunities through the relationships she has built over the past 25 years of sales experience.

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Noah Raney
Senior Account Payroll Manager

Noah is our dedicated Intuit Senior Account Payroll Manager who can help you find the right payroll solution for you and your business. He is well versed in all of the QuickBooks platforms being desktop/online/standalone and payroll has been his world since joining Intuit 13 years ago. Whether you are looking for ways to save on time, reduce inflated payroll costs or just get set up with the best discounts, he is here to help. Your success and satisfaction are of utmost importance!

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Sean McCaffery
Global Channel Sales Partnerships and Alliances Leader

Sean McCaffery has more than 15 years of experience leading channel sales and cloud solutions in the US and Internationally. Sean has held leadership positions with Avaya in Europe growing the channel business with resellers and distributors in key countries driving double-digit growth. He then joined Rackspace Technology and was instrumental in developing sales growth strategies in cloud adoption for customers and partners. Most recently, he ran channels at Dizzion responsible for dynamically growing and expanding the partner ecosystem through SaaS-based VDI solutions before joining Intuit. Currently, he runs the QuickBooks Solution Provider Program supporting the strong business that solution providers and ISV partners have established as well as finding new opportunities to drive emerging mid-market growth together!

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Gabor Terebesi
Payments Account Manager

Gabor Terebesi is an Account Manager with the Payments Team of Intuit for over 15 years. He works in the partner division for Intuit payments to ensure Intuit partners along with any clients of theirs are in the most suitable and financially cost-effective solution accepting payments through eCommerce, QuickBooks, mobile payments, or any other options necessary for their business.

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Aimee Garneau
Accounting Manager

Aimee joined Siegel in 2022 as the Accounting Manager overseeing the accounting and bookkeeping team. Aimee brings 18 years of experience with increased responsibility with privately and publicly held companies. Her experience lies with SaaS-based companies as well as in healthcare, consulting, education and nonprofits. Prior to joining Siegel, she held accounting leadership positions with Waban Projects, Elastic Path, Moltin, and Ned Davis Research. Aimee loves partnering with business owners to establish financial reporting and results that promote growth and expansion. When Aimee is not working, she loves spending time with her family and friends and exploring all New England has to offer. She is also an avid Red Sox fan and enjoys going to Fenway Park when she can.

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Jeffrey Siegel
CPA, CEO

Jeff has spent the last twenty years working providing solutions to emerging growth businesses. After graduating from Northeastern University, he spent five years working with two multinational CPA firms in an auditor capacity building a foundation for understanding how business work. He later went on to work in various controller and CFO roles before starting Siegel & Associates (previously Siegel Financial Group) in 2000. In those roles, he sold a company to ADP, raised funds for a major expansion of a large regional IVF clinic, and helped set up accounting and financial structures for dozens of companies. Since starting Siegel & Associates, Jeff has worked with hundreds of clients providing accounting system solutions. Those solutions include setting up QuickBooks in a single-user environment putting in QuickBooks Enterprise in a 30-user environment and integrating various add-ons including inventory, CRM, and e-commerce. He is a Certified Public Accountant, a QuickBooks Pro Advisor, a QuickBooks Advanced Pro Advisor, and an Intuit Solution Provider certified in Enterprise Solutions, Point of Sale & QuickBase. Jeff is also a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer

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Lori Swartz
Client Support Manager

After graduating from Boston University, Lori spent eight years working in various managerial positions for two national companies. In those positions, Lori developed the skills necessary to manage multiple projects, clients, and resources. She later went on to work for a management company that handled over 25 real estate properties with multiple tenants. Lori joined Siegel Solutions in 2003 as a client services manager where she utilized her skills developed to manage multiple clients and multiple staff. She recently moved into the client support manager role where she is responsible for meeting with and onboarding new clients, managing and maintaining our technology stack along with QuickBooks setups, conversions, training, and consulting.

In her free time, Lori enjoys spending time with her family. She loves to travel, music, and theater.

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Janet Jodoin
Bookkeeping Associate

Janet joined Siegel Solutions in May of 2022 as an Associate Bookkeeper. In her younger years, while raising her family, she completed her degree in Business and she spent 20 years in the trades as a custom designer. Janet also has 16 years in corporate management. Her strong team support, training, and development led her to support and manage Human Resources. Janet's desire to change careers has led her to return back to bookkeeping at Siegel Solutions. In Janet's free time she enjoys spending time with her growing family. Her personal favorite is creative landscaping in her yard. She also enjoys working alongside her partner in construction and remodeling.

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Tricia Gullage
Associate

Tricia Joined Siegel Solutions in 2022 as a bookkeeper and works with our clients to keep their day-to-day bookkeeping in order. Tricia has 12 years of bookkeeping experience working for a large construction company for 10 of those years handling all their accounting and Payroll. She met Jeff our CEO while working there and decided she wanted to join our team.

When not working Tricia enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She recently moved up to the lakes region in NH and loves going to concerts, enjoying her time boating and snowmobiling.

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Ed Jaworski
Professional Services Manager

With over 21 years of corporate experience at PeopleSoft Consulting, Sun Life Financial, and KPMG, Ed brings a big business approach to small business solutions. Prior to joining Siegel Solutions in 2022, Ed helped small businesses get the most out of QuickBooks for 21 years as a co-founder of SMB Partners and the founder of Solutions for Office Software.

Ed is an Advanced Certified QuickBooks® ProAdvisor, a Certified QuickBooks® Point of Sale ProAdvisor, a Certified QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions ProAdvisor, and a Certified SOS Inventory Consultant. Ed holds an MS in Computer Information Systems from Bentley University and a BS in Business Administration from Northeastern University.

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Debby Mono
Firm Administrator

Prior to joining Siegel Solutions in March 2023, Debby had been working in administrative and executive assistant roles for many years in various fields. Her extensive background in these positions has provided her with a range of skills and knowledge that are valuable in her new role as a Virtual Administrative Assistant. She graduated from Suffolk University with a Bachelor's Degree.

Outside of work, Debby can be found at football fields or dojos cheering for her sons. She also enjoys hikes with her dog, Sawyer, reading, sports, and live music. She and her husband also love to entertain family and friends.

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Letitia Cote
Senior Associate

Letitia has an accounting degree and has been working in the Accounting/Bookkeeping industry for over 25 years. Tish is also an Acumatica Business Consultant. Outside of work, Tish has 4 grown children and 5 grandchildren, she loves to ski, hike, bike, and be outdoors. Tish has worked with Jeff for over 10 years.

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Andrea Alencar
Associate

Andrea graduated from Bridgewater State with a Bachelor's degree in Accounting. Andrea joined Siegel Solutions in 2022. Andrea has gained accounting experience working in various industries including a CPA firm, legal, hospitality, and telecommunications. Before coming to Siegel Solutions Andrea previously worked as a bookkeeper and staff accountant.

Andrea has 4 kids which keep her busy. Outside of work, Andrea enjoys spending time with her kids, being outside, cooking, and going to softball/baseball games.

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Mike Derrico
IT

I started my career in 1983 when I designed and built a device to share a computer program, written by the president of a local bank and his son, running on an Apple Lisa computer. The device allowed the large and expensive Lisa's computer to be shared with bank employees. With this program, and with my device, we started a company to market this unique solution to banks. At this point, computer networks were just starting to be used in businesses. I transitioned my efforts to providing support for migrating banking terminal/mainframe functions to the emerging Personal Computer networking platform. For the next decade, I worked with, and beta tested, numerous technologies to integrate the banking functions from dumb terminals into the now smart desktop computers. After working with a few small consulting firms, I started my own company focusing on providing I.T. support to SMBs. More recently I am now doing the exact opposite by helping customers migrate their PC applications and data from their local computers to The Cloud. A few years ago, I joined Siegel Solutions to add my years of I.T. experience to their firm.

In my spare time, I like to travel, fly my drone and, most importantly, spend time with my family. I also still enjoy tinkering with technology.

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Pat Jaworski
Associate

After spending most of her corporate career in the insurance industry, Pat joined a QuickBooks consulting firm providing bookkeeping services to several small companies. Late in 2022, that firm merged with Siegel Solutions, Inc., bringing Pat and her clients to the group. She provides services to clients in a variety of industries: fitness, construction, beauty, equine care, and medical billing, to name a few. She enjoys supporting her clients by keeping their financial records in good shape and allowing them to focus on growing their respective businesses.

Pat resides in the 495/MetroWest area with her husband Ed, daughter Abby and Duffy, their lovable, energetic golden retriever.

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DeeAnna Keyes

Sales and Marketing Associate

DeeAnna Keyes, has been our Sales and Marketing Associate since December 2023. She brings a wealth of experience, having worked at Intuit with a focus on Quickbooks Online and Quickbooks Desktop. With a robust sales history and a license as a real estate agent in Virginia, DeeAnna is a versatile professional. Outside of work, she cherishes family moments, indulges in camping with friends, and finds joy in entertaining at home with her husband and four children.

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Janice Kats

Associate

Janice Kats graduated from Carl Sandburg College with an Associate Degree in Accounting in 1992 and has been working in the accounting field ever since in various jobs doing AR, AP, payroll, office management, and bookkeeping before joining Siegel Solutions in late 2023.

In 2022, she made the decision to branch out on her own and started her own bookkeeping business, working from home.

She is a mom to 3 grown children and a grandmother to 5 grandchildren and enjoys spending time with her husband and two dogs and following her grandchildren in all of their sports.

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Olga Shteynberg
Administrative Assistant

Olga joined our team as our in-office Administrative Assistant this past January, bringing with her valuable past administrative and customer support experience.

She resides in Natick with her fiancé, two daughters, and a dog. Originally from Russia, Olga relocated to the States at the age of ten with her parents and an older sister.

Outside of work, Olga enjoys spending quality time with her family, traveling, and reading. She also practices yoga and meditation, helping her stay grounded when she’s not in the office.

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