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Essential Year-End QuickBooks® Checklist for 2025

As the autumn leaves begin to fall and businesses in Maitland and the broader Orlando area prepare for 2026, closing out the year's finances becomes paramount for setting a firm foundation moving forward. With frequent updates in tax laws and new QuickBooks® Online (QBO) features, here’s a guide to ensure a seamless transition into the new tax season before December wraps up.

1. Reconcile Financial Accounts

Don’t risk leaving any unresolved issues. Navigate to Settings > Chart of Accounts > Reconcile in QuickBooks to align every account with its respective statement, confirm ending balances, and manage transactions in the Undeposited Funds or Uncategorized categories. QBO now smartly identifies unreconciled items, mitigating potential discrepancies.

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2. Audit Customer and Vendor Accounts

Generate Accounts Receivable Aging and Accounts Payable Aging reports. Send reminders for outstanding customer invoices and assess the potential necessity of writing off delinquent accounts, adhering to accounting principles. Additionally, verify vendor balances for potential omissions.

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3. Finalize Comprehensive Year-End Reports

Thoroughly review your Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, and Trial Balance reports, ensuring a full-year scope. Scrutinize anomalies, such as negative balances or sizable entries. Utilize filtering by class or location to detect inconsistencies.

4. 1099 and Contractor Management

Make sure all contractors are flagged for the correct 1099 form. In QBO, proceed to Expenses → Vendors → Prepare 1099s to confirm all necessary details like addresses, W-9s, and payments. Any missing data could necessitate time-consuming corrections in January.

5. Execute Final Adjustments and Close Books

Attend to adjustments such as depreciation, amortization, bad debt, owner draws, and retained earnings. Verify your fiscal year settings under Settings→ Advanced, confirming QBO accurately recognizes the reporting period's end. Lock your books post adjustments to avert accidental modifications.

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6. Update Payroll and Employee Records

Especially if using QuickBooks® Online Payroll, conduct the following before year's end:

  • Execute your final payroll cycle, considering bonuses and commissions

  • Ensure all benefits, fringe payments, and retirement contributions are recorded accurately

  • Revise and verify employee details (addresses, SSNs, W-4 changes)

  • Preemptively review and amend W-2 forms before filing

7. Embrace Updated QuickBooks® Features

QuickBooks® innovated further in 2025, offering new automation, classification rules, and interface improvements. Optimize these enhancements, especially relevant for firms utilizing QuickBooks® Online Accountant for client management.

Bonus tip:

Leverage QBO's cash-flow projection tools or conduct a "budget vs. actual" assessment to predict potential financial gaps. If 2025 brought unexpected costs or reduced revenue, it might be wise to reserve funds or adjust projected tax payments early.

Avoid last-minute chaos by efficiently reconciling accounts, confirming balances, completing tax documents, updating payroll, and integrating QuickBooks' advanced capabilities. Your business will then be well-positioned for success as 2026 unfolds—a little effort now yields long-term reward.

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