Year-End Financial Checklist for Founders and Business Owners

As business owners, we all feel the weight of the fourth quarter. The final stretch of the year often brings both opportunity and overwhelm: last-minute pushes for revenue, team planning, client reviews, tax prep, and a never-ending email backlog.

At Washington Avenue Advisors, we’ve been there ourselves; this firm was born from the desire to bring order to the chaos—not just through spreadsheets and statements, but through genuine partnership and peace of mind.

We know what it’s like to juggle both vision and operations. And we believe that when your finances are clear, your decisions are better—and your health and relationships improve, too. 

Our team brings together financial advisors and accountants under one roof, working in sync to help you close out the year with confidence and prepare for a stronger one ahead, prioritizing what’s most important to you. So, we invite you to put this financial checklist to use as you prepare to finish the year strong.

Your Year-End Financial Checklist

Here are some key steps we recommend before the clock runs out:

1. Clean and Close Out Your Books

• Reconcile accounts and catch uncategorized expenses

• Confirm income and expense accuracy

• Address open invoices or unpaid bills

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Our accounting team specializes in catching the things you didn’t know you missed—saving you major time during tax season.

2. Check in on Your Tax Position

• Have you made the most of this year’s deductions?

• Should you make year-end purchases or defer income?

• Are your records CPA-ready?

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We can help empower you to streamline the tax process with resources and support from our accounting team—no more last-minute scrambles.

3. Assess Owner Draws or Bonuses

• Review compensation decisions for tax and cash flow impact.

• Plan distributions or reinvestments with your future in mind.

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Our advisors can guide these decisions with your broader financial picture in mind.

4. Reevaluate Business Value

• Do you know how much your business is worth today?

• Are you tracking the right metrics for investors or buyers?

• What story is your business telling?

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With tools like the 8 Drivers of Business Value, we help you prepare for growth, capital raises, and a successful future exit.

5. Set the Stage for Q1

• Finalize next year’s budget.

• Align goals across all areas of your business and within your core team.

• Build a financial strategy that supports your life.

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Whether you’re planning for stability or a leap forward, we help you clarify your plan—and stick to it.

Why It Matters

We’ve seen it again and again: when our clients get proactive about their financial systems, everything improves—clarity, confidence, decision-making, and even sleep. That’s not just good business; that’s whole-business wellness.

Our team doesn’t just care about your profit margins. We care about your peace of mind, your long-term goals, and your capacity to lead well. We’ll ask about your growth—but we’ll also ask what kind of life you want to build, and what kind of legacy you want to leave.

So don’t let the year end in a rush. Let’s get ahead of it—together.

 Schedule a year-end review with our team and step into Q1 prepared and empowered. 

The information presented does not involve the rendering of personalized consulting, investment, financial, legal, tax advice, or solicitation. Investment advisory services offered through Washington Avenue Advisors, LLC ("WAA"), an SEC Registered Investment Advisor.