Year-end bookkeeping checklist
for Canadian small businesses.

Published September 18, 2026

Year-end doesn't have to be a scramble. Working through this list in the weeks before your fiscal year closes makes tax season a formality instead of a fire drill.

Reconcile everything

• Every bank and credit card account matched against statements for the full year
• Outstanding invoices reviewed — write off anything genuinely uncollectible
• Vendor bills confirmed as paid or accurately reflected as payable

Gather your documents

• Receipts for any large purchases or capital assets bought during the year
• Loan statements, if you carry any business financing
• Payroll summaries, if you have employees
• Home office or vehicle expense records, if you claim either

Review before you close

• Confirm HST collected and paid reconcile against your filings
• Check that owner draws or shareholder loans are recorded correctly
• Look for any transactions still sitting in an "uncategorized" bucket

Hand off to your accountant

Once everything above is done, a clean set of books can go straight to your accountant for filing — no back-and-forth chasing down missing information. If you're behind on any of this, our catch-up bookkeeping service exists specifically to get a backlog current before year-end closes in on you.

A note on timing

CRA deadlines vary by business structure — sole proprietors, corporations, and different fiscal year-ends all have different filing dates. Confirm your specific deadline with your accountant early, rather than assuming the common tax-season dates apply to your situation.