Essential Year-End QuickBooks® Tasks for a Smooth Transition into 2026

As 2025 winds down, the strategic closure of your financial year is pivotal for laying a robust groundwork for the upcoming 2026. Accounting firms and small businesses alike must navigate evolving tax regulations and leverage the latest QuickBooks® Online (QBO) functionalities. To ensure a streamlined tax season, prioritize these critical tasks before the calendar turns to January.

1. Bank and Credit Card Account Reconciliation

Wrapping up the year without loose ends is essential. Use Settings > Chart of Accounts > Reconcile in QBO to match every transaction with its respective statement, confirm ending balances, and review transactions categorized under Undeposited Funds or Uncategorized. With enhanced tools in QBO, unreconciled items are flagged, reducing the risk of surprises later on.

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2. Scrutinize Customer and Vendor Balances

Run comprehensive aging reports, including Accounts Receivable Aging and Accounts Payable Aging. Send statements to customers with outstanding balances. If any invoices are overdue or deemed uncollectible, consider writing them off, applying sound accounting principles. Additionally, ensure all vendor balances are up-to-date to avoid missed entries.

3. Complete Year-End Report Reviews

Generate full-year Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, and Trial Balance reports, scrutinizing for irregularities such as negative balances or unexpectedly large figures. Employ filters by class or location to identify disparities.

4. Manage 1099 and Contractor Documentation

Verify that contractors are accurately flagged for 1099-NEC or 1099-MISC status. Navigate to Expenses → Vendors → Prepare 1099s in QBO to check addresses, ensure W-9s are complete, and verify payments. Missing information now could lead to IRS issues in the upcoming year.

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5. Execute Final Adjustments and Close Your Books

Handle final adjustments such as depreciation, amortization, bad debt adjustments, owner draws, and retained earnings transfers. Ensure your fiscal year settings are accurate under Settings→ Advanced, signaling QBO on the correct period for closure. After finalizing adjustments, "close your books" to avert inadvertent alterations.

6. Update Payroll and Employee Files

Crucial for QuickBooks® Online Payroll users, be sure to:

  • Process your final payroll, including bonuses and commissions for the year

  • Ensure comprehensive recording of all benefits, fringe payments, and retirement contributions

  • Update employee information such as addresses, SSNs, and any W-4 changes

  • Preview and rectify W-2 documentation before submission

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7. Capitalize on New QuickBooks® Features and Automations

In 2025, QuickBooks® introduced enhancements in automation, categorization rules, and interface design. If you haven't integrated these features yet, now is the opportune moment, particularly for firms using QuickBooks® Online Accountant to manage multiple clients.

Bonus Tip: Employ QBO’s cash-flow projection tools or conduct a "budget vs. actual" assessment to identify prospective gaps. If unexpected expenses or insufficient revenue defined 2025, consider timely reserves or adjusting estimated tax figures proactively.

Avoid treating year-end processes as a rush. By aligning financial reconciliations, verifying balances, finalizing tax forms, updating payroll, and exploiting QuickBooks®' latest tools, you position your business to enter 2026 seamlessly. Meticulous planning now equates to future benefits.

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