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Year-end & tax season checklist

Offices in Clackamas & The Dalles, Oregon

503-785-3200

Heather’s Tax Service & More

Bookkeeping

Catch-up bookkeeping and cleanup — however far behind you are

Almost every business that is behind on its books got there the same way: a busy quarter, then a busier one, and then avoiding it became easier than starting. Nobody here is going to make you feel bad about it.

A shop owner reviewing sales figures on a laptop

When to call

  • You are more than two months behind and not gaining ground
  • A tax deadline is coming and the books are not close to ready
  • A lender, landlord or investor has asked for financial statements
  • You inherited books from a departed bookkeeper and cannot tell what is real
  • The balance sheet has accounts on it you do not recognize
  • Your accountant said the books needed work before a return could be prepared

How the cleanup runs

  1. 1Assessment. We look at the file and tell you honestly how much work it is and what it will take. No surprise scope.
  2. 2Reconstruct. Bank and card statements, merchant processor records, payroll reports and loan documents, period by period.
  3. 3Reconcile. Every account, every month, in order — because an unreconciled month poisons every month after it.
  4. 4Correct. Misclassified draws, duplicated transactions, undeposited funds, the suspense account everything got dumped into.
  5. 5Close and report. Clean statements per period, so the tax returns can be filed from real numbers.
  6. 6Prevent the recurrence. Either you take over a system that works, or we keep it monthly.
How long does a cleanup take?

A single year of a straightforward business is usually a few weeks. Multiple years, mixed personal and business accounts, or unreconciled payroll takes longer. We give you the estimate after the assessment, not before.

What if I have lost some records?

Bank and card statements can be re-obtained, and merchant processors keep history. We reconstruct from what is retrievable and document what is not.

Will you tell my accountant how bad it was?

Your accountant is generally us, and no. Everyone who has run a business has been behind on something.

Is it worth doing for a business I am closing?

Usually yes — final returns still need to be filed, and a clean set of books protects you if anything is questioned later.

Talk it through before filing season starts

Start with a complimentary 15-minute introductory call about your situation and whether we are a good fit. No tax advice is given on that call.

Katie Wells, bookkeeper

Written by

Katie Wells

Bookkeeper, 25+ years

Katie has kept books for small businesses for more than 25 years — QuickBooks, payroll, AP, AR, reconciliations and monthly reporting.

Reviewed by

Heather Perkins

Enrolled Agent, Oregon Licensed Tax Consultant

Last reviewed

This page is general information about Oregon, Washington and federal tax rules, not advice about your own return. Thresholds and rates change every year. Figures were verified as of August 2026 — check the linked official sources, or talk to us about your situation.

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