Tax Season Is Right Around the Corner — Are You Ready?

How to Prepare Now So You Aren’t Scrambling Later

As the year winds down and the holiday season starts to take over our schedules, it’s easy to put taxes on the back burner… until suddenly they’re staring you in the face.

For most business owners — especially in the health and wellness space — tax time ends up being a last-minute scramble full of stress, headaches, and missing information. But it doesn’t have to be this way. With a little structure and a few intentional habits, tax season can feel calm, organized, and even empowering.

Here’s how to get ahead now, before life gets busy.

1. Get Your Books Ready (Yes… Even If You Haven’t Touched Them All Year)

If you haven’t kept up with bookkeeping month-to-month, you are not alone. Many wellness entrepreneurs spend their days helping clients — bookkeeping naturally falls to the bottom of the list.

But now is the perfect time to catch up.

Start small:

• Gather receipts and statements

• Categorize the big, obvious expenses

• Reconcile one month at a time

• Set a timer for 10–15 minutes

• Mark exactly where you left off each session

Small action, done consistently, will get you farther than a marathon session done once in panic mode.

And as you do this, make a promise to yourself:
“Next year, I won’t do it this way.”
And mean it.
Your sanity, future self, and tax bill will all thank you.

2. Know Whether You Made a Profit

You can’t plan for taxes until you know your numbers.

Ask yourself:

• Did I make a profit this year?

• How much?

• Have I paid estimated taxes throughout the year?

• Do I have money set aside to cover what I might owe?

If the answers are fuzzy, unclear, or a little scary — that’s your sign to get clarity now.

Having clean books lets you run a tax estimate before January, so you know exactly what to expect and can avoid surprise balances due.

3. Decide Who’s Doing Your Taxes (and Why That Matters)

Many business owners put this decision off… or hand their return to a “friend who does taxes on the side.” But your business deserves more than guesswork, especially when taxes affect:

• Compliance

• Audit risk

• Deductions

• Long-term strategy

Ask yourself honestly:
Who is going to do your taxes?

• You?

• A trusted, licensed CPA with business expertise?

• Or someone who may not fully understand your industry or entity type?

This isn’t just about filing forms — it’s about having a partner who helps you run your business, not just react to it.

4. Tax Time Doesn’t Have to Be Chaotic

Tax season becomes stressful when everything happens all at once:
• Catching up the books
• Finding receipts
• Guessing your profit
• Not knowing what you owe
• Rushing to hire someone

But imagine another version of tax season — one where:
✨ Your books are already organized
✨ You’ve reviewed your numbers each month
✨ Your CPA has given you quarterly tax estimates
✨ You’re prepared instead of overpaying
✨ Nothing feels last-minute

This version is not only possible — it’s how every business should operate.

Systems will save your business.
Systems will save your sanity.

5. Let a Professional Become Part of Your System

A knowledgeable CPA does more than file your return — they help you:

• Forecast your taxes

• Avoid over- or underpaying

• Understand profitability

• Make strategic business decisions

• Create a sustainable financial rhythm

The goal is a methodical, simple, supportive process that runs year-round… not a stressful sprint every February.

If you’re ready to build better systems, prepare early, and actually feel calm heading into tax season, I’d love to support you.