Give your accountant your income and expense totals by category, the year's mileage log, every Form 1099 you received, the dates and amounts of estimated tax payments, and records of equipment you bought, along with last year's return. For the 2026 tax year, Schedule C returns are due April 15, 2027. A ProfitDrawer bookkeeping spreadsheet's Tax Summary tab gathers the category totals, deductible amounts and mileage deduction on one page.
A year-end checklist for a sole proprietor:
- Profit and loss: income and expenses by category for the full year
- Forms received: 1099-NEC, 1099-K and 1099-MISC
- Forms you sent: copies of 1099-NEC forms you issued (for payments made in 2026, generally for $2,000 or more to a contractor), due February 1, 2027
- Estimated tax payments: date and amount of each federal and state payment
- Mileage log: business miles, total miles and the vehicle's start date in business
- Home office: the office's square footage and the home's total
- Assets: receipts for equipment, vehicles or computers bought during the year
- Bank and card statements for the business account
- Unpaid invoices and any bad debts
- Last year's return and any IRS letters
Send it as early as you can. An extension gives more time to file but not to pay.
Keep your own copies: records generally need to be kept for 3 years from filing, and employment tax records for at least 4 years.
General information, not tax advice.
Source: Small Business Tax Deadlines 2027 · Updated
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General information, not tax, legal or financial advice. Check the rules for your state and your situation.