What This Means for You, Business Owner: December is when you still control what makes it into the year — especially expenses.
One of the most common December questions business owners ask is:
“Can I still count this as a business expense?”
Sometimes yes. Sometimes no.
What matters at year-end isn’t just what you paid — it’s when, why, and how the expense should be treated.
This is where roles matter — and it builds on Day 3 of our 3‑month series, where we talked about December being a decision month, not a cleanup month.
Your bookkeeper can help assess what’s showing up in your books and identify what’s missing. But your tax preparer is the one who understands your full tax picture — including personal income, credits, carryforwards, and upcoming tax changes.
Confirm final expense decisions with your tax preparer instead of guessing or assuming your bookkeeper will handle them alone.
Common expense-related items that still need owner clarity in December: • Expenses paid personally but not yet submitted • Business purchases that haven’t cleared the bank • Recurring charges that cross over year-end • One-time or large purchases you’re unsure how to treat • Items you think should count, but haven’t confirmed
Waiting until January often means rework, higher tax prep costs, or the need for an extension.
Key takeaway:
Expenses don’t count just because you intended them to. They count when timing, documentation, and tax treatment are clear.
Your action item:
Answer the pending expense questions you can right now — and schedule time to meet with your bookkeeper to review what’s still outstanding before year-end.
If you haven’t already, the Year-End Financial Checklist can help prompt common expense questions that typically need owner input in December.
Don’t have a bookkeeper yet? Business owners often get stuck at year-end when deciding the timing of expenses. This series will help you understand what support you actually need earlier.
