Tax deadlines are fast approaching, and all small business owners know what that means: paperwork. Make the rush toward April 15th easier on yourself by keeping your documents organized throughout the entire year and thus ready to produce on short order. Here are some suggested file dividers:
Accounting Documents
- File your balance sheets, payroll information, income statements, ledgers, sales and expense information, cash flow statements, inventory, and other financial statements.
Bank Records
- Include records of written and canceled checks, deposit slips, loan balance information, and other bank notices.
Contracts
- These documents can be real estate contracts, equipment-related contracts, sales contracts, employment contracts, partnership agreements, and bylaws; any signed agreements you enter into should be filed away and ready to retrieve at a moment’s notice.
Employee Records
- Agreements, applications, performance records, offers of employment, and other information pertaining to your employees should be held here.
Permits and Licenses
- Be sure to have on hand all permits, registrations, and licenses that afford you the legal right to operate your business: include documents across the federal, state, and local levels
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Tax Documents
- Anything remotely related to paying your taxes should be easily accessible in your office: W-9 filings for your independent contractors, W-2’s for your employees, your prior tax filings, withholding information, and other tax documents.
Organization is key to running your business smoothly. Whether you file these documents and folders alphabetically or in your own unique way, make sure you always know where to go if you’re looking for paperwork.
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