Checklists and templates

Free, practical checklists for bookkeepers, tax preparers and the clients they work with.

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Month-end close checklist

A step-by-step month-end close checklist for bookkeepers and small business owners, with a free Excel and CSV template you can download and reuse every month.

Tax organizer

A free tax organizer template for individuals and self-employed taxpayers: income, deductions, credits and records to gather, with Excel and printable versions.

Engagement letter generator

Free engagement letter with a document deadline and late-document clause. Copy or download.

Client checklist builder

Build a document list for a client, share it as a link or paste it into your site.

Mileage log template

Free Excel with automatic totals, CSV and a printable blank log.

1099 deadline calculator

1099 due dates for any tax year, rolled to business days, with calendar download.

Bank reconciliation template

Free Excel that works out the difference for you, plus CSV and a printable version.

W-9 request email template

Request, reminder and final-notice emails for vendor W-9s, plus a free tracker.

Client intake form template

26 onboarding questions for a new client: Excel, CSV and a printable form.

Filing season cutoff calculator

Federal due dates plus the date clients must send documents, with calendar download.

Late document fee calculator

What one late client costs you, and a fee you can defend.

Document request email generator

The request, reminder and last-call emails for a client, ready to copy.

Client excuse reply generator

Pick the excuse a client gave and copy a polite reply with a date.

Tax documents by occupation

Tax documents for self-employed people and sole proprietors

Income forms, expense records and common mistakes.

Tax documents for Uber drivers

Income forms, expense records and common mistakes.

Tax documents for Lyft drivers

Income forms, expense records and common mistakes.

Tax documents for Airbnb hosts

Income forms, expense records and common mistakes.

Tax documents for real estate agents

Income forms, expense records and common mistakes.

Tax documents for Amazon sellers

Income forms, expense records and common mistakes.

Tax documents for DoorDash drivers

Income forms, expense records and common mistakes.

Tax documents for construction and trade contractors

Income forms, expense records and common mistakes.

Tax documents for homeowners

Income forms, expense records and common mistakes.

Tax documents for YouTubers and content creators

Income forms, expense records and common mistakes.

Tax documents for Shopify store owners

Income forms, expense records and common mistakes.

Tax documents for gig workers with several apps

Income forms, expense records and common mistakes.

Tax documents for crypto traders and investors

Income forms, expense records and common mistakes.

Tax documents for small business owners (LLC or S corporation)

Income forms, expense records and common mistakes.

Guides

Month-end document checklist for bookkeepers (copy and use)

A practical checklist of the documents bookkeepers need from clients each month, and how to ask for them so they actually arrive.

Tax document checklist for individual clients (for tax preparers)

A client-friendly checklist of documents to request for individual returns, plus tips to cut the back-and-forth during tax season.

Email templates for requesting documents from clients (first ask, reminder, final notice)

Copy-and-paste email templates for bookkeepers and tax preparers: the first request, a gentle reminder, and a firm final notice.

How to get clients to send documents on time (without becoming the nag)

Practical ways bookkeepers and tax preparers can cut document delays: clear requests, one upload link, scheduled reminders and consequences that work.

Engagement letter clause for late client documents (examples and what to include)

Example wording for engagement letters that sets a document deadline and a consequence for late documents, plus how to enforce it kindly.

Tax season 2027: a document-request timeline for tax preparers

A month-by-month plan for requesting client documents before the 2027 filing season so fewer returns stall waiting on paperwork.

Document collection software for bookkeepers and accountants: what to look for

A buyer's guide to tools that collect documents from clients: the three types of tool, the criteria that matter, and how common options differ.

Collecting client documents with email, Dropbox or Google Drive: what works and where it breaks

How to collect documents from clients with free tools, a simple tracking method, and the point at which it stops being worth the effort.

What to do when a client never sends their documents (a step-by-step escalation)

A practical escalation path for bookkeepers and tax preparers when a client goes silent: what to send and when, how to protect yourself, and when to part ways.

Bookkeeping client onboarding checklist: 30 items to collect from a new client

Onboarding checklist for new bookkeeping clients: paperwork, software access, opening balances, recurring documents and week-one decisions.

A 5-email reminder sequence for missing client documents (with timing and wording)

A tested-in-practice structure for chasing missing client documents: what each reminder should say, when to send it, and how to keep the tone firm without damaging the relationship.

Late document fee: how much to charge clients (and how to word it)

How bookkeepers and tax preparers can set a late-document fee: flat vs hourly, sample structures, wording for the engagement letter, and when to waive it.

How to run a month-end close in 3 days (a day-by-day plan for bookkeepers)

A day-by-day plan for closing the books in three working days: what to do before the month ends, how to sequence reconciliations and review, and what usually makes a close slip.

Client intake questionnaire for bookkeepers: what to ask before you start

A practical client intake questionnaire for new bookkeeping clients: the questions to ask about the business, money flows, tax and software, and how to use the answers.

Documents needed to file taxes: what to gather and when it arrives

Which documents you need to file a US federal tax return, when each usually arrives, and what to do if one is late or missing. Not tax advice.

Tax preparation checklist: a step-by-step list for preparers and clients

A practical tax preparation checklist: what to set up before the season, what to collect from each client, how to review it, and how to chase what is missing. Not tax advice.

Bank statement formats: what to ask clients to send (and what to refuse)

Which bank statement formats work for bookkeepers (CSV, QBO, OFX, PDF), which cause trouble (screenshots, photos), and the exact wording to ask clients.

Best tools to collect documents from clients (2026 roundup)

Seven ways to collect documents from accounting clients in 2026, with plan prices checked on each vendor's pricing page in October 2026 and who each one suits.

What Your Bookkeeper Needs From You Each Month

A plain-English list of what small business owners should send their bookkeeper each month, in which format, and why it matters. Bookkeepers can forward this page to clients.

Collect W-9s from contractors before 1099 season

A practical way to collect a W-9 from every contractor before you pay them: when to ask, what to send, how to chase, and how to store it safely. Includes a copy-paste request email.

Year-end document request schedule for bookkeepers

A dated plan for asking clients for year-end documents: what to send in November, December and January, how to follow up, and a copy-paste first email. Built to cut the February chase.

Extension or Wait? When Client Docs Are Missing

A decision checklist for tax preparers and bookkeepers when a client's documents are not in by your cutoff: when to file an extension, what to tell the client, and a copy-paste email.

Tax season client reminder email templates (kickoff to final notice)

Copy-and-paste reminder emails for tax preparers: January kickoff, missing-document nudges, cut-off notice and the extension offer. Plain wording, no tax advice.

Missing receipts: what a bookkeeper can do when the client has lost them

A practical routine for missing receipts: how to rebuild support from bank and vendor records, what to ask the client, a copy-paste email, and how to stop it recurring.

Text message and phone scripts for clients who won't send documents

Copy-ready text messages and a 30-second call script for chasing missing client documents, with when to switch from email to text and what to keep on record.

How to let go of a client who won't send documents (with a notice letter)

When to end the relationship with a chronically late client, how to give notice professionally, what to keep on record, and a copy-ready letter to adapt.

What to say when a client has an excuse for missing documents (copy-ready replies)

Short, polite replies to the six most common reasons clients give for not sending documents: can't find them, will send tomorrow, my other accountant has them, and more.

Cheapest way to collect documents from clients: monthly cost at 10, 20 and 40 clients (2026)

What a solo bookkeeper pays per month to collect client documents with DocNag, DocChase, CollectCue, DocsNudge, Content Snare and Financial Cents, worked out at 10, 20 and 40 active clients from each vendor's published prices (checked October-November 2026).

Collect documents from clients without a client login or portal account (2026)

Why clients ignore portals that need a password, how a no-login upload link works, what you give up (and what stays secure), and which tools offer it. Facts from each vendor's own site, November 2026.

Free software to collect documents from clients: what 'free' really means (2026)

Which document-collection tools for bookkeepers have a permanent free plan, which only offer a trial, and what happens when the trial ends. Checked on each vendor's own site, October-November 2026.

Uncategorized transactions: how to ask clients about them (email templates)

Email wording and a batching method for asking clients what unexplained bank transactions were, so the books close without a dozen back-and-forth replies.

How to ask clients to scan and name documents (instructions to copy)

Plain-language instructions you can send clients so their documents arrive readable, complete and labelled: phone scanning, file names, one-PDF-or-many, and what to do with passwords.

Client says they already sent the documents: how to respond and prevent it

What to do when a client insists they already sent it: check the record, reply without blame, and set up a process where 'I sent it' can be verified in seconds.

When to drop a client who won't send documents (and the letter to send)

How to decide a chronically late client costs more than they pay, a step-by-step way to end the engagement fairly, and a copy-paste disengagement letter.

Client can't find or download their bank statements: what to ask for instead

When a client says they can't log in, lost the statements, or the bank won't help: five fallbacks (bank feed, closed-account requests, CSV exports, branch copies) and a copy-paste reply.

Client sent the wrong, partial or unreadable documents: how to ask again without friction

Wrong year, missing pages, password-protected PDFs, blurry photos: how to spot each problem on receipt, a copy-paste reply, and a way to keep the checklist honest.

Get the free template pack (5 Excel files), then one email a month. Month-end, tax organizer, bank rec, intake, mileage. New tools for bookkeepers and tax preparers. Unsubscribe anytime.