02/16/2026
The Top 6 Things Your Accountant Needs Before March 15, 2026
Posted by Ascend Accounting Advisory | February 2026
If your business is structured as an S-Corporation or a partnership, you already know that March 15 — not April 15 — is your tax filing deadline. That date comes faster than most business owners expect, and the more prepared you are, the better outcome you'll get.
Whether you work with an in-house accountant, an outside CPA, or a fractional CFO firm like ours, here are the six things your accounting team needs from you right now to close the books cleanly and keep you compliant.
1. Your Complete Bank and Credit Card Statements
Your accountant needs every statement for every account your business touched in 2025 — checking, savings, lines of credit, and business credit cards, even accounts you rarely used. Missing statements create gaps in reconciliation that delay your filing and can lead to costly inaccuracies. Pull them now from your online banking portals.
Pro tip: If you use QuickBooks or Xero, confirm your bank feeds are fully synced through December 31, 2025.
2. All Payroll Records and Year-End Summaries
Your payroll provider should have already generated year-end summaries including W-2s and payroll tax data. Your accountant needs total wages by employee, employer payroll tax contributions (F**A, FUTA, SUTA), any Q4 bonuses or adjustments, and confirmation that W-2s have been filed and distributed. If you use Gusto, ADP, or Paychex, download your annual reports now.
3. A List of All 1099s Issued and Received
Did you pay any contractors or vendors $600 or more in 2025? Those payments should already have been reported on 1099-NEC forms (deadline: January 31, 2026). Your accountant needs copies of every 1099 you issued — and every 1099 you received. Gaps here can trigger IRS scrutiny, so be thorough. If you're unsure whether a payment required a 1099, flag it and let your accountant decide.
4. Documentation for Major Purchases and Asset Disposals
Did you buy equipment, vehicles, or software in 2025? Sell or retire old assets? Your accountant needs purchase invoices and dates, financing details, and disposal records including sale price and date. These details determine how depreciation is calculated and whether Section 179 expensing or bonus depreciation applies — both of which can meaningfully reduce your tax bill.
5. Shareholder and Partner Loan or Distribution Records
For S-Corps and partnerships, the IRS pays close attention to how money moves between the business and its owners. Your accountant needs a clear record of any shareholder loans made or repaid, owner draws and distributions, and capital contributions. This directly impacts each owner's basis calculation, which determines what flows through to individual returns on the K-1.
6. Any Unusual or One-Time Transactions
Think back over 2025. Did anything out of the ordinary happen — a large settlement, forgiven debt, a real estate transaction, a lease termination, or an ownership change? These situations often require special tax treatment. A quick heads-up to your accountant now prevents surprises — and potentially costly corrections — later.
Don't Wait — Time Is Short
March 15, 2026 is just weeks away. At Ascend Accounting Advisory, we specialize in helping private companies throughout the Northeast get their books in order, navigate complex tax situations, and plan strategically — not just reactively. If you're feeling behind or unsupported heading into this deadline, we'd love to talk.
Contact us today to learn how our fractional CFO and outsourced accounting services can make tax season — and every other season — run more smoothly.
Jesse Herschbein, CPA, is the founder and president of Ascend Accounting Advisory LLC, a fractional CFO firm based in Wayne, NJ, serving private companies throughout the Northeastern United States.
