3 Easy And Manageable Tasks That Can Reduce Your Stress 2026 Tax Season

Planning and preparation can eliminate a lot of the stress when April 15th rolls around. As a busy entrepreneur, the word “taxes” can feel like a scary five-letter word. Don’t put off thinking about taxes until it is too late. Let’s dive into three easy and manageable tasks that help me reduce stress during tax season.

I wear a lot of hats as a small business owner. The most neglected hat is often budget tracking. Keeping receipts, logging deductible activities, and tracking wages paid to outsourced labor, if done accurately and on a schedule, will save time and energy when it is time to file 2026 taxes. 

Receipts: Proof of all transactions, expenses, office supplies, or any purchases made to conduct business should be collected, sorted, and stored for easy retrieval. Doing so saves me time plus a headache. I don’t have to worry about where I placed the receipt or providing proof of the purchase in case of an audit or question from my tax preparer. 

Log of Activity: A simple notebook or Google Sheet helps me capture important business activity in one place for easy reference. I place the date, method of transportation, location, and reason for the activity in a notebook on my desk. This helps me quickly calculate any deductible expenses, such as mileage. I don’t have to stress about remembering activities from twelve months in the past. Everything is at my fingertips.  

Track Payments For Labor: Payment portals and applications such as Zelle, ACH, PayPal, and even Cash App help track outgoing payments within the respective dashboards. Keeping a Google sheet with the name, date of payment, and reason for payment helps me track expenses. This is very valuable information that I needed to complete my taxes, and this information is often requested by my tax preparer.

Overall, bookkeeping is a large part of being prepared, and it must be done weekly, monthly, or quarterly, depending on the volume of your business. 

There are certainly levels to being organized. Finding my level of organization took some time. I developed a filing system for digital receipts, I utilized cloud storage, and created a method of managing paper receipts. Doing so helps me sleep at night.

Digital Receipts: Due to the fact that a lot of payments are made online, I get digital receipts, invoices, and email confirmations of payment. I easily manage the incoming emails by tossing them into a folder marked “2026 Taxes. It is low effort but brings a huge reward come tax season. 

Cloud Storage: Utilizing cloud storage such as Google Drive helps me organize digital files, copies of invoices, and so much more. The best part about cloud storage is that I can easily access documents from anywhere, making doing business outside of the office a breeze. 

Paper Receipts: To balance the overwhelming amount of paper receipts and my spirit of procrastination, I use ziplock bags. For 2026, I will take out a gallon-sized zip-lock bag. On the bag, I will write the business name and 2026 in permanent marker. Each time I sit at my desk, I will stuff the paper receipt in the ziplock bag for safe and waterproof storage. This method is quick, easy, and does not require much effort, but it grants me peace of mind throughout the year. 

Nothing throws a wrench into productivity more than hauling everything to search for an important document. Here is how I make sure my spirit stays high, and the work is uninterrupted.

Make Copies: I keep copies of important documents, such as state registration for the business, federal tax identification number, and other licenses, within arm’s reach by placing the documents in the cloud. I personally use Google Drive along with access to a hard copy in a locked file cabinet. The number of times this method has saved me is countless. When my tax preparer calls needing important information, I am confident of its location and can provide documentation without delaying the preparation of my taxes.

Utilize Correct Forms:

Utilizing the proper form, such as 1099’s or W2s, appropriately helps me and my tax preparer tremendously. Completing the forms as I onboard new team members saves time and energy when trying to prepare taxes. I don’t have to track down contractors or outsourced labor providers because I collected the information ahead of time.

Maintain Historical Files: Record keeping and maintaining files doesn’t stop once the taxes are finally accepted by the IRS. Maintaining records of previous tax years safely and securely helps me stay ready for audits and helps my tax preparer view historical patterns within the business. Nothing is more frustrating than not being able to locate previous tax documents. It is best to store them consistently for easy retrieval.   

Over the years, I have grown to be less intimidated by taxes due to these three easy and manageable tasks. Tracking my spending, getting organized, and storing documentation has reduced my stress and anxiety, and I hope these tasks will do the same for you. 

This article is intended solely for informational purposes and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. The content provided here is not a substitute for professional advice from a qualified tax advisor, attorney, or financial planner. Readers are encouraged to consult with a licensed tax professional or legal advisor to obtain advice tailored to their specific circumstances and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.