The Backstage Pass
Final act of 2026: set the stage for your best year yet.
GYSIO Newsletter Β· Q4 2026 Year-End EditionFrom Angel S., GYSIO Communications Department
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Places, everyone: Act Four
Q4 is where it all happens for 2027, so the decisions you make now shape your best year yet, and the work you do between now and January decides whether 2027 opens with a plan or with a scramble.Learn more
β¨ This issue is interactive. Tap the box beside any task to check it off, and watch the progress bar and counter at the top of each checklist update as you go. Use it to track your progress through your year-end to-dos. Tap Save my progress to keep your place. When you come back to this page on the same phone or computer and browser, your checkmarks will be right where you left them.
Choose your section, check off each item as you complete it, and bring what you find to your tax professional. If you are a client of GYSIO, anything related to your package you can ignore or request from your immediate advisor.
Dates to circle
U.S. calendar-year corporations: the fourth 2026 corporate estimated tax installment is due (IRS Form 1120-W). Not sure which date is yours? Use the guide below.
Equipment must be placed in service during the tax year to count for 2026 (IRS Section 179 rule), and the new non-itemizer deduction is for cash gifts made during 2026.
IRS Form 1040-ES lists this as the fourth 2026 estimated payment for individuals. Corporations follow the schedule in the guide below.
Form 1099-NEC is due January 31, and a weekend due date moves to the next business day. January 31, 2027 is a Sunday. For 2026 payments, you report contractors paid $2,000 or more, no longer $600.
Canada (CRA): T4 and T4A slips and summaries for 2026 are due the last day of February. February 28, 2027 is a Sunday, so the due date moves to Monday, March 1.
Canada (CRA): corporate tax instalments are due on the last day of each month, or each quarter for qualifying small Canadian-controlled private corporations.
π§ How to find your corporate payment dates
Choose your country to see the rules:
- The rule: a corporation pays on the 15th day of the 4th, 6th, 9th, and 12th months of its tax year. For a calendar-year corporation, that is April 15, June 15, September 15, and December 15.
- Fiscal year? Count from the first day of your tax year. A year that starts July 1 pays October 15, December 15, March 15, and June 15.
- Weekends: if a date lands on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the payment is due the next business day.
- Who pays: a corporation generally makes estimated payments when it expects to owe $500 or more. Large corporations, those with taxable income of $1 million or more in any of the 3 prior years, use a different calculation.
- Pass-through entities: S corporations, partnerships, and most LLCs generally do not pay entity-level income tax estimates. The owners pay through their personal estimates (Form 1040-ES). Confirm yours with your advisor.
- T4 and T4A: due the last day of February after the calendar year. For 2026 slips, that is Monday, March 1, 2027, because February 28 is a Sunday.
- Monthly is the default. Instalments are due on the last day of each month of your tax year. The first is due one month less a day after the year starts.
- Quarterly is open only to small Canadian-controlled private corporations that meet the CRA's conditions: taxable income of $500,000 or less and taxable capital of $10 million or less (counting associated corporations), the small business deduction claimed, and GST/HST, payroll, and returns paid and filed on time. Payments fall on the last day of each quarter. For a calendar year, that is March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31.
- Balance due: generally two months after year-end, or three months for qualifying small CCPCs.
Dates are U.S. federal and Canadian federal (CRA) and general. Your entity type, state, province or country, and fiscal year can change them, so confirm yours with your advisor.
Your year-end checklist
Close out 2026 and set up 2027 with these steps. They apply to nonprofits, online sellers, small businesses, and entertainment companies alike.
Choose your industry for your year-end checklist.
π General checklist (every business)
Learn why
Collect a current W-9 (U.S. vendors) or W-8 (foreign vendors) for every vendor you paid or plan to pay. Match each vendor name to the legal name on its form, confirm addresses and payment terms, and mark vendors you no longer use. Clean files now mean easier 1099 filing in January. For payments made in 2026, you report contractors you paid $2,000 or more, up from the old $600 threshold.Learn why
Confirm each team member's withholding forms, address, pay rate, and contact details, and make sure every file is complete and stored securely. People move and rates change during the year, so the January payroll run should not be the first time you find out.Learn why
Put every launch, workshop, show, drive, sale, and campaign on one calendar with a start date, a budget, an owner, and the revenue you expect from it. Planning dates early also tells you when deposits, ad spend, and vendor payments will leave your bank account.Learn why
Annual events cost money on predictable dates: insurance renewals, licenses, memberships, conferences, tax payments, annual software plans, and your own big event. List them all, divide each by 12, and set that amount aside every month so nothing lands as a surprise.Learn why
Lay your planned income and expenses out month by month for all of 2027, then find the lowest point in the year. If cash dips below zero, you have time to adjust spending, timing, or financing now. Ask yourself what happens if sales come in 15% under plan or your biggest client pays a month late.Learn why
No budget yet? It is time. Start simple: expected income, fixed costs, variable costs, taxes and payroll set-asides, and what is left. Then compare it with your real numbers every month. A budget you check monthly is a steering wheel. A budget in a drawer is a decoration.Learn why
Keep tax and payroll money in its own account and move a set percentage in every time you are paid. For individuals, the IRS lists the fourth 2026 estimated payment as due January 15, 2027, and you can skip it if you file your 2026 return by February 1, 2027 and pay everything owed with it. Corporations follow a different schedule, so use the guide in Dates to circle to find yours in the U.S. and Canada.Learn why
Put a planning meeting on the calendar before the holidays take over. Cover last year's results, which partnerships and sponsorships worked and which did not, next year's goals, upcoming sponsorship and funding opportunities, the budget, who owns what, and the calendar of events. Keep a sign-in sheet or notes from the meeting for your records.Learn why
List every partnership and sponsorship from 2026 and mark what went well and what did not. For each one, note what it delivered in money, leads, exposure, or time, what it cost you, and whether it is worth renewing, renegotiating, or ending. Bring your findings to your team meeting.Learn why
Year-end is when sponsors, donors, and funders finish spending this year's budget and choose next year's recipients. List the sponsors, grants, and funders you plan to approach, with each one's timeline, requirements, and an owner. Timing varies by industry, so confirm yours with a GYSIO Advisor at info@gysio.org.Learn why
If you need help with any of the items above, ask your GYSIO Advisor or tax professional during your scheduled meeting, or your own tax professional if you are not yet a GYSIO client. Bring your budget draft, event calendar, and cash flow questions so we can pressure-test them with you.
ποΈ Nonprofits
Year-end is giving season. Your goal is to make giving easy for donors and keep your records spotless for everyone who funds you.
Learn why
The new 2026 non-itemizer deduction is for cash gifts made during 2026. Publish your own cut-off dates clearly, and encourage donors to ask their tax professional how a gift by check, card, or stock is dated. Gifts of stock and other property take longer to arrange, so tell donors to start early.Learn why
The IRS says that beginning with tax year 2026, donors who do not itemize may deduct up to $1,000 ($2,000 if married filing jointly) of cash gifts to certain qualified organizations. Gifts to donor-advised funds generally do not qualify. Donors who itemize can only deduct gifts above 0.5% of their adjusted gross income. Keep your messaging factual and suggest donors check with their own tax professional.Learn why
The IRS requires a donor claiming a deduction of $250 or more to obtain a written acknowledgment. It names your organization, shows the cash amount or describes donated property, and says whether any goods or services were provided in return, with a good-faith estimate of their value if so. The IRS notes charities typically send these by January 31. Set up a template and a calendar for sending them.Learn why
Check that grants and gifts with donor restrictions are tracked separately and spent as promised. A clean fund report makes your annual reporting and your next grant application much easier.Learn why
List your federal annual return, your California charity filings, grant report deadlines, and board meeting dates for 2027. Ask your GYSIO Advisor or tax professional to confirm your exact due dates, because they depend on your fiscal year and organization type.Learn why
Walk your board through expected revenue by source, program costs, administrative costs, and a reserve target. A budget approved before January 1 gives your team clear guardrails from day one.
π E-commerce sellers
Black Friday is November 27 and Cyber Monday is November 30 this year. Your sales are about to peak, and so are your cash needs.
Learn why
Count what is in your warehouse, 3PL, and marketplace fulfillment centers, add inventory in transit, and match it to your system. Write down stock that will not sell. Your year-end inventory number directly affects your profit and your tax return.Learn why
Match payouts from Shopify, Amazon, Etsy, PayPal, and others to your bank deposits, including fees, refunds, and chargebacks. For 2026, the IRS says a platform must send a 1099-K only if gross payments exceed $20,000 and the number of transactions exceeds 200, so a missing form does not mean your books can skip those sales. Make sure any 1099-K you receive ties to your books.Learn why
Returns and slower payouts after the holidays can strain cash while your inventory bills and sales tax are still due. Build a cash forecast through January and hold a reserve before you place your next big inventory order.Learn why
Rules differ by state, and a state's registration and filing dates may not match your sales season. Check your sales by state, confirm where you must collect and file, and calendar each return so you never miss one.Learn why
Landed cost includes the product price, shipping, duties, and fees. If tariffs or freight costs changed this year, update your costs per product before you set 2027 prices.Learn why
Supplier terms, credit lines, and marketplace lenders all take time to arrange. Ask for terms in the quarter before you need the cash, because the cheapest options are the slowest.
πͺ Small businesses
The tax rules changed recently, so the cost of waiting is higher this year. Make your moves before December 31.
Learn why
For 2026 the IRS Section 179 limit is $2,560,000, reduced dollar for dollar once you place more than $4,090,000 of qualifying property in service. The IRS also reinstated 100% bonus depreciation for qualified property acquired and placed in service after January 19, 2025. The property must be placed in service in the tax year, and used more than 50% in your business for Section 179. Ordering it is not enough. Talk with your GYSIO Advisor or tax professional before buying, because the best choice depends on your income and cash.Learn why
For individuals, the IRS lists the fourth 2026 estimated payment as January 15, 2027. Check your year-to-date profit now and set the amount aside so the payment is not a scramble. Corporations follow a different schedule, so use the guide in Dates to circle to find yours in the U.S. and Canada.Learn why
The IRS raised the 1099-NEC reporting threshold to $2,000 for payments made after 2025. The IRS due date for Form 1099-NEC is January 31, and when a date falls on a weekend the due date is the next business day, so for 2026 forms that is Monday, February 1, 2027. Collect a W-9 from every contractor now so you are not chasing forms in January.Learn why
Timing rules for deducting a bonus can depend on your accounting method and entity type. Ask your GYSIO Advisor or tax professional before you pay or promise bonuses.Learn why
Plan rules and deadlines differ by plan type. Ask your GYSIO Advisor or tax professional which options fit your business and when each must be set up or funded.Learn why
Look through subscriptions, vendor agreements, and customers with thin margins. Cancel what you are not using and renegotiate what you are. Money saved in January pays for growth in July.Learn why
Reconcile every bank, card, and loan account, and categorize every transaction with its department or project. Clean monthly books make year-end faster and cheaper.
General information only. Please talk with your GYSIO Advisor or tax professional before making purchases or filing decisions.
π₯ Entertainment companies and creators
New union rates, new credits, and new creator guidance all landed in 2026. Here is how to get ready for the new year.
Learn why
SAG-AFTRA and the studios reached a new TV and theatrical agreement this year. If you use union talent, check the guild's official rate sheets, update your fringe and payroll assumptions, and ask your GYSIO Advisor or tax professional to help you budget residuals.Learn why
Track income, expenses, and residuals or royalties by project, gig, show, or episode. When funders, partners, or lenders ask how a project performed, the answer should take minutes.Learn why
Industry reporting says California expanded its film and TV credits this fall, including a new credit for post-production work, and a federal film credit has been proposed but is not law. Credits usually have to be planned before you shoot, so talk to us early.Learn why
Collect a W-9 or W-8 before you pay anyone. Payments to foreign performers and crew can involve withholding, so check with your GYSIO Advisor or tax professional before you send the money.Learn why
On October 15, the SBA issued its first guidance classifying qualifying content creators for SBA program eligibility. See the SBA update in this issue, then ask us how it applies to your business.Learn why
Track the cost of AI tools by project, and keep licenses and consent records for any voice, image, or likeness you use. Contract terms on AI are changing, so ask your attorney if you are unsure.Learn why
Entertainment income comes in bursts. Build a reserve that covers your overhead between paydays, and plan your payment schedule around it.
A note from our Founder
In more than 15 years of working with entrepreneurs, I have learned this: the ones who win do not get lost in the hustle and hype. They decide what matters most to them, seek both Spiritual and professional guidance, and act on it. They rest when it is time to rest, pivot when it is necessary, and self-reflect and observe at all times. That is how they win, and you can too.
If you find yourself burnt out, overwhelmed and scattered, I can tell you firsthand that it takes courage to stop and refuel. Rest. Set boundaries with yourself and others. Be quiet until you feel ready to move. Do something you enjoy, whatever works for you, and do it. It is hard when the very thing you love becomes a burden and a source of overwhelm because you were too afraid to SHIFT and PIVOT when it was necessary.
Stop and ask yourself: "What is the most important agenda for my business right now? For my life?"
I did something huge when I asked myself this. My answer was that, no matter how many businesses I manage and oversee, the most important thing to me right now is my quality of life. I knew that if I sat in the office hour after hour, I would never leave, because I enjoy it, I am integral to it, and I do not like things to linger. That behavior would not let me enjoy life as much as I wanted to. Sitting at my desk for hours on end left me tired. My body was prone to weight gain and stress, and I was barely eating or drinking as much as I should. That is why all of this became so important to me. I have plans for San Diego County, CA, so I looked at everything I needed to get my work done and enjoy life from my point of view.
I made yoga part of my morning routine, alongside the brain exercises I already do every morning, and hired a personal trainer. The key to making work productive outside the office was my three screens, so I bought a laptop extender with two screens and started working from local coffee shops. That raised my quality of life: the atmosphere, meeting new people, patronizing local businesses and learning more about my city. The lighter my body felt, the clearer my thinking became. My favorite spot became the Mantra Sukha Tea Lounge in Carlsbad Village.
In all things, I approached my days with gratitude. I still had the important meetings and conversations, and I stuck to both my physical and mental boundaries. The biggest shift, and the one that brought me the most mental clarity, was the boundary I made with myself to stop being hard on ME. I started encouraging myself every day and making note of everything I had accomplished, moving my focus away from what I had not.
I find that I attract more partnerships and opportunities that align with where I am going, versus what does not serve me.
Although I enjoy everything that I do, I now wake up every morning excited about what I will accomplish. What will help you?
Shamelle Reveter
Founder & President, GYSIO Business & Bookkeeping, Inc.
GYSIO's Q3 to Q1 rhythm: what strong companies do
Well-run companies do not wait for January. Here is the rhythm we recommend to our clients, built on the habits finance teams of strong companies share. It is a practical guide, not a guarantee of results.
Learn more
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A simple team meeting agenda
Not sure what to cover? Use this as a starting point.
- What went well and what missed in 2026
- Partnerships and sponsorships: what went well and what did not
- Revenue goal and budget for 2027
- Events, campaigns, and projects, with dates and owners
- Upcoming sponsorship and funding opportunities, with an owner and a deadline for each
- Cash flow: the lowest month and how we cover it
- Hiring, equipment, and big purchases
- Questions to take to our GYSIO Advisor
Keep a sign-in sheet or notes from the meeting. Records of meetings support your deductions and your books.
SBA update for content creators
On October 15, 2026, the U.S. Small Business Administration issued guidance recognizing the content creator economy (SBA news release 26-106). Here is what the release actually says.
What to do now
- Ask your GYSIO Advisor or tax professional how your main source of revenue fits the classification.
- Separate your revenue streams in your books (ads, sponsorships, courses, merch, licensing) so lenders can read your numbers.
- Keep tax returns, financial statements, and records current. Lenders will still ask for them.
Source: SBA news release 26-106. This is general information and not a guarantee of funding.
The Business Corner
Habits that keep a business running smoothly from the inside.
Open The Business Corner
π§ Revisit your business plan at your Q4 meeting
- Pull out your business plan and your 2026 budget. Where are you ahead, on track, or behind?
- What changed this year: customers, prices, costs, team, competitors, tools?
- Which goals still make sense? Rewrite the ones that do not, and put an owner and a date on each.
- What does the plan need for 2027: people, equipment, money?
π§ Your equipment log
Equipment you buy is an asset. It adds value to your business on the balance sheet. Keep one log of everything the company purchases, send it to your accountant for the depreciation and amortization methods that apply, and update it every time you buy something new. Record these seven things:
| Equipment name | Date purchased | Vendor | Amount | SKU | SN (serial number) | MPN (manufacturer part number) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example: Laptop | Example: 2026-10-12 | Example: Vendor legal name | Example: 1,200.00 | Example | Example | Example |
The copy button gives you tab-separated headings you can paste into Excel or Google Sheets. The seven fields are GYSIO's recommended record. They are not a government form. For U.S. tax purposes the IRS instructions say the information needed to compute depreciation must be part of your permanent records, and the CRA says to record who sold you the property, the cost, and the date you bought it.
π§Ύ Can you expense it? The written statement rule
Equipment is generally treated as an asset first. Whether you can deduct it right away depends on the rules where you file, and in the U.S. a written election is part of it.
Choose your country to see the rules:
- Small items: the de minimis safe harbor lets a business without an audited financial statement deduct items up to $2,500 per invoice or per item. You make the election each year by attaching a statement titled "Section 1.263(a)-1(f) de minimis safe harbor election" to your timely filed original return.
- Written policy: businesses with an audited financial statement must have accounting procedures in writing. Others must follow a consistent procedure that existed at the start of the year. GYSIO recommends putting yours in writing either way.
- Larger items: Section 179 is elected on Form 4562 filed with your return. Otherwise the cost is depreciated.
- The CRA says you generally cannot deduct the full cost of depreciable property in the year you buy it. You claim capital cost allowance (CCA) over several years, usually on a declining balance.
- Tools costing $500 or more are in Class 8 (20%). Most tools under $500 are in Class 12 and are fully deductible in the year of purchase. Computers are in Class 50 (55%).
- You can usually claim CCA only once the property is available for use.
- Enhanced first-year allowances may apply. Ask us before you buy.
- LISR Article 34 sets maximum deduction percentages by type of fixed asset. Examples: office furniture and equipment 10%, cars and trucks 25%, computers and laptops 30%.
- Deductions must be backed by a CFDI (comprobante fiscal) dated in the year of the deduction.
- Payments above $2,000.00 must be made by electronic transfer from your own account, a check from your own account, or a card.
- Ask your GYSIO Advisor or tax professional how immediate-deduction options apply to you.
π Every donation gets a letter
Any time you donate to an organization, ask for a donation letter or receipt and file it. It is your supporting documentation for the deduction.
Choose your country to see the rules:
- For a deduction of $250 or more, the donor must obtain and keep a contemporaneous written acknowledgment. It names the organization, states the cash amount or describes donated property, and says whether any goods or services were provided in return.
- For every monetary gift, regardless of amount, keep a bank record or a written communication from the charity showing its name, the date, and the amount.
- Noncash gifts over $500 need Form 8283. A qualified appraisal is generally needed for claimed contributions over $5,000.
- The IRS says gifts to individuals are not deductible.
- These IRS pages are written for donors. Ask us how they apply to your entity type.
- Only registered charities and other qualified donees can issue an official donation receipt. The CRA says without a valid receipt you cannot claim the credit or deduction.
- An official receipt includes the charity's name, address and registration number, a serial number, the donor's full name and address, the date, the amount, any advantage received, the eligible amount, and an authorized signature.
- Individuals can generally claim up to 75% of net income for the year.
- Ask your GYSIO Advisor or tax professional how the limit applies to a corporation.
- Deductible donations go to authorized donees (donatarias autorizadas) and certain government bodies.
- The donee issues a CFDI that includes the Complemento de Donatarias, with its authorization number and date.
- LISR Article 27 caps deductible donations at 7% of the prior year's taxable profit (utilidad fiscal). Donations to federal, state or municipal governments are capped at 4% within the 7% total.
- The donation must actually be paid. Ask us about your situation.
π GYSIO services to help you move faster
π οΈ More ways to keep things running
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This is a preview, not the full list. Each weekly edition shows who qualifies, who does not, how to apply, and who to contact for every opportunity, along with contract opportunities. To receive the weekly funding, contract, and grant opportunities, subscribe here.
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GYSIO is now a Kindness Certified Company
GYSIO is proud to announce that we are now a Kindness Certified Company, a recognition for businesses committed to making a positive impact on their employees, their community and the environment.
Want to join us, or learn more? Contact margi@kidsforpeaceglobal.org.