What records should a small business keep?
Financial records form the foundation. Keep all bank statements, credit card statements, and canceled checks. These prove your income and expenses if you ever face an audit. Save receipts for business purchases, especially anything over $75 and all travel and entertainment expenses. Invoices you send to customers and invoices you receive from vendors should stay on file as well.
Tax records include your filed returns and everything that supports them. W-2s and 1099s you issue and receive, depreciation schedules, home office calculations, mileage logs, and documentation for any deductions you claim. The IRS can audit up to three years back in normal cases and six years if they suspect significantly underreported income. Most accountants recommend keeping tax records for seven years to be safe.
If you have employees, keep payroll records, I-9 forms, W-4s, time records, and any employment contracts. Retention requirements vary by form type and state, but four years after the tax is due or paid covers most federal requirements.
Business formation documents should be kept permanently. Your articles of incorporation or organization, operating agreements, partnership agreements, EIN assignment letter, and any amendments belong in this category. Small businesses that grow and eventually sell or bring on partners will need these documents to prove ownership and legal structure.
Contracts and agreements need to stay on file for the duration of the agreement plus several years after completion. This includes client contracts, vendor agreements, leases, and loan documents. If a dispute arises years later, the contract is your protection.
Insurance policies, both current and expired, should be retained. Claims can come up after a policy period ends, and you need documentation of what coverage was in place at the time.
For project-based businesses, job-level records matter too. Estimates, change orders, purchase orders, and cost tracking by project help you understand which work made money and improve future pricing.
Paper records deteriorate and take up space. Digital copies work for most purposes as long as they are legible and you can produce them when needed. Use consistent naming conventions, back up files regularly, and keep sensitive documents secure. Working with a construction bookkeeper in American Fork or similar professional can help you build a system that keeps everything organized without taking over your office.
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More Questions
What happens if my books are a mess?
Messy books lead to tax problems, missed deductions, and flying blind on cash flow. The good news is it's fixable through catch-up bookkeeping. The sooner you address it, the easier and cheaper the cleanup.
Read answerWhat financial reports do real estate investors need?
Real estate investors need property-level profit and loss statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, and rent rolls. The specific reports depend on your investment strategy, whether you're holding rentals, flipping houses, or developing properties.
Read answerWhich accounting method is best for my small business?
Cash basis works for simple service businesses with quick payment cycles. Accrual basis is better for contractors and project-based businesses because it shows true profitability by matching income and expenses to actual work completed.
Read answerWhat expenses should a paving contractor track?
Track materials, equipment, labor, subcontractors, and job-specific costs. More importantly, track them by project so you know which jobs actually made money and which ones ate your margin.
Read answerHow do I track labor costs by job in construction?
Track labor costs by capturing hours daily with timesheets or a time tracking app, assigning every hour to a specific job, and including burden costs like payroll taxes and workers comp in your calculations.
Read answerWhy is my QuickBooks data always a mess?
Messy QuickBooks data usually comes from poor initial setup, inconsistent categorization, skipped reconciliation, and letting transactions pile up. These problems compound over time until the numbers stop meaning anything useful.
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