The final days of the year are unforgiving. For thousands of freelancers and small businesses, the year-end closing is a race against the clock in which any oversight can turn into an unexpected penalty, a costly tax adjustment, or a suffocating January.

Balancing the accounts, reviewing invoices, adjusting inventories, and anticipating expenses is not merely an administrative task: it is a protective operation, almost an act of self-defence in a tax environment that, all too often, works against small business owners.

Closing a financial year properly is a way to anticipate problems and reduce risks. In a system that frequently rewards bureaucracy more than productivity, control and foresight are the only real refuge. Careful planning strengthens the health of the business, minimizes the burden of administrative obligations, and avoids rushed decisions that only create more tension. Ultimately, it is about creating a roadmap that allows 2025 to be left behind calmly and 2026 to be approached from a far more prepared position.

One of the elements that sets the pace of this closing process is document management. Every December, many freelancers discover that the real issue is not the tax authority, but the disorder that has been accumulating for months.

A unissued invoice, a payment forgotten in an email thread, or an incorrectly recorded date can completely alter the taxable base for personal income tax or corporate tax, distort VAT, or artificially inflate cash flow. Reviewing all documentation is, admittedly, a thankless and tedious task; but it is also the only way to ensure that the accounting snapshot presented at year-end faithfully reflects the reality of the business.

Deductions and prepaid expenses

In this review process, there are tools that often go unnoticed. One of them is the possibility of deducting VAT on unpaid invoices once six months have passed since the invoice was issued, or only three months in the case of SMEs. This is a legal and protective measure that many businesses overlook and that can represent significant savings at a time of year when every euro counts. Knowing one’s tax rights is just as important as meeting one’s obligations.

Another smart year-end move is the prepayment of expenses. If 2025 is expected to be weaker, or if this year’s turnover has been higher than usual, advancing recurring expenses can be a very effective tax strategy. This includes domains, hosting, software, professional services, or office supplies that would have to be contracted anyway during the first months of the new financial year. It is not about spending for the sake of spending, but about optimizing the tax result and preventing the state from taking a share of income that will not be repeated. The calendar itself can be a tool for savings when used wisely.

The same reasoning applies to investments and depreciation. If you operate under the direct assessment regime and plan to renew IT equipment, machinery, furniture, or carry out improvements to your premises, waiting until March, may make little sense. Anything with a useful life of more than one year is depreciable, and any acquisition made before December 31 will begin generating depreciation in the current financial year. This is an intelligent way to smooth profits and avoid tax spikes that later become difficult to manage.

Moreover, investing in operational improvements has effects that do not appear in any tax report but are felt in everyday operations: higher productivity, less wasted time, and greater responsiveness. For many businesses, efficiency is not a luxury; it is a necessity to remain competitive.

The weak point of many inspections

One of the most sensitive, yet most frequently overlooked, areas is inventory. Tax authorities pay particular attention to stock valuation because this is where the most common accounting inconsistencies tend to be hidden. Inflated stock creates profits that do not exist; undervalued stock generates distrust and may be interpreted as an irregularity. This is why, at year-end, it is advisable to carry out a realistic valuation, remove defective materials, and ensure that physical inventory matches accounting records. It is a laborious task, but it is what separates peace of mind from a potential inspection.

Reviewing freelancers’ social security contributions is another essential exercise. Under the new contribution system based on real income, many professionals are paying either too much or too little. Underpaying leads to an upward adjustment; overpaying means having advanced money to Social Security unnecessarily. Spending a few minutes reviewing 2024 income, the applied bracket, and whether it is worth requesting a change — which will take effect in March — can result in annual savings of between €300 and €800. Few one-minute actions offer such a high return.

The same logic applies to withholdings and advance tax payments. Many professionals face an uncomfortable paradox: they either reach their income tax return with an unexpected tax hit, or they discover that they have been financing the state because the applied withholding rate was too high. Reviewing whether it makes sense to increase the rate from 7% to 15%, comparing income with withheld amounts, or making an additional advance payment if a significant adjustment is expected is a smart way to avoid surprises. Adjusting now is always better than regretting it in the spring.

There are also particularly sensitive areas, such as vehicle deductions. This is a field full of confusion, where many businesses make deductions that cannot be justified and are therefore prone to penalties. The tax authority is clear: only expenses that can be documented as having a 100% professional use are deductible. This requires usage logs, documentation consistent with the business activity, and maintenance and fuel invoices clearly linked to the business. Without this evidence, the deduction does not stand.

The art of avoiding unpleasant surprises

Grants and subsidies also require attention. They can be a relief for many businesses, but they can also become a trap if their conditions are not met. Most penalties do not arise from bad practice, but from oversights: incomplete justifications, unnoticed deadlines, or unmet requirements. Reviewing every detail, every condition, and every document is essential. There is no such thing as a cheap subsidy if it later has to be repaid with interest.

And after all this, the most important element still remains: cash flow. It is the lifeblood of the business and what allows it to survive the toughest months of the tax calendar. Year-end is the time to analyze the cash cycle, calculate whether there is enough buffer to face the first-quarter tax wall — combining VAT, income tax, and contributions — and identify clients who consistently pay late. Without liquidity, no tax strategy can compensate for a suffocating January.

Finally, no business should enter 2025 without a compass. Defining revenue targets, adjusting pricing strategy, planning investments, and establishing a minimum cash reserve is the way to face the year with control rather than improvisation. Without a map, 2025 will run you over; with a map, you set the pace.

A system that forces constant balancing

All of this takes place in a context that offers little support. Freelancers and SMEs sustain a large part of the country’s economic fabric, yet they continue to bear a disproportionate fiscal and administrative burden. The state keeps breaking tax collection records, while middle incomes suffer the most. The system is not designed to make life easier for small business owners, but to collect revenue.

For this reason, carrying out an impeccable year-end closing is not an option but a survival strategy. Preparing, anticipating, and acting is the best way to protect the business in an environment that does not forgive mistakes.

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