Close the Books

$19 · Instant download

Close the Books: 45-Minute Month-End for Freelancers

A reusable close: invoices, expenses, mileage, receipts, four calm payment emails, and a W-9/1099 reminder.

Same sequence every month. Then you stop. Not tax advice.

Buy the pack — $19

Unzip, duplicate the workbook for this year, set a 45-minute timer.

Month-end does not need a Sunday afternoon

No bookkeeper. No new app. This is bookkeeping hygiene for US independent contractors who invoice clients and keep their own records.

It will not calculate what you owe. It is not a CPA in a PDF, and not a collections course.

What you do, once a month

  • Send (or confirm) every invoice for finished work
  • Capture expenses and file receipts so April is not an archaeological dig
  • Log business mileage — look up this year’s IRS standard mileage rate instead of guessing
  • Follow up on late invoices without turning into a fake legal department
  • Decide, in writing, whether to pause work until you are paid
  • Check whether a federal estimated-tax date is coming. The pack reminds you. It does not do the math.

The 45 minutes

  1. Set the month. Open bank and card activity. Name the receipts folder.
  2. Invoices sent (script A).
  3. Expenses and receipts.
  4. Mileage. Look up this year’s IRS rate.
  5. Late invoices (B / C) and the pause-work decision (D).
  6. Estimated-tax reminder only — no math.
  7. Monthly summary. Close the laptop.

What’s in the pack

  • Letter-size PDF guide 12 pages: timed checklist, how to use the workbook, four email scripts, one-page W-9 / 1099 reminder calendar
    PDF
  • Excel workbook Invoices, Expenses, Mileage, Monthly summary (formulas), Setup, README sheet, cited IRS rate snapshot
    XLSX
  • CSV templates Invoices, expenses, mileage, monthly-summary — for Numbers or Google Sheets
    CSV
  • Buyer README Start-here steps and what not to guess
    MD

The four emails

Calm, specific, short. Brackets for names, amounts, and dates. No “final notice” theater.

  • Send invoice
  • Friendly nudge
  • Late / overdue
  • Pausing work until paid

Who it’s for

  • US freelancers and independent contractors (sole props, one-person shops) tired of closing the books in their head
  • People who already invoice in Stripe, HoneyBook, or Wave — keep invoicing there; log the same invoices in the workbook
  • If you already have a bookkeeper and QuickBooks, you can still steal the checklist and the emails

Who it’s not for

  • Anyone who wants this pack to file their taxes, pick a business entity, or classify a worker
  • Anyone who wants a promised dollar amount of tax saved — it will not do that
  • W-2 employees (different world). Agencies can use the emails; the ritual is written for one-person shops

FAQ

Is this tax advice?

No. It is a month-end checklist and a workbook. Confirm tax questions with a tax pro and IRS.gov.

Will this calculate my estimated tax?

No. It reminds you when calendar-year federal due dates typically fall (see Form 1040-ES). You figure the amount with the form, software you already trust, or a professional.

Do I need Excel?

The .xlsx is the full workbook with formulas. CSV templates are included for Numbers and Google Sheets (you’ll add your own totals).

Does it include IRS mileage rates?

It cites the 2026 business rates listed on IRS.gov when the pack was built, with sources, and tells you to re-check. If you can’t confirm the current figure, look up this year’s IRS standard mileage rate rather than guessing.

Can I use this if I already invoice in Stripe / HoneyBook / Wave?

Yes. Keep invoicing where you invoice. Log the same invoices in the workbook during the close. The emails are copy-paste.

Get the pack — $19

Instant digital download. One payment. Unzip and run the close this month.

Pay $19 — download

You will land on a download page after Stripe. If a file is broken, email markgrinblat@gmail.com.