The Tax Provision Readiness Checklist
A calm provision is decided before the close begins. Ten checks, made before the period ends, tell you which kind of close you are heading into. Get the full annotated checklist and a printable scorecard to run your team through.
Most groups already know a good close from a bad one. The difference is rarely effort on the day; it is what was settled before the period ended. These ten checks are what "ready" looks like, split into the numbers and the process. Score them honestly and you will know, months ahead, whether year-end is a controlled step or a scramble.
The numbers
- A clean, agreed opening position
- Prior-year adjustments settled
- The tax accounts reconciled to the ledger
- A trial balance you trust, and a mapping that holds
- Rates, FX and law changes confirmed
- Book-to-tax adjustments listed
- Judgement calls made early, not at the deadline
The process
- A clear owner, timetable and sign-off plan
- The information request out early
- Expectations set
How to score it
- 9 or 10 in place: you are set for a calm close. The next gain is speed, connecting the flows so the provision finishes days sooner.
- 6 to 8: close the gaps now, in the quiet, starting with the opening position and the mapping.
- 5 or fewer: the close will be a scramble again. Fix the opening position and the trial-balance flow first, and the rest gets dramatically easier.
Common questions
What is a tax provision readiness checklist?
A short set of checks, made before the period ends, that tell you whether your year-end tax provision will be a calm, controlled step or a last-minute scramble.
When should we run it?
A few months before close, while there is still time to fix the foundational items, particularly the opening position and the trial-balance mapping.
Which items matter most?
The opening position and the trial-balance mapping. They take the longest to put right and everything else is built on them.
What if we score poorly?
Do not try to fix everything at once. Fix the opening position and the trial-balance flow first, and the rest becomes dramatically easier.
Get the annotated checklist + printable scorecard
The page above lists the ten checks. The download gives you the full detail and guidance behind each one and a printable scorecard to score your own position and run your team through it. We will email you a secure link.
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We have sent a secure link to your email. It opens the full checklist and scorecard, and it is single-use, so open it on the device you want to keep it on.