April is a bad time to invent a bookkeeping system. The IRS wants records kept as you go (Pub 463: timely kept records). If you are already in the shoebox, you can still recover.
A weekend workflow
- Sort by entity. One pile per LLC or trade. Schedule C is per business.
- Photograph every receipt. A faded thermal slip in July is gone in January.
- Match card statements. Statement proves payment; receipt proves what it was (What kind of records).
- Flag travel, meals, and car. Those need purpose notes, not just totals (Pub 463).
- Export one CSV per account. That is what most accountants import. Keep the images with it.
- Ask your accountant which Schedule C lines they want. Do not guess “other expenses” for everything.
How long to keep the folder
Default: 3 years after you file. Longer if you omitted a lot of income, claimed certain losses, or have depreciable property (How long should I keep records). When the tax period ends, your insurer or lender may still want the files.
What XPENZNET is for
Scan on the phone. Separate accounts. PDF is free; CSV is a one-time $9.99 unlock. Nothing leaves the device until you share the export.
Not legal advice. This is a filing hygiene post, not a deduction list. Talk to your accountant before you file.
FAQ
- Too late for last year? You can still reconstruct from statements + remaining receipts. Incomplete records are weaker (Pub 463). Don’t invent amounts.
- One CSV for two LLCs? No. One export per entity.
Not legal advice. Talk to your accountant.