Run it with less chaos · Every business
The 30-Minute Weekly Money Check: Invoices, Bills, Tax Savings and Payroll
A short, fixed weekly review of cash in, cash out, tax savings and payroll catches most money problems while they are still small, and it fits in half an hour.
A weekly money check is a 30-minute review, on the same day each week, of five things: cash on hand, unpaid invoices, bills due, the tax savings transfer and the next payroll. Done in the same order with the same numbers written down, it turns a vague worry about money into a one-page record an owner can act on before the week starts.
General information, not legal/tax/financial advice; talk to a licensed professional about your situation.
The checklist
| Minutes | Step | What to do | What to write down |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Cash on hand | Log in to the business bank account and note today's balance | Balance and the change since last week |
| 7 | Money owed to you | Open the list of unpaid invoices; send a reminder for anything past due | Total unpaid, and the oldest invoice in days |
| 6 | Bills and payments due | List what must be paid in the next 14 days, including rent, card payments and suppliers | Total due in 14 days |
| 5 | Tax savings | Move this week's set-aside into a separate tax savings account, using the percentage your accountant gave you | Amount moved and the account balance |
| 4 | Payroll | Confirm the next payroll amount and that payroll taxes are scheduled to be deposited on time | Next payroll total and date |
| 3 | The one number | Divide cash on hand by your average daily spending to get your buffer in days | Cash buffer days |
A few rules keep the check honest. Use the business account only for business, as IRS Publication 583 recommends, so the balance means something; keep the same day and time each week; and write the numbers in the same place, such as a single spreadsheet tab, so the trend is visible after a month.
Calendar items to keep on the list
- Estimated taxes: owners of sole proprietorships, partnerships and S corporations generally must make estimated tax payments if they expect to owe $1,000 or more when they file, and corporations at $500, with the year split into four payment periods, according to the IRS.
- Payroll taxes: the IRS assigns each employer a deposit schedule, and late deposits carry penalties, so the payroll step confirms the deposit is scheduled, not only the paychecks.
- Records: the IRS generally asks businesses to keep records for three years, and employment tax records for at least four years after the tax is due or paid, whichever is later.
Why it works
Uneven cash flow is common and the cushion is usually thin. In the Federal Reserve's 2024 Small Business Credit Survey of 7,653 employer firms, 51% reported uneven cash flows as a financial challenge, and an analysis of 597,000 small businesses by the JPMorgan Chase Institute found the median business held enough cash to cover 27 days of outflows, with a quarter holding fewer than 13.
The buffer-days figure is the reason the check ends with one number. A business that knows it has 18 days of cash on a Monday will chase the oldest invoice that afternoon, while one that only knows the balance looks fine may wait until payroll week to find out it does not.
Sources
- Federal Reserve Banks. 2025 Report on Employer Firms: Findings from the 2024 Small Business Credit Survey. 2025. 7,653 employer firms.
- Farrell, D. and Wheat, C. Cash Is King: Flows, Balances, and Buffer Days. JPMorgan Chase Institute, 2016. 597,000 small businesses.
- Internal Revenue Service. Estimated Taxes.
- Internal Revenue Service. Publication 583, Starting a Business and Keeping Records.
- Internal Revenue Service. How Long Should I Keep Records?
Related reading: How Many Hours Small Business Owners Spend on Admin Each Week · One Place for Every Client's Details: Record Keeping for Salons, Trades and Practices · Busy Phones Are Usually an Intake Problem: How to Fix Intake First
Email hello@osnovaops.com about setting up a weekly money check
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