Earlier this year we sat down with a tax pro to find out everything you as a massage therapist need to know this tax season. Certified Public Accountant Larry Marietta gave us some great tips to make tax prep easier than rolling off a massage table.

But now the clocks have fallen back, holiday music is on a loop in the stores, and I have no idea what happened to 2014. Is it really almost over?

You've got a choice to make. You can continue to shove receipts into an envelope and feel the impending doom of tax time. Or you can spend an hour getting your act together and feel proud of yourself for being proactive like a real grown-up professional.

Get organized

I know, I know. We say this all the time. Because it’s important. Grab your receipt box and dump it out. Put everything in order, match up to your bank statements, and make sure you've identified every possible business expense. Total up all your expenses into the proper categories.

If you're not sure what qualifies as a business expense, there are PLENTY of great resources out there. Start with the IRS's Tax Guide for Small Business. If you find that a little intense, check out Bench.com’s great “Can I expense that?” series to help you figure out what’s what.

Do the math

Calculate your year-to-date income and expenses, at least roughly. Check in with your tax pro to see if now's the time to spend a little cash on some new equipment or retirement, or if you're better off waiting until 2015.

Think ahead on your financial goals

Okay, this one isn't really a tax-specfic task, but it's best tied to the beginning of 2015.

Take a few minutes and think about the last year. Was there something you wanted to do or buy for your business, but you didn't have the funds?

Maybe you want to upgrade your linens or improve the whole sensory experience in your office.

If you're not contributing to a retirement fund, it may be time to hop on that. If you want to be philanthropic and support the future of your profession, maybe a donation to the Massage Therapy Foundation suits you.

Decide what your goal is, and set up a plan to make it happen. The simpler the plan, the more likely you are to succeed, so think small.

If you've got online banking, it's easy to set up an automatic withdrawal to a savings account. Earmark a savings account just for your goal and send $10 a week there. Or $5. Whatever feels cozy for you, but not so much that you'll notice the money is 'gone'. (I just set mine up! I want to redo my reception area.)

If you’re old school, grab a piggy bank & make a note in your appointment book on the same day each week to remind yourself to toss some cash in the pig. Even if you just rummage around your car or purse for loose change to feed the pig, it's something. It's a start.

That's it

See? It wasn't that hard. Even if you only conquer one of the above suggestions, you've made progress. Give yourself a high five and get ready for 2015!