Does Your Accounting Department Have Holes in It? You’ve got someone to do your federal and state income tax returns, and you have a bookkeeper. So that’s all that a small business needs when it comes to having an accounting department, right? Wrong. Large companies have many functions in their accounting departments, and small and […]
The balance sheet is one of the main financial reports for any business. Among other things, it shows what a company owns, what they owe, and how much they and others have invested in the business. One of the characteristics of a balance sheet is how it separates what you own and what you owe […]
A great way to start the new year is to get clear on exactly how you can make your revenue goal number. A revenue plan is the perfect tool. You’ll need to be proficient in Excel, and if not, you can work with your accountant on this very important and enlightening spreadsheet. Start by listing […]
In a little over a month, it will be 2015 and time for year-end accounting chores. One of those chores is getting your 1099s out, and now is a good time to tie up loose ends so the year-end process can go smoother. Here are some tips to do just that: Go through your vendor […]
Real-time accounting is when your books are caught up to the present and you know exactly where you stand with your account balances, revenue, and profit. It’s truly doing your accounting in real time. The opposite of real-time accounting is getting your books done once a year (or worse, being years behind). When you wait […]
The Balance Sheet is an important report in your business’s financial statements. Most small business owners are unsure of what all of the numbers mean on this report, so let’s see if we can shed some light on what they mean. A Summary of Balances One big characteristic of a balance sheet is that it […]
One of the side effects of our last economic slowdown was in state government budgets; states searched hard for new income, and many of them found a great source by cracking down on sales tax collections. Their new hot buzzword: nexus. Nexus means a connection that a business has with a state, and it has […]
With St. Patrick’s Day and spring arriving, March is a great month to have “green” on the mind. There are green shamrocks, green beer, the green of new vegetation, and there’s even green accounting too. Here are five ways to make your accounting a little more green. Business Receipts When you spend money […]
Many businesses operate with seasonal peaks and valleys. Retail stores just completed their busy holiday season. Construction contractors are busy when the weather is good. Accountants are very busy from January through April, but also experience a quarterly peak in July and October. Your business many have its own calendar of busy and slow times. […]
Have you ever tried on a shirt or jeans and found they didn’t fit at all? They looked great on the hangar, but that was the end of it. Accounting systems come in all sizes, shapes, and colors just like clothing; and just like clothing, some accounting systems fit your business better than others. It’s […]