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With the advent of accounting, one of the most prominent words in the business dictionary was bookkeeping. In its broadest terms, bookkeeping is the process of keeping a record of all business financial transactions. It is a process that requires drawing up several accounts containing various transactions within the company. The bookkeeping process in accounting has been a tedious task since its inception, as it requires drawing up several individual t-accounts to record journal entries for the five major accounting elements – assets, liabilities, capital, expenses, and revenues

An essential and commonly used classification is that of Ledgers, General Ledger, and Sub Ledger. To advance the discussion on General Ledger, a brief description regarding the functionality of the ledgers is necessary.

What is a Ledger?

A ledger is a record of transactions documented in chronological order in accounting. These transactions are captured from the journal and are organized by account heads. These ledgers provide a historical and current summary of each transaction related to a specific account. The summary is the most reliable source for drawing up the financial statement at the year-end. For instance, the sales ledger has all the sales-related transactions. The sales return ledger maintains transactions related to sales returns. Therefore, the sales figure displayed on the Profit and Loss Account may be directly verified from the sales ledger.

What is a General Ledger?

As previously identified, cash-related transactions will have their cash ledger and sales-related transactions will be contained in a sales ledger. General Ledger is one big master account that comprises data from these individual ledgers, compiled in a single format. General Ledger is also known as the book of final entry. General Ledger is used to post information on financial statements – Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss Account of the business.

Sub Ledgers are another related accounting and bookkeeping category, sometimes known as subsidiary ledgers. Updating the sub-ledger is like updating a General Ledger. However, unlike the General Ledger, the ledger comprises just a few accounts.

Format of a General Ledger

In recent times, automation and accounting software have made traditional bookkeeping outdated. Traditionally, a General Ledger resembled a register or book, where all the transactional data was kept. Each account would occupy one page in the General Ledger, which comprised all accounts mentioned in the Chart of Accounts.

The format of a General Ledger included five different columns for each heading. The main headings include Date, Transaction Details, Debit, Credit, and Balance. The header would usually include the name of the account and its given number. An updated General Ledger would demonstrate the current balance of each account as of that date.

Accounting Software

As given above, a traditional depiction of General Ledger will likely be more comprehensive for all businesses. In the present era, traditional bookkeeping has become obsolete. The introduction of accounting software has made accounting and bookkeeping an automated process. Numerous business transactions may be recorded and posted to their respective accounts simultaneously without manually posting entries into the relevant account heads. 

It allows for speed, accuracy, and cost-saving. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions, such as SAP and Oracle, have revolutionized the accounting world at its core. Computer software automatically posts entries onto the General Ledger from the respective account ledgers and calculates the current balances according to the specified date. 

Hence, understanding the functionality and structure of a General Ledger is crucial to business accounting procedures. The simplest form of its explanation has been provided here.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the evolution from traditional bookkeeping to modern accounting software signifies a transformative leap in efficiency. As the cornerstone of financial record-keeping, the General Ledger consolidates individual ledgers into a comprehensive overview. While the traditional ledger format emphasizes manual entries and meticulous organization, contemporary accounting software automates the process, ensuring speed, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness.

In today’s dynamic business landscape, embracing technological advancements in financial management, exemplified by Enterprise Resource Planning solutions, is imperative for maintaining precision and relevance in accounting practices. Understanding the structure and function of the General Ledger remains pivotal in navigating the complexities of business accounting.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Consumer advocates have had many concerns about banks’ inability to clearly explain the procedure for charging overdraft fees to their customers. Because there is quite a bit of confusion, customers are often unaware of the charged fees and unsure how to tackle or avoid them.

However, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has taken measures to redesign the forms banks use to explain the fee procedures. The new guidelines are still in the testing phase, and it will take considerable time to make them official.

What are Overdraft Fees?

An overdraft happens when insufficient money is in your bank account to cover purchases or bills. However, the bank takes it upon itself to pay it and then charges you a certain overdraft fee, usually $34 per payment, which can increase with the amount they have to pay. This fee must be paid to the bank in addition to the amount they paid for the original bill. These fees were mainly related to checks in the past, but with changing consumer spending patterns and needs, they are now more frequently charged on debit cards. If you have been careless and spent more than you should have, you must get ready to be charged substantial overdraft fees.

Concerns

For a long time, there have not been any regulations on banks to charge these fees, and some of them have even been heavily fined for deceptive marketing practices that fortified customers to register for overdraft services. However, bankers’ associations and the Protection Bureau have been closely working together to minimize the burden on consumers and bring the fees under regulation.

Now, banks must ask for permission from their customers before paying for the shortfall. Instances related to spending too much or withdrawing more money than they have in the account can be avoided just by rejecting the requested transaction. Banks do not need the customer’s consent for overdraft fees on checks and online payments, making it a notable concern for many people.

Apart from all the inconvenience caused by these fees, some customers feel this is expedient if they miss a periodic payment. However, most working-class families view these fees as an unnecessary burden on them as the ones paying the maximum amount of overdraft fees are only a tiny percentage. There have been concerns regarding the authenticity of overdrafts affecting the general population. Still, it has been reaffirmed that the figures are derived from 40 million bank accounts, which is quite a large number.

Malpractices

It has been observed that many banks market these overdrafts as “protection,” which is more of a favorable term. Customers are advised to think before consenting to these services, as they may be unaware of its consequences. Also, if you don’t want to opt for extra services, there are no mentioned benefits in the current form. Only the cost of these fees can be relied on as they are mentioned and charged.

How to Avoid Overdraft Fees

Signing up for alerts on your bank account is one of the best ways to know if your account balance has been altered. You can also link multiple accounts together, forcing your bank to charge from other bank accounts, and the fees can be avoided. This may cost you a little, but it will be significantly less than you would have paid otherwise. For debit purchases, you always have the option to opt out. At any moment that you feel that overdraft services are no longer required, all you need to do is request that the bank cancel them.

Avoiding overdraft fees can be one of the most vital financial decisions because it could cost you way more than you ever expected.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

More than 78 million people who pay taxes utilize the services of tax professionals to prepare their tax returns. Generally, any tax professional with an IRS Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) is authorized to prepare federal tax returns.

Most tax professionals provide top-notch services but have varying expertise, skills, and educational backgrounds. One significant difference that sets them apart is their “representation rights,” also known as practitioner rights. These rights include their ability to represent their clients before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

These rights fall into two categories: unlimited representation and limited representation. The unlimited representation rights, as the name says, allow tax practitioners to represent their clients in any matter: audits, bookkeeping, related payment or collection issues, and appeals, to name a few.

On the other hand, limited representation rights only allow the professional to represent their clients whose returns are prepared and signed by them and only before revenue agents, representatives of customer service, and IRS employees like the Taxpayer Advocate Service.

Comprehensive Guide to Credentials and Qualifications

Unlimited Representation Rights

Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), Enrolled Agents (EAs), and attorneys have unlimited representation rights before the IRS.

Certified Public Accountants

Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) complete the Uniform CPA Examination. Moreover, they have studied for a bachelor’s degree with at least 150 hours of formal education and gained experience under a licensed CPA.

They must adhere to their board’s ethical and good character requirements and complete continuing professional education to maintain their professional competence and, most importantly, their CPA license.

They may provide various services, for example, audit, consultancy, forensic, and specialized tax planning and preparation.

Enrolled Agents

The IRS licenses Enrolled Agents (EAs) who must pass a three-part comprehensive enrollment exam that tests their proficiency in federal tax planning, representation, and tax return preparation for individuals and businesses.

They are also subject to suitability checks and must complete 72 hours of continuing education every three years.

Attorneys 

State courts license attorneys. They have completed a law degree and also passed a bar exam. They have ongoing continuing education and standards of professional character.

Though attorneys can offer a wide range of services, some specialize in tax planning and preparation.

Limited Representation Rights

Tax practitioners with limited representation rights include Annual Filing Season Program Participants and PTIN Holders.

Annual Filing Season Program Participants 

Annual Filing Season Program Participants is a voluntary program that recognizes the efforts of individuals who are not CPAs, EAs, or attorneys preparing tax returns. This program was designed to encourage education and prepare taxpayers for filing season.

The IRS issues the Annual Filing Season Program Record of Completion to return preparers who complete a specific number of continuing education hours in preparation for a given tax year.

PTIN Holders 

Preparers of tax returns with a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) but no professional credentials and non-participants of the Annual Filing Season Program are also allowed to prepare tax returns.

However, this is the only authority that PTIN holders have. They cannot represent clients before the IRS (this rule does not apply to returns they prepared and filed on or before December 31, 2015).

Directory of Federal Tax Return Professionals with Credentials and Select Qualifications

The IRS has a searchable and sortable public directory that contains certain tax professionals to help taxpayers determine the credentials and qualifications of their tax preparer.

The database contains the name, state, city, and zip code of tax practitioners with limited and unlimited representation rights.

Reminder

All practitioners and individuals must have an IRS-issued PTIN to be eligible to prepare their tax returns lawfully. Furthermore, the IRS suggests checking the history and qualifications of their tax preparers and setting the terms before starting an arrangement to ensure that no discrepancies occur in your filing process.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Private fund investment is a financial investment company in which,

• There are less than 100 investors.
• Its participating investors have considerable funds capitalized elsewhere.

Such funds are exempted from laws and regulations of federal securities and are incorporated in the tag “hedge funds.”

How Do Private Equity Investors Earn Money?

• Increase money: from Limited Partners (LPs), i.e., insurance companies, pension funds, retirement funds, endowments, and wealthy folks.
• Source, diligence, and close deals to gain companies.
• Expand procedures, cut expenses, and squeeze administration of their portfolio corporations.
• Trade portfolio corporations at a yield

Current financial statistics indicate that proficient investors like private equity individuals are tapping cash to work for private mid-market corporations. There are many hurdles that both investors and business people must cross.

Here are a few strategies to attract owners of a private equity fund:

Review your financials

Review your financial statistics because the prospective buyer will check your financial statements in detail, and an audit free of any gaps will attract investors. The buyer will perceive you as a serious, professional individual who listens keenly to details. Accurate bookkeeping of your transactions allows the buyer a signal of your efficiency and accuracy while negotiating.

Generate a strong team

A strong team will be needed because you can only do some work alone, and you can only sometimes supervise.

Private equity investors always search for such teams whenever they recapitalize a company.

Expand your client base

Buyer concentration is the major hit for sophisticated financiers. Only 10 to 15 % of profit should be gained from one customer alone. It is risky when companies earn 40% to 50% of their profits from one to two clients. The bookkeeping of revenues must be kept, and the percentage of revenue that comes from each customer must be known.

Make an exit strategy

“We like to see owners start meeting with their advisors two to three years before a planned transition. That way, the owner can act to fill the gaps so his business can become an A or even an A+ company,” said Fred Wainwright, certified exit planner of Ledyard Bank New Hampshire. So, an exit strategy should be designed after a detailed discussion with your financial planner, accountant, lawyer, and investment banker.

Fix your agreements

Keep your contracts fixed because new customers will not be easy to find. Trying to obtain new customers rather than keep your current ones will cost more.  

Build the product pipeline

Attract your investors by beginning a new business in new markets so that they invest in your plans. Investors will be interested in the size of the market and the source of shares. If they find satisfactory answers, they will invest in your potential company.

Acquire a realistic assessment

Keep an accurate record of transactions through bookkeeping and get a formal evaluation from a certified appraiser to evaluate your business accurately. This is necessary information required while negotiating with a private fund investor.

Create an acquisition

To grow fast and to exit more attractively, buy another company, but this is not an easy deal. “There is certainly no playbook; if you’ve never made an acquisition before and you don’t have people inside the company to guide you, you’ve got to find all the help you can get.” ” says Glenn Fishler, President and CEO of Environmental and Occupational Risk Management, Inc.

Organize your records accurately

Investors are attracted by well-organized and accurately recorded information. Keep the record of customers, corporate structure, stockholders, bookkeeping of financial status, employees, etc.

Private fund investors will likely make the deal if your records are organized.

Protection of intellectual property

The value of intellectual property has increased quite a bit. The following are significant steps that need to be taken to expand the revenue of your business: prepare the catalog of training steps, documentation of software, copyright of your website, and trademark of your goods.  

Conclusion

Following the abovementioned strategies, you can excel and easily appeal to private fund investors for your old and new business endeavors.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

In recent years, internet start-ups have changed how employees work, offering flexible schedules and taking in remote employees. While this may be pretty simple for an internet start-up, it is not as easy for retail outlets. They need to have a well-disciplined shift system. However, it proves to be tricky. The requirements of a strict shift system make retail jobs relatively undesirable compared to online companies that, as said before, offer their employees flexibility.

Bloomberg states that employee retention is one of the biggest problems in the retail sector today. However, there is a solution: if you take up certain practices to improve the quality of work in retail, you will produce happy and productive employees.

Be Predictable

It is estimated that 17% of retail employees have unstable work schedules, which leads to difficulties for employees. It is important to inform them about your shift needs and the times you will require your employees to be on the floor to avoid your employees facing such problems. Create a suitable shift calendar, share it with your employees, and do your best to adhere to what you publish in that shift calendar.

Plan

In certain states, shift scheduling problems have led to lawsuits. The main practice highlighted in the lawsuits was on-call shift scheduling. This on-call practice puts employees under immense pressure, forcing them to be available when off. It can also violate the labor laws in many states.

It is much better to work with a streamlined schedule posted well in advance for employees to see. You can work with a good strategy. For example, always have at least one experienced and well-performing employee on the floor.

Be Transparent

Making on-paper schedules is not a thing of the past. Current technology allows you to construct and share shift schedules with your employees. Transparency will not only improve the relations you have with your employees but will also help your business follow labor laws more efficiently.

Improving relations with employees also means they will be happier, and this work environment will yield higher productivity.

Encourage Communication

Managers often get pressured by shift change and vacation requests. You can streamline this practice by encouraging employees to communicate and coordinate all their needs through scheduling software. Given the autonomy, your employees can plan a shift schedule, which the scheduling manager can later approve. This will improve teamwork, shift the burden of rescheduling everyone for a one-day leave, and help avoid the uncomfortable situation of telling a particular employee that they might have to work extra shifts.

Accept Feedback

Encourage employees to give you feedback on the shift schedule by making yourself available. Remember that the feedback process is always helpful.

Feedback will help build a positive employee-manager/owner relationship, raising the happiness and productivity of employees. To avoid any kind of accusation of favoritism, set up a feedback framework such as an anonymous questionnaire or survey. This will also help if you put some of their suggestions into action to let the employees know that their feedback and suggestions are not being ignored.

Data-Driven Decisions

Employee satisfaction is one of the primary objectives that your business wishes to achieve. However, it should not let you go off-track with your primary goal to sell your products.

Note and mark when your retail store is filled with customers and assign shifts so more employees are available. Similarly, keep fewer employees on the floor when only a few customers are around. This will balance each employee’s workload and derail any grievance that employees might have related to them being more burdened than their co-workers.

Work Incentives

Retail stores rarely offer their employees a clear road to promotion and growth. The most they might get is an advance to a managerial position. Due to this, temporary or even permanent employees might not be productive, and employee retention can become a severe issue. Giving incentives, such as role-based training from someone experienced, can help enhance your workers’ quality of customer service and productivity.

Acknowledging achievements through a proper recognition framework can help boost your employees’ performance. You can also choose to provide bonuses. Providing respect to your employees can help you build manager-employee relationships. Assigning extra tasks, such as bookkeeping, based on the qualifications or skills of your permanent employees can give them a fulfilled feeling that will boost their work performance.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

If your company or business has been in trouble for a while and you cannot seem to pay off your corporate debts, your collectors may start looking for money. They can do this by threatening lawful action against you or your company. The way your industry is set up and whether you or your business guarantees any debts or recompenses will predict how much your creditors will be able to get from you through your bookkeeping records. Furthermore, whether you file for insolvency may also change how much a creditor can obtain.

Protect the Company

Understandably, the first possibility in saving a business while handling its debt is taking money out of your pocket and putting it into your business. It is a calculated risk that possibly has failed as many times as it has prospered. It should only be done if you can validate it as a short-term bookkeeping approach that promises the probability of a long-term payout.

Cut Expenses

If you cannot bond out your business with private assets, you need to recognize areas where you can condense costs. Maybe you can sublease the unused space or sell off unused equipment. While lessening your employees is not a striking option, it may be essential to keep your business alive.

Contact Clients and Providers

Stay associated with your consumers and seek ways to upsurge your exposure and develop your business model, thus possibly increasing your profits. Offer your best clients discounts if they can pay you quicker. You should also contact your dealers to arrange discounts and deferred expenditures.

Contact Creditors

Contact every collector and advise them of your pickle. Ignoring your money lenders can only worsen matters while confronting a debt problem is easier when you act timely. Since it is in everyone’s interest to find a resolution, request that your investors work with you on bookkeeping to lower interest rates, increase your credit line, or streamline your repayment options.

Amalgamate Loans

You can merge your business loans into one reimbursement, which may reduce monthly costs without negatively affecting your credit. A business debt consolidation loan can allow you to deal with a single collector rather than many and perhaps get a loan with a lower interest rate. A debt consolidation company can facilitate hiring someone to take accountability for conveying the new loan, gathering payments for your business, and paying off your former creditors. The loan may be unsecured or secured by business assets.

Bankruptcy

As a last resort, liquidation is a route to salvage a company, especially if the business’s debt challenges are temporary and the company is otherwise viable. Liquidation can always be measured when your company is deep in the red, and you may face collectors coming after you. There needs to be a lot of thought before filing for bankruptcy, but it may be able to provide you with the period you need to get the whole lot straightened out. There is no assurance of what possessions you can keep after insolvency, so you must prepare yourself.

Benefits of Bankruptcy: How it Can Help You

One of the main gains that can come from filing for liquidation is time. Once you have filed for insolvency, the bankruptcy court of law typically puts an automatic stay on all debt collection, meaning that none of your collectors can ban or recuperate your assets.

Also, liquidation can wipe out unsafe debt (not protected by property, like credit card debt). Fortified debts (e.g., home mortgages and car loans) are another story and must be deliberated individually. Because you put up possessions as a security for the loan, your creditor is still possibly authorized to take it, even if you file for insolvency.

Final Note

However, bankruptcy is your best option if you are in imminent danger of losing your business and need help quickly. But before you file, get advice from a knowledgeable small-business attorney with bankruptcy experience.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

For any business or company, a cash flow statement is one of the most significant and essential financial statements they will produce. The statement might be easy and uncomplicated as a one-page analysis statement or might consist of quite a bit of detail that feeds the figures in a central statement. As a business owner, it is important to know what you are reading and how to interpret the data. 

A cash flow statement is like a record of all the cash that flows in and out of a project or business. Think of it just like the checking account at your bank. The deposits are like the cash inflow, and the withdrawals (in the form of checks) are like cash outflows. Your checking account’s balance is like your net cash flow for a certain period. 

Just as bookkeeping helps provide all the necessary and relevant information from which all the accounts are formulated, every transaction, whatever its nature (purchase or sale) is, should be recorded. This is the information that will be found on that cash flow statement.

A forecast of future cash flows is known as a cash flow budget. Think of it as a forecast of future withdrawals and deposits in your checking account. A cash flow statement is related to the total amount of cash flows and the timing of those flows.

Most of the cash flows are formed for many periods. It may take over a year to register monthly cash outflows and inflows. The remaining cash balance is projected at the year’s end, as well as each month’s cash balance.

What Is the Purpose of a Cash Flow Statement Analysis?

The objective of a cash flow statement is to see where the cash inflows are being generated and where the cash outflows are being spent for a certain time (generally annually and quarterly). The purpose of a cash flow statement is to analyze a company’s long-term solvency and liquidity.

The cash flow statement involves using cash-based accounting instead of accrual-based accounting. Most businesses use it for their income statement and balance sheet. This is essential because a corporation might have accumulated accounting revenues but not have received the cash. A cash flow statement analysis can produce taxes payable and profits but not offer the means to stay secure and creditworthy.

A cash flow statement delivers information on a company’s solvency or liquidity. The cash flow clearly shows a business’s financial resources for a certain time.

What Are the Cash Flow Statement Components?

A cash flow statement component gives a comprehensive vision of cash flow from financing operations and investing.

Finance Activities

The cash flows from the finance activities refer to the cash outflows towards the entities’ investors (such as paying interest to bondholders) and shareholders (such as paying stock buybacks and dividends). Cash flows from the finance activities also include cash inflows received through the disbursement of stock equity or sales of bonds.

Many cash flow finance activities comprise cash outflows because most entities occasionally provide stocks and bonds.

Operating Activities

The remaining sum of cash leaving or coming in through the daily business operations is known as cash flow from operations. It consists of the operating income and non-cash items, such as depreciation.

Investing Activities

Cash flow through investing activities will consist of cash outflow for long-term assets like equipment, land, buildings, etc., as well as inflows from the sale of securities, assets, businesses, etc.

Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding the cash flow statement is vital for business owners. It serves as a record of financial health, helping analyze solvency and liquidity. The components – operating, financing, and investing activities – provide a comprehensive view, aiding in strategic financial planning for the business’s future. Proper interpretation of this statement is crucial for making informed decisions and ensuring the company’s long-term success.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Advertisements all over the media make claims about settling tax debts that taxpayers must pay to the IRS. The particular settlement program is known as Offer In Compromise. However, the fact that a vast majority of Offer in Compromise applications are rejected is something you should be aware of. 

In a report by the Government Accountability Office, 16 million people had tax debts as of 2010. During that time, only 31,000 Offer in Compromise applications were approved, while approved Installment Agreements numbered 4 million.

The Offer in Compromise acceptance rate is low for two reasons.

1. There are a lot of taxpayers who apply but do not fulfill the base qualifications for Offer In Compromise.
2. The taxpayers who do qualify are unable to pay the amount they offer.

Do You Qualify for an Offer in Compromise?

The IRS uses the ability of the taxpayer to pay their tax debt as the basic criteria for determining the acceptance of an application for an Offer in Compromise. The IRS website has a tool called the OIC Pre-Qualifier that can help you understand your acceptance eligibility.

To qualify for an OIC, a client must prove their inability to pay the total tax debt before the expiration of the collection statute. This is done by viewing the net equity of assets and any future income. The IRS uses monthly disposable income to calculate future income to determine whether a tax debt can be paid before the expiration of the collection statute.

If the final calculation determines your inability to pay your tax debt, you are eligible for an Offer in Compromise.

You should know that eligibility does not equal acceptance. You must be able to pay the offer amount computed by the IRS for your application of Offer in Compromise to be accepted and the debt to be settled.

Can You Pay the Offer in a Compromise Amount?

A formula objectively determines whether you can pay the amount proposed in the Offer In Compromise. The formula requires estimating your future income for 1-2 years.

Due diligence is necessary for calculating the offer amount. Sometimes, people with a tax debt overestimate or underestimate this amount. They need to calculate their monthly disposable income and the net equity in their assets properly. Due diligence is also important to avoid what may become a lengthy and costly investigation process.

2011 Fresh Start Initiative by the IRS

The number of qualifications and acceptance of Offer In Compromise has been rising since 2011. The reason is the Fresh Start Initiative, which has made qualifying for Offer in Compromise easier. The 2011 initiative also enabled the people who owe taxes to pay a lesser offer amount.

Before the introduction of the initiative, offer amounts for tax debt settlement were considerably higher than they are today. Future income would be summed up for four years instead of the 1-2 years that have been calculated since the Fresh Start Initiative.

Applications for Offer in Compromise increased by 30% after Fresh Start was introduced, while the IRS’ acceptance rate increased from 25% to 42%.

Conclusion

The Offer in Compromise should only be considered when your financial situation is poor enough to hinder your ability to pay the complete tax debt until the expiration of the collection statute. The criteria for qualification and acceptance of an Offer in Compromise application are quite clear in deciding between pursuing an Offer in Compromise.

The difficult task is the calculations and estimations involved in computing the ability to pay and the net equity in assets. It would help if you looked closely into the feasibility of the Offer in Compromise regarding your financial situation. Sometimes, suitable alternatives to Offers in Compromise exist, such as a Partial Pay Installment Agreement or a Currently Non-Collectible Status.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

To properly handle your business’s financial needs, you must make the right decision when selecting a bank. Unlike the bank you use for your personal needs, you need your business bank to offer you applicable products and services, and you should choose the one that provides the most. Begin your research by looking into the different kinds of services banks offer in your area; the fees for these services should also be investigated thoroughly.

What Do You Want from Your Bank?

Having clear knowledge about your business’s services requires a bank to help finalize your choice. Interact with the banks on your list to shortlist the few that offer the required services.

For example, suppose you identify good customer service as an important prerequisite in selecting your bank. In that case, you might want to call them and check out the time it takes to reach a representative with the information to satisfy your queries. You can check their email response time, ideally within 24 hours. This will help you know beforehand whether your bank would cooperate when you need assistance and customer support.

Small Banks and Large Banks

Banks with large nationwide networks might offer you competitive interest and a wide range of services for your business. Smaller banks are more interested in the growth of local companies, thus making it easy to get a loan from them. A bank that would mail you your statements can greatly help your bookkeeping.

Smaller and regional banks are also familiar with local market status and requirements. As the Wall Street Journal states:

“Smaller, regionally focused banks may be better because they know local market conditions, they often provide more one-on-one access to a loan officer and put more emphasis on a borrower’s character rather than just applying a credit-score model. And they can be more flexible during tough times, such as covering overdrawn accounts without imposing stiff penalties.”

Become Aware of the Fee Structure

In banking, you will be charged for almost everything in one way or another. Call the banks on your list and consult the representative to determine how much the bank charges for different services, from Automated Teller Machine (ATM) withdrawal fees, checkbooks, and account statements. Ask about the other charges your business might need, such as credit cards and wire transfers.

The Reputation of the Bank Matters

You can consult other business owners when choosing your bank. Owners of businesses with similar financial needs might be able to help you by sharing their experience with their banks. Their satisfaction with their bank might help you decide and enhance your trust in your banking services.

It is better if your chosen bank qualifies as a Small Business Administration (SBA) lender. When applying for an SBA loan, having a good relationship with your bank is important as it makes getting approval for an SBA loan a whole lot easier.

The Small Business Administration’s Preferred Lender Program can help you identify the banks that easily give out SBA loans. The SBA says that the preferred lenders have a “streamlined paperwork process,” which can easily help your small business get its loan approval.

Work on Your Relationship with Your Bank

Once you have finalized your decision regarding which institution’s banking suits the financial needs of your business, you need to build a strong relationship with the bank staff that provides you with services. This relationship will be very resourceful, as it can lead to identifying ways the bank can assist your business. It might also help you get the credit you need during a loss or crisis. Consulting the banker about prospects can help you learn a lot about the services you will need for your business in the future. This can help you plan for future needs.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

You can schedule how your company’s resources are utilized and track varied costs associated with resource usage in a project. It involves the expenditure of machine-hours, employee hours, inventory goods, and other usages tracked for job progress. If a job has been running for a long time, you may transform these costs on the balance sheet to a work-in-process account. Doing so allows you to analyze the costs and include them in your income statements whenever required.

Work in process is a prompt step that inputs labor and materials and converts them into consummate goods. The balance in the work-in-process account is the total value of semi-completed inventories at the end date of the reporting period. Large companies know the significance of calculating work in process to make their inventory perpetual. However, trade businesses, in which a tradesman employs transitory methods of inventory by taking physical resources of consummate goods into account, can use this formula for determining work in process.

Importance of Calculating Work in Process

The role of calculating work in the process is essential in these manners:

• To make sure that the work is going to make maximum profit
• Understanding of cost structure is enhanced
• To effectively manage employees and projects in a profitable way
• Enabling the company to make informed decisions that are relevant to the business

Rate to Cover Your Emolument

You can calculate your rates to recover your payments. If you are making a $10,000 net profit in your business in a single year and have not taken pay, then it might be best to find another form of income with a better wage system and fewer worries.

The first step should be determining how much income you need because the wage depends on your circumstances.

You need to consider every need, including mortgage payments, cost of living, etc. Trade businesses are usually covered by doing paperwork such as generating invoices, bookkeeping entries, bills, etc.

The next step is finding out how many hours you can work. No tradesman can physically work 24 hours; however, needs may dedicate more working hours to maximize profit. If you work 40 hours a week and 2080 a year, you must consider your holidays, sick leave, and official leave. If holidays account for four weeks, ill and other leaves account for three weeks, 52 weeks will become 45. That means you are working 1,800 hours in a single year. This way, you can manage your costs and profits and calculate your work.

 Rate to Cover Your Running Costs

You can calculate this rate to recover your running costs for the trade business. If a tradesperson does not charge for a single hour, you still must pay for power, rent, and vehicle costs. You must begin by analyzing your previous costs because, if you do not, you cannot generate profits in your succeeding business.

 Profit Margin

Calculating this would help you get the return you want from your business. You should build a specific profit margin percentage for every hour of chargeable time. This margin must go hand in hand with the reasonable time you allocate to this calculation. In addition, you should compare your charge-out rate to the industry averages to know whether the total rate could be competitive.

Remember to charge after an hour of work to find appropriate rates. If the rate is lower than the average rate, it will allow you to profit. Charging too little is the same as charging too much because it can undermine the confidence of consumers and employees in your business.

 Material Costs

When calculating work for charge-out rate, material costs are not included. These costs are separately added to the markup and can be done in various ways. You can use the wholesale or retail price or the actual price to put the mark upon.

Conclusion

• Be realistic in your business and meet the expectations of your employees
• Understand the cost of the company to generate maximum profits
• Find material and variable costs, including bills, vehicles, overtime, etc.
• Review changes and revise the costs whenever required
• Analyze the cost structure instantaneously and know what other competitive businesses are charging
• Be aware of what the market wants to pay
• Neither look for lower or higher rates than the average but keep them sustainably.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.