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Setting up the Right Accounting System for your Business.

Posted on September 5, 2014 at 12:50 AM

Setting up the Right Accounting System for your Business.

Every Business needs a good Business Accounting System to increase their Business' chance for success. When Starting a Business, the first focus should be on building systems and processes, that allow us to accurately capture as much data as possible, from the setup process; It is important to remember that this process helps us to learn about our businesses and enhances our decision making, as well as giving us a better idea, of what is going on in our Business.

This Month, we will be looking at the processes of setting up the right business accounting system for our Organization. Below are some points to consider, when setting up your Business Accounting System:

Maintain Separate Books: When Starting a Business, the first thing to do, is to set up a Separate Bank Account for your Business, as well as a Business Debit/Credit Card. This helps to properly distinguish your personal expenses from your Business expenses, and enhances accurate tax deductions during tax periods. In addition, IRS Auditors are always quick to disallow expenses, when your Business Expenses are mingled with personal expenses.

Types of Business Entity: It is important to choose the right legal and tax entity for your Business. For Tax Purposes, Sole Proprietors use a 1040 Schedule C to report their activity, while other Business entities flow their profits into their individual tax return, through a Schedule K-1. The C-Corporations require separate tax returns, without a flow- through of the profits into the personal tax returns. Every Business Owner needs to think carefully about getting the right business entity, so that you will not have unpleasant surprises during tax periods.

Cash versus Accrual: These are the two approved methods of Accounting. The Cash Method is based on recording payments, immediately they are made, and revenues are recorded, when they are received. The Accrual Method is the method , whereby transactions are reported , when there is an established obligation. For a transaction to occur, this means that Income should be recognized before its receipt, and expenses are charged, before the Bill Payments. The Accrual Method of Accounting is actually the preferred method for most Businesses, especially for Tax Purposes.

Sub-Ledgers: Most Businesses recognize the need to organize their business transactions into accounting groups. These Groups use their own reporting system, known as " Sub-Ledgers", and they fall into these categories:

Accounts Receivables - Money Others Owe You.
Accounts Payables - Money, that you owe your Vendors
Sales - Revenue & Money, that you receive
Fixed Assets - Assets & Properties that your Business Owns.
Inventory - Goods & Materials that your Business holds for the purpose of Resale.

Bookkeeping Setup: Maintaining the Books is the most important part of your Business Account Setup, and is required by Law. Your Bookkeeping System incorporates all the above mentioned points, to create usable information, which enables you to see how your Business is doing and make wise decisions. There are various Bookkeeping Tools, to help you maintain your accounting records. Examples are Microsoft Excel, QuickBooks, Sage ,Xero; but the most preferred tool is QuickBooks, because it syncs with your Bank account and updates your records regularly, and this helps ,you stay on top of your account.

You need to spend time in setting up the right Accounting system for your Business, if you want your Business, to be successful. We know that it is easy to get caught up in all the administrative tasks and will suggest that you ask for help

Do you have the right Accounting System for your Business? It's not too late to set up a good system for you, why don't you give us a Call to help you out.

Remember: You are increasing your Business chance for Success, when you make your Account Setup, a priority.

Tips for Managing Your Business Cash Flow.

Posted on August 5, 2014 at 2:49 AM

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It's already the eighth month of the Year, We are gradually getting to the end of the year, and soon it will be time for Year End Reports. In our last Newsletter, We discussed the concept of Cash Flow and how it affects our Business Operations; this month, we will be looking at tips to manage our Business Cash Flow.

Being in Business for yourself is like being an Air traffic controller, especially in the area of cash flow management ; You can imagine trying to control 100 Airplanes landing simultaneously on two runways; this can be an upheaval task, but we regularly see clients line up their monthly bills, their projected income, business projects and business expenses and try to combine all these activities, at the same time, trying to ensure a steady cash flow into the business; you can imagine, the projected outcome, if all these activities are not properly coordinated.

Cash Flow is the heartbeat of every Business, and if a Business does not have the cash on hand to pay their vendors, they will definitely run into problems. The main Cash Flow Problem, that Business Owners face is as a result of Lack of Creative Cash Management. Below are some Tips to overcome the Ups and Downs of Cash Flow Problems in your Businesses:

1) Always Schedule All Payments: Most Business Owners line up their monthly bills, compile them, sit down and issue all the checks and set up Bill Payments at once; but the trick is to have a " Holding Pattern". It is advisable to schedule each payment, in order to get to your vendors in a timely landing, without affecting other Cash Flow activities.
Every Business has Three (3) tiers of Checks Disbursements Groupings:
a) Must Pay Group- These are payments that can hurt you, either in cost or ability to operate your business, if they are not paid. These include items like Taxes, Rents, Payroll and Service Charges.
b) Important to Pay Group - These are payments, that have a reasonable grace period, and if not paid, a financial penalty can be incurred, as a result of Nonpayment. These include Utility Bills , Credit Card Payments and Insurance Payments .
c) Flexible Payment Plan Group - Suppliers, Vendors and Wholesalers, that supply most Small Businesses are the best sources of flexible credit financing. Most of them will continue to work with you, if you arrange a regular payment plan with them.

Tip #1: Try to schedule Payment Dates, into the Three (3) tiers of Checks Disbursements groupings and issue check/Bill payments accordingly.

2) Make Payments on your Revenue, not on uncollected Sales : I am sure, that none of us will want to land a plane, hoping that the runway is beneath us in the fog bank, as also Business owners, it is not advisable to make projected payments on uncollected revenue. You may wander, what happens to Credit Facilities, Guess What, Most Credit Facilities still have a timeline for payment.

Tip #2: Always prepare your Cash Flow Statement and financial reports, and review them periodically, to have a full knowledge of your Cash Flow.

3) Do not use Payroll Taxes to float your Business Operations: Studies have shown that most Business Owners use the Tax liabilities, collected during payroll, to float their businesses, rather than remitting the payments to the appropriate Tax Authorities. They don't realize that they spend more in potential penalties, fees , interests, time and aggravation, if they engage in this act. Tax Liabilities grow, if they are not remitted at the appropriate timing.

Tip #3: Try to discipline yourself to deposit the payroll tax money collected, into a Separate Bank Account, until you are ready to remit the payments.

4) Establish Relationships with your Credit Provider: It is very important for every business owner to plan for a rainy day. Having a great relationship with a vendor, that gives you a credit facility, avoids cash flow storms, which might bring in a sense of desperation or lack of control.

Tip #4: If you work with a quality company, that provides working capital or credit facility, stick with them and build a relationship, once they know your credit worthiness, they will be there to help you quickly, in times of need.

5) Invest in a Good Bookkeeping/ Accounting Service: It is important for Business Owners to have a grasp of their cash flow and understand the effect on their business growth. A Good Bookkeeping service is invaluable to your business, particularly in preparing your monthly financial reports and cash flow statements, which will help you, see how your Business is doing as well as maintaining your Business Cash flow.

Tip #5: Rather than worry about how to prepare your company financials and your cash Flow Statements, as well as trying to figure out, the amount of Payroll taxes to pay; let the professionals handle it.

Understanding and Managing Cash flow has been a challenge for many Business owners, but with the application of these tips, it is possible to grow your Business to a greater level , and also have enough funds for other activities, that will bring more revenue into your Business.

Please feel free to contact us on 202-422-4586, if you will need further help on how to manage your Business Cash flow and financial Reports. We will love to help you. Remember: The best time to take control of your Cash Flow is RIGHT NOW.

Understanding Your Cashflow

Posted on July 2, 2014 at 1:55 AM

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Welcome to the month of July. We are done with the first half of the year and started the countdown to the remaining half of the year.

Our Newsletter for this month is on an integral part of every business; an area that is generally misunderstood by most business owners, but interestingly plays an important role in every organization. Have you taken time to look at your Cash flow Statement? Can you tell where Funds are disbursed in your Business? Do you understand the effect of your Spendings? The art of struggling to understand and manage your cash flow can be a huge distraction to your business; in this series, we will be providing you with quick tips on the basic method of understanding your cash flow.

Our Areas of Concentration will be on:

- Definition of Cash Flow

- Drivers of Cash Flow in a Business

- Facts about Cash Flow

- Quick Tips on Understanding your Cash flow and applying it to your Business.

- Managing your Cash Flow effectively.

What is Cash Flow?

Cash Flowis the movement of money into or out of a business, project or financial product, and can be measured at any specified period of time.

The Following are the drivers of Cash flow in a Business:

Accounts Receivables (These are money owed to a Business by its customer, as a result of services provided or goods sold).
Inventory.
Accounts Payables (These are Vendor Payments, owed to vendors, for goods bought/services received on credit).
Capital Expenditures(Purchase of Equipments)
Borrowings/Debt Servicing.

It is worthy to note that your Cash Flow originates from 3 Basic Operations:

a) Cash Flow from Operations

b) Cash Flow from Investing

c) Cash flow from Financing

Most Business Owners have problems with Understanding their Cash Flow because of the following facts:

a) A Profit or Loss in a Business does not equal Cash Flow.

b) An Increase in Cash in your Business is not always good.

c) A Decrease in Cash is not always bad.

Many Business Owners have problems understanding and interpreting their Cash flow, because of the technicalities involved; but I want to challenge you today, to take the simple test below, write down your answers and put it into practice, and watch your business grow; I bet you will be so thankful for this enlightenment:

Focus on the TOP 3 changes in your Cash for the Month.
Decide whether each change is good or bad.
Write one line description of each change and look at the effect, it has on your Business.
Once you are able to prove the effect of the change in your Business, hold on to the result and use it as a base, in your Decision making.

By doing this exercise periodically, you will have a better grasp of your cash flow, and see its effect on your Business growth. I will like you to try this exercise and forward your feedbacks. In my next article, I will be giving you tips on how to effectively manage your Cash flow in your Business.

Please feel free to contact us, if you will need further help in understanding your Cash flow and producing your Cash Flow Report. We will love to help you.

Remember: The best time to take control of your Cash Flow is RIGHT NOW.

Why Use Quick Books Accounting Software?

Posted on May 8, 2013 at 2:30 AM

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It is important for every business owner to have an effective accounting system in place, so that they can increase their efficiency and manage their finances effectively. When a client comes to us in need of Bookkeeping /Accounting Services, it is noticed that most of the time,many of the business owners do not have an accounting system in place and this puts their businesses and finance in a great mess.

An accounting System is the basis of a good business and goes a long way, in showing how the business can handle its profits,manage its expenses, handle its payroll and invariably increase its net worth. We always advise our clients, to get QuickBooks, to handle their accounting/bookkeeping records.

QuickBooks is a set of accounting software solution that is designed to manage payroll, inventory, sales,purchases, invoices, receipts and other needs of a small business. It is usually tailored to meet the needs of every different industries and business types. We always encourage our Clients to use Quick Books and if they cannot afford it; we can set up their company QuickBooks file on our system, and prepare their reports and send in electronic files to them, to view, their company financial position.

We will go ahead to list a few reasons,why you should use QuickBooks for your Business Accounting Software:

QuickBooks can be customized to work, whichever way, you desire. It is specifically designed to be flexible and adaptable to a wide range of businesses. In addition,Quick Books have customized accounting packages for all industry typesincluding the ones for Contractors, Retailers, Health Care Professionals, Non-Profit Organizations, Real Estate Industries and several others.

We also advise our clients on the suitable type of QuickBooks to use for their business and invariably help them in setting up the Software,to suit their Business type.

QuickBooks has been proven to be stable, reliable and consistent with using the best accounting practices, to produce financial statements, which most companies use to make business decisions that will move their companies forward. With Quick Books,you can make forecasts and budget projections, which are necessary tools if you want to move your business forward. You can contact us for more details regarding these business tools, and how to use it to work for your Business.

You can grow your business with QuickBooks. QuickBooks will help you design a business plan to use while trying to secure a small business loan or line of credit, and also planning for the future. This software can create a projected Balance Sheet,Profit & Loss Statement and statement of cash flows in the formatrecommended by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The Use of QuickBooks can save you time on Bookkeeping and paperwork, because many of the simple Bookkeeping tasks are handled automatically in QuickBooks, thereby making it easier to run your business effortlessly. We have seen clients that tried doing their Bookkeeping on Microsoft Excel, and gone through so many headaches,to clear or balance an account item,after spending long hours without any solution; With QuickBooks, you do not have to exert as much effort and you are sure of getting immediate results and a reconciled account, which shows up immediately.

You can create your Company Invoices with QuickBooks, as well as your receipts, and send them via email to your customers, rather than using a Microsoft template,that you always have to edit, which may lead to several errors and repetitions.With QuickBooks, once you create an invoice, it is synchronized with your accounting system.

QuickBooks enables you to view your Accounts Payable(Vendors) and your Accounts Receivables (customers) without stress, and this will give you a clearer picture of how to handle your vendors and customers effectively.

With QuickBooks, you can easily generate reports you need information on, so that you will always know where your business stands. As a business owner, you need to know whether you are making money or not, or whether your business is healthy or profitable. If you need to know further on how to use QuickBooks to perform this function, we are always available to train you, and show you the multiple ways, that you can generate over 100 reports on QuickBooks, which will invariably move your business forward.

Every Business owner wants to get paid for their services and will also need a faster means of payments to improve the company cash flow; With QuickBooks Online Payments,you can e-mail an invoice or statement, through which your customer can easily pay you with a credit card or bank account transfer. This is really a great feature,because you do not have to wait for the check in the mail anymore.

QuickBooks encourages paying your bills online, by setting up your current bank account on QuickBooks; you are ready to pay your bills without licking any envelopes or printing paper checks. You can even pay anyone from your credit card companies to your pizza service. In addition, the Online Banking feature lets you download your monthly statement from your participating bank directly into QuickBooks for easier reconciliation.

Do you know that you can set up your liability accounts like Loans, Notes Payables,Credit Cards and Line of Credits on QuickBooks? Once this is done, you will be able to know your monthly balances, and see your principal and interest payments every month; doing this takes off so much stress than having to wait for the statements from your Bank ,or paying the extra charges, that will be required,in the event that you loose any of the statements.

Payroll can be done via QuickBooks, this saves our client a lot of stress and money, because it will eliminate your dependence on payroll companies to prepare your payroll; and you get to see the number of hours, that your employees have worked in total for each pay period, in addition to the net amount that they are due,after tax liabilities. You are also in control of your Company Tax liabilities and payments.

These are just a few of the reasons for using QuickBooks Accounting Software for your Bookkeeping services; we have found out that most business owners always underutilize a lot of the QuickBooks features, either because of ignorance or lack of training.

You can always contact us to train you on how to best utilize your QuickBooks Software.We offer various QuickBooks services at very affordable rates. Our QuickBooks Services include:

- QuickBooks Setup

- QuickBooks Personalized & Group Training

- QuickBooks Supervision/Review

- QuickBooks Support

- QuickBooks Tune Up

- QuickBooks Cleanup

- And many more

It is always important to make the best use of your QuickBooks software in order to get the best financial reports for your business. Using QuickBooks Accounting Software is a smart and affordable way to get a handle on your books. Accurate records enhance educated decisions for your business and will save you money.

WHY DON’T YOU CALL US TODAY ON 202-422-4586 to schedule an appointment; so that we can show you the best way to use your QuickBooks Software, and if you do not have one, DON’T WORRY, We can always purchase one for you or set up your QuickBooks Company file on our system and send you regular reports, so that you can manage your business effectively and make great business decisions.

Please also feel free to fill out our contact form, so that we can get in touch with you to respond to your needs. We will love to help you.

What to do with your Tax Refund.

Posted on March 4, 2013 at 1:57 AM

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Wow, it’s March already, and I bet that many of us have started receiving those tax refunds in the mail. For some of us, it’s not that much,while for some of us, it’s a whole lot of Big Money. Whichever category, you are in; remember that you need a good plan for your money. The important thing is that many of us have started planning on how to spend it; but I have these tips for those of us that want to give the refund a PURPOSE, because if you don't do this, you will find out that you have nothing to show for your refund at the end of it all.

Here are some tips about what to do with your Tax Refund Money:

Start (Add to) an emergency fund: It is always good to set some money aside for a rainy day. It is good to start off this fund with your Tax Refund, because if you decide to store that much, away from your regular paycheck or income, it will take you months or even years to make a significant deposit in your emergency fund.

Pay down a Debt: If you have a lot of debt like credit card debt, title loans, car notes, student loans, hospital bills, payday loans amongst others, this will be a great time to put your refund to work by paying off these debts and eliminating your debts. You will discover that you will have so much peace of mind when you do this, and peace of mind goes a long way in keeping up a good health.

Invest It: You can invest your Tax Refund in yourself, your business, your children or your family. Investing in yourself can be in form of getting an education, career training or personal improvement; you can also give your family a treat and splurge a little bit, but don't over indulge.

Refinance your Mortgage or Make Home Improvements: When you refinance your mortgage, you will still pay closing costs and fees, use your refund to pay for the closing costs, and you will save thousands of dollars per year on mortgage interest. If you are happy with your mortgage rate, take a look around your house, to see how you can improve your home with some energy saving appliances. Remember that it is good to spend money now to save for later.

Give to a Charitable Cause: Giving some of your Refund to a worthy charity is a great idea, more so when that donation is tax deductible, everybody wins. For some people, giving to charitable organizations is non-negotiable, but on a tight budget, donations can unfortunately go down to the bottom of a list, but you have to note that contributing to charity is an excellent use of capital and provides a huge spiritual and societal benefit.

Start your Own Business: Perhaps, you have been looking for seed money to start off your long desired Business or take it to the next level; you can use your refund to get you moving in the right direction. It is a great opportunity to turn your refund into income for years to come and get a few more small business tax deductions next year too.

Put it into an IRA or workplace retirement Account: Using your refund to get a head start on Roth IRA contributions is a great move, it can let your three-digit tax refund grow into a four digit addition over the course of the years, in addition, it is like using your refund to create a tax deduction.

Create your own food bank: We know that it is cheaper to cook your meals than eating out, but the problem, might be the need to stock up on Food Supplies, many people struggle to find money to build this up, when they are living from paycheck to paycheck, but this is the best time to change, and stock up your home with food (both perishable and non-perishable).You will be surprised at how much savings, you will make and for many months to come, you would not have to think of eating out or buying food stuffs.

Improve your Health: This is the best time to schedule that appointment to see your Doctor, Optometrist, Dentist or Physical Therapist, many people have been putting off these appointments during the past couple of years due to employment or insurance problems; perhaps you should use some of your refund to improve your health.

Fix Your Car/Buy a New One: This is the best time to take your car for a Car Service, if you have not done that in a while, or alternatively even get another car, if your previous one has been giving you problems, you will be glad you did, because every time, you drive in it, you will remember that you used your refund to get it or put your car in that great condition.

Pay up your Bills in Advance: There are so many bills, that we all pay from month to month, including our mortgages, insurances, child care expenses, utility bills and telephone bills; Instead of thinking of how we can scale through paying these bills as each month is approaching, we can pay up a couple of months ahead, so that we can relax and use the free funds from the following month for whatever we want to do. This sounds great right?

Establish a Financial Strategy: Do you realize that working with a financial adviser can help you manage your tax refund and show you areas, of investing it and how to get great returns from your investment, You can always call on us at ROSYAN BOOKKEEPING SERVICES to show you how to manage your refund and get your ultimate returns on investments.

Please feel free to let us know how you have spent your tax refund or how you intend to spend your tax refund, and we can also advise you on how to make the most from it. For those of us ,that are not getting refunds, how do you ensure that you are ready to write that check to IRS on tax day?

CALL US TODAY ON 202.422.4586.You will be glad you did.

Bookkeeping Tips to Save Time and Money.

Posted on February 1, 2013 at 2:13 AM

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Do you know that Inputting checks, managing bank accounts and creating reports doesn't have to be an intimidating process?

Wow,we have entered the second month of the year 2013, and I know that so far, it has been a great and fantastic season for us. For most people in the States,this is a period of tax preparation and filings, for both individuals andorganizations.

We should know by now, that having a good bookkeeping system is essential to having a successful and smooth tax filing season. I know from experience, that some small-business owners view bookkeeping as a burdensome task that takes them away from running their business. It makes others nervous, and they may second-guess their knowledge and skills in fear of the Internal Revenue Service knocking on their door.

I want to let you know that, you don’t have to be intimidated or bored by accounting or Bookkeeping. Successful business owners don’t view bookkeeping negatively. They have adopted a few basic procedures to stay on top of the paperwork. By doing so, they save time, money and a lot of stress.

I have listed below the basic steps to gain control of your business bookkeeping tasks:

1. Use accounting software such as QuickBooks: QuickBooks is a set of software solutions, designed to manage payroll, inventory, sales and other needs of a small business. Each package is developed according to different industries and their needs.

The great thing about QuickBooks is the fact that it combines a variety of accounting processes into one user-friendly system, and this is why it is highly recommended. You have to become at least generally familiar with theQuickBooks software, this includes basic knowledge like knowing how to input checks, enter vendors and customers, reconcile bank accounts, and create reports and other data. Once, you have this in place, you can choose one of these different ways to maintain it:

Do it yourself: You can take a class on the software or alternatively, CALL ON US for a one on one training at a great rate; We can also help you to set up your QuickBooks Chart of Accounts; once this is done, you can dedicate time each week to input information and reconcile bank statements. Please note that if you fall behind on inputting transactions, it can be difficult to catch up. This is when most people throw bank statements and receipts into a box and procrastinate. If this happens, don’t worry, you can still call on us to help you sort out your data, input your transactions and prepare your reports.

Train and hire a family member to maintain the books. From a supervisory role and internal control system standpoint, it’s still critical to have a basic working knowledge of the software and procedures. We can help train your family member and also provide regular support, when needed, so that you can relax and go on with your business.

Hire a local bookkeeper to provide the services you need, and turn the books over to your certified public accountant for planning and tax preparation at the end of the year. A bookkeeper will certainly be more skilled and knowledgeable than you or a family member, and you do not have to pay as much,as you will pay a CPA to do the Job. One smart strategy is to negotiate a fixed monthly fee so you can budget for the service.

Engage your Bookkeeper to provide all bookkeeping services, and transfer your tax preparation to your CPA, by doing this, you are putting in place a great check and balance between what your Bookkeeper and CPA are doing. This will also ensure that you are getting most of your tax deductions accurately.

2. Scan your receipts, business cards and other important paperwork. Some software products import directly into QuickBooks. Utilizing this type of tool will help save time and paper, and help audit-proof your record.

3. Separate personal accounts from business accounts. Don’t mix the two.Keeping personal and business bank accounts and credit cards separate will make bookkeeping much easier and help maintain your corporate veil if you have a formal entity.

4. Avoid cash.Instead, use your debit or credit card religiously. When you use cash you lose track of potential write-offs. If you have to pull money out of an ATM, note on the receipt the purpose of the withdrawal.

5. Go paperless.Storing tax documents for at least six years can be a hassle. Another option is to purchase a small fireproof safe to store important personal documents(passport, life insurance, etc.) along with a regular backup of your bookkeepingsoftware and tax returns saved on a flash drive. For extra data protection,consider off-site physical storage or online data storage for these records and scanned files.

6. Auto-track your mileage. Keeping a written record of all your business, charitable and medical auto mileage can be a pain. Look into a satellite-assisted service, phone application, or software program.

7. Meet with your CPA at least twice annually. Review your business plans, financials, tax deposit amounts, payroll procedures and tax strategies.The cost of taxes is too high to leave your plans to chance. Just a few minutes on a regular basis can save thousands of dollars. Also, remember that your CPA should be bringing you strategies and ideas in these meetings. If the meeting consists of you throwing out ideas and your CPA shooting them down, you have the wrong CPA. Find a planner who is reaching out to you with ideas and strategies on a regular basis.

We are available to help you out with your QuickBooks Bookkeeping Services and training,and we also offer other accounting/Bookkeeping services at great rates too. Why don’t you give us a call today and see how we can save you and your business tons of money.

Email us for more details on [email protected] ,we would love to hear from you.