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Where did my Profit go?
| Posted on November 5, 2014 at 1:44 AM |
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-Understanding the Myth of Profits. As a Business Owner, Have you ever wondered why you cannot seem to get hold of your profit? Most Business Owners ask the question....." I see that I made a Net Profit of $XXX, but where is it? ".We have been looking at the topic of profit making, and this topic is a great mystery in Businesses. We agree that making Profit is a good thing and a negative profit (Loss) is not a good one; however, the mind game begins when there is profit, but no money in the Checking account. Do you also wonder why you don't go out of Business, when your Profit & Loss Statement keeps showing a negative profit (Loss)? The Answer is simple: PROFIT IS NOT CASH. The most important fact to remember about Profit is that, Profit has no connection to how much Cash is in the bank. A Profit and Loss Statement shows the movement of transactions, which occur in your Business for any given period (monthly), and the total net effect of these transactions constitute the balance that you see on your reports. An Example is when you enter a Business transaction, and an invoice amount of $3,000 is created in your Books, your Profit and Loss Statement shows the Sale and Resulting Net Profit, but there is NO CASH, until the invoice is paid; this money remains in your Account, only for a period of time, because when you pay your vendors or make your Bill Payments/Loan Payments, the money is being used up. Let's take a Loan Payment as another example; Most Business Owners forget that only the interest portion of a Loan Payment appears on a Profit & Loss Statement, while the Principal portion of the transaction occurs on the Balance Sheet. In this case, another portion of profit has been used to pay the principal. In conclusion, It's not Magic...........It's just having a basic understanding of how transactions occur in your Business and its effect on your Profit & Loss Statement, as well as your Balance Sheet. The Ultimate Goal is to make better financial decisions. However, take Note, You can be profitable and still be broke (Did I hear someone scream?). Turning Profit into Cash is the secret to managing your Net Profit Balances. Our Next Newsletter will feature, how you can turn your Profits into Cash; if you need help with understanding your financial reports, why don't you give us a call? We would be glad to help you. |
Setting up the Right Accounting System for your Business.
| Posted on September 5, 2014 at 12:50 AM |
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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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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:
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. |
It's Tax Preparation Time!!!
| Posted on January 29, 2014 at 2:05 AM |
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Wow, Where did the month go? First it was HAPPY NEW YEAR, and now it's almost the end of January 2014.Now,that the Holiday Season is far behind us, the month of January provides a welcome breather for busy schedules, but hold on, before you spend all your free time sprawling on your sofa, it's time to take a jump start on filing your taxes. This is the time to gather your W2s, 1099s, Other Earned Income Statements, Contribution Statements, Receipts, Bank Statements and other important documentation, so even though the IRS states that Tax Filing will begin on January 31st 2014, because it needs extra time to ensure that the systems are in place and working properly, We still need to get ready and prepare ourselves. We want to give you some tips on what to look out for as you get ready to file your taxes. We all know, that there are some New Tax Filing changes:
- It is worthy to note that many credits and deductions for Education were extended for 2013 returns, among which is the American Opportunity Credit, which is up to $2,500. - The Personal Exemption is $3,900; Standard Deduction is $12,200 for Married Tax Payers filing jointly, $6,100 for Singles and $8,950 for Heads of Households. - Tax Payers will still be able to deduct their medical expenses, but it will be more difficult for many to qualify. The threshold for deducting Medical Expenses now stands at 10% of adjusted Gross Income, which is up from 7.5 percent. - Among the other changes, Tax Payers who work at home will now have a simplified option for taking a Home Office Deduction. Starting with 2013 returns, if you are eligible for this deduction, you can take a Standard Deduction of $5 per Square foot, up to 300 Square Feet. The Maximum Deduction using this method is $1,500. - The Deduction for Business Use of a Car has also been simplified; you can use your actual costs or the IRS mileage rates. The standard mileage rate for Business Use of a Car in 2013 is 56.5 cents a mile, up from 55.5 cents. - If you made Energy Efficiency improvements to your Home, such as Installing New Windows or a Qualifying Furnace or Heat Pump, you might be able to take an energy credit of 10% of the cost up to a lifetime maximum of $500,hence of the total, the IRS states "Only $200 can be for Windows,$50 for any Advanced Air Circulating Fan,$150 for any Qualified Natural Gas, Propane or Oil Furnace or $300 for any Item of Energy Efficient Building Property.
We hope that these tips will guide and help you in your Tax preparations, Do you Need Help in checking your Reports and ensuring that everything is entered correctly and adequately reconciled? Do you Need Help in getting your Charitable Contributions ready? Do you Need Help in ensuring that all your Receipts and Invoices are correctly accounted for into your system, Remember that the more accurate your transactions are, the more deductions you can claim and invariably, the more accurate your Tax Returns will be. Why Don't you give us a call on 202.422.4586 or Email Us, to see how we can further assist you. We would love to hear from you. |
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:
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.
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. |