Author: Complete Controller

Every business requires an investment to either initiate, grow, or expand it regardless of its level (small or large). Especially in the case of small businesses, loans can play a significant role in supporting the commercial growth of a business idea, funding new research and development, providing aid in expansion into new territories, enhancing sales and marketing efforts, help in the recruitment process, and much more.

However, the process of loan-taking for small businesses can get a bit complicated for first-timers. It requires some extra effort and may induce anxiety for some people. Several questions can pop up while taking a loan. Therefore, some prior knowledge regarding the loan-taking process will increase the chances of acquiring a loan. Mentioned below are five key steps to assist in getting a small business loan.

Determine whether you qualify for a business loan or not

Before applying for a loan, it is necessary to evaluate if the business qualifies for a loan or not. A credit score of the company plays a vital role in the industry for the loan. Different lenders require different credit scores. Therefore, it is essential to calculate them beforehand. If the credit score falls below the threshold, the loan is likely to be declined.

Importantly, lenders need assurance for being paid back in time, therefore, the demand for information regarding early revenue of the business. So, it is necessary to evaluate the business revenue to calculate if a loan can be paid back or not. In addition to this, having collateral is also important for a secured loan. In some cases, lenders make it necessary to have collateral. Even though it is a risky step, it may reduce the interest rates, allowing to lend more significant sums.

Furthermore, the period a particular business has been in the market also contributes to qualifying. Online lenders and banks require one and two years of business, respectively.

Research potential lenders

Numerous lenders are willing to lend to small businesses, and you can discover many of these through online platforms. One can choose any lender after research that may seem suitable and appropriate for their business. Some of the main lenders are listed below:

• Direct online lenders: Various lenders have made the lending process relatively smooth through easy online methods. It includes many reputable companies such as PayPal that provide fast, small cash advances, working capital loans, and a certain amount of short-term loans. Moreover, many sites act as a lead generation service, where multiple lenders can access on a single platform.
• Commercial banks: For the small business market, large commercial banks act as the traditional lenders. However, the loan-taking process tends to be relatively slower due to the time-consuming and challenging underwriting criteria.
• Local community bank: Several community banks tend and aim to make a business loan to local businesses in the region.
• Peer-to-peer lending sites: Many sites act as an agent between the lender and individual. These lenders are known to make relatively quick decisions.

Figure out the purpose and amount of the loan

An essential step before acquiring a loan is to figure out precisely the purpose of the loan application. For a small business, a loan can be either for initiating the business, managing daily expenses, or growing the pre-existing business. It is essential to mention the purpose of the loan to the lender for transparency as it increases the trust level with the lender.

 Furthermore, it is vital to calculate the exact amount of loan required since money ranges do not work when taking a loan. Listing the works and their costs appears to be helpful for such purposes.

Compile the required documents

For an accessible, smooth, and hassle-free experience, it would be helpful to gather all the required documents before starting the actual process of a loan application. Standard documents required include a resume, business plan, Business Credit Report, Income tax returns, financial statements, license, registrations, contact details, and commercial lease. Any further additional document may also be required depending on the lender.

Apply for the Loan

Once the business is qualified for the loan, the purpose and amount of the loan are determined, all the relevant documents are together, and an appropriate lender is selected. Finally, the business owner is all set to apply for a small business loan.

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.

There are numerous reasons why QuickBooks should be your first pick if you need a business accounting solution. QuickBooks Pro, Premier, Enterprise, and Accountant are all distinct versions of the software.
QuickBooks has a solution for your specific accounting needs. However, which version is ideal for your company? Knowing this is critical before making the crucial decision.
The top five favorite productivity features in the QuickBooks for every accountant are as follows:

Easy management of finances and reporting

You’ll need an end-to-end perspective of all your financial transactions for your business to obtain a good understanding of your income and expenses. It is available if you use QuickBooks Enterprise, which includes an “income tracker.” You may quickly input your expense transactions with this tool, including transactions from numerous bank accounts in one place and in less time.
With this powerful program, you can even merge reports from multiple corporate files. It is more convenient to export QuickBooks data in Excel format for later use.
Other significant advantages of QuickBooks Enterprise include tracking costs conveniently, fixed assets, and tax deductions.

Easy management of inventory

QuickBooks Enterprise offers an advanced inventory tool that allows you to build sub-assemblies without manually entering them quickly. You also don’t have to be concerned about stock levels below or above a certain threshold. You may quickly establish advanced price rules based on parameters such as customers, items, vendors, and so on.
Another advantage of QB Enterprise is that it allows you to enter data accurately by scanning inventory, serial numbers, or bar codes. You can even use it to generate barcodes.
Every company needs to keep an eye on its supply chain. To receive complete, accurate visibility of your supply chain, you can start utilizing QuickBooks Enterprise. You can obtain industry-standard reports that include precise information such as the number of items on hand, sales orders, and purchase orders.
You can also use QuickBooks’ Inventory center to locate inventory tasks by browsing inventory items and reports. With this program’s built-in inventory stock status report, even reordering your goods as needed becomes easier.

Management of user roles and permissions

Not every firm employee requires access to all types of business data and information. Additionally, having all data available to all employees raises the danger of data loss. With the help of QuickBooks Enterprise, it can reduce this danger.
You can provide your employees role-based access to the data depending on their departments and work responsibilities. As the owner of your company, you will have central access to this program, from which you will be able to set user roles and issue permissions to your staff.

Track your sales and customers

Tracking sales and orders is difficult for any organization, whether small, medium-sized, or large. QuickBooks Enterprise is a program that can help you keep track of your sales more efficiently. You can track your sales agents and view expenses with this intelligent program, saving time and effort. You can also use the QuickBooks Lead Center to track leads.
You want to add as many clients, vendors, and workers as possible to expand your firm. When you use QuickBooks Enterprise, which has comprehensive user tracking tools, you can do this. With this software, you can send estimates or invoices, define, and use foreign currencies for sales transactions, create custom pricing, and much more.

Employee payroll management

Just like handling orders and customers, managing employees is essential for all businesses. You can cater to this aspect related to your business using QuickBooks Enterprise. Using this software, it is easier to calculate all your employees’ earnings, deductions, and payroll taxes.
You can get and check customizable reports to track your employees and contractor time. If you want to save time running payroll, this software is all that you need.

QuickBooks Enterprise software is equipped with tools to assist you in managing your company’s accounting demands. It supports a variety of facets of your organization, including payroll, payments, inventory, and much more. 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.

Blockchain is a method for maintaining records that are difficult to hack or fabricate the data stored on it, making it safe and unchangeable. Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology (DLT), a digital system for simultaneously recording transactions and related data in various locations. To avoid a single point of failure, each computer in a blockchain network keeps a copy of the ledger, and all documents are updated and validated simultaneously. Blockchain is a database, but it varies significantly from traditional databases in storing and maintaining information. Furthermore, a blockchain is a decentralized database controlled by computers in a peer-to-peer network rather than a central computer as in traditional databases.

Uses of Blockchain

The first prominent application to effectively employ blockchain was Bitcoin, which hit the market in 2009. However, since Bitcoin’s creation, the use of blockchain has spread to various applications. As a result, blockchain has become synonymous with Bitcoin and its competitors, such as Dogecoin and Bitcoin Cash.
The global financial community and government central banks have been exploring blockchain technology as a foundation for digital currency exchange. Logistics businesses use blockchain to track and trace items as they move through the supply chain. Moreover, blockchain is becoming the foundation for smart contracts and other mechanisms for transferring and safeguarding intellectual property rights in various industries, including the legal community and entertainment.
Indeed, several sectors are already investigating blockchain-based applications as a safe and cost-effective solution to establish and administer a distributed database and preserve records for all sorts of digital transactions. As a result, blockchain is rapidly evolving to record and exchange data among various corporate organizations securely.

How Blockchain Works

Blockchain operates in a multistep process; the steps are as follows:

• An authorized participant enters a transaction, and the technology authenticates it.
• This operation generates a block that reflects the particular transaction or data.
• The block distributes to each computer node in the network, creating a chain.
• Authorized nodes verify the transaction and add the block to the current blockchain. (Nodes on public blockchain networks are miners; they often receive compensation for their effort – often through a mechanism known as Proof of Work, or PoW – in the form of bitcoin.)
• The transaction is complete when the update disseminates across the network.
• Individual transactions and blocks are the two types of entries in a blockchain ledger. The first block comprises a header and data about transactions that occurred during a specific period. The blocks utilize timestamps to aid in the creation of an alphanumeric string known as a hash.
• Following the creation of the initial block, each successive block in the ledger utilizes the preceding block’s hash to compute its hash.
• A new block’s validity authenticates itself through a computational process known as validation or consensus before adding it to the chain. Most network nodes must agree that the new block’s hash has been calculated correctly at this stage in the blockchain process.
• Once inserted, references to a block are possible in future blocks, but no further alterations are possible.
• If someone tries to swap out a block, the hashes for prior and future blocks will also change, disrupting the shared state of the ledger.
• When consensus is no longer feasible, the system notifies other computers in the network, and no new blocks are added to the chain until the problem comes to a resolution.
• Typically, this process involves deleting the block that caused the problem and restarting the consensus process.

The Benefits of Blockchain

Experts cite several significant advantages of adopting blockchain.
The most significant advantage is most likely security. Because the information is shared and constantly reconciled by dozens, if not millions, of computers, it is nearly challenging to damage a blockchain. Furthermore, blockchain has no single point of failure.
Transactions may be more efficient than non-DLT-based transactional systems; however, public blockchains may occasionally experience slowness and inefficiency.
It is resilient: No one is affected if one node fails since all other nodes have a copy of the ledger.
It establishes confidence among network participants. Confirmed blocks are complicated to reverse, implying that data is impossible to delete or modify.
It can be cost-effective since it frequently decreases transaction costs by removing intermediaries and third parties.

In Conclusion

Blockchain is still a relatively new technology, and we’re discovering new uses for it all the time. Will blockchain pave the way for a better, more secure future? We will have to see how blockchain technology continues to evolve to find out. 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.

Budgeting can indeed be a pain when you do not have the time to sit down and divide your money according to your requirements. A proper budgeting system is needed for every household to ensure that finances are used effectively rather than being mismanaged.
Technology has evolved, and there has never been a better time to be alive. If you hate going through the hassle of sitting down, laying out all your finances, and then creating a budget, there is good news for you.
There are now mobile phone applications in the market that do the deed for you. All you must do is find an application that works for you, then sit back and enjoy as you have one less thing to worry about in your life.
Following is a list of applications that would cater to your needs of domestic budgeting.
Please ensure that you do your research before trusting an application with your financial data.

Mint

Mint is a free app available in the market for the sole purpose of budget creation.
The purpose of the app is to allow you to keep track of your daily expenditure to stay within the limit while making everyday purchases. The app is extremely user-friendly, so it is one of the top-rated ones in the market.
Mint suggests the option of connecting you to your bank account so all the transactions can be filed automatically. Those who do not wish to use this option due to privacy concerns could always manually add their transactions to the app.
The only con this app has been the targeted advertisements that are a part of the app interface, although they are not that bothersome to a massive majority since the app is, after all, free!

PocketGuard

PocketGuard is your next go-to application if you want to cub your overspending habits. The app has been created with the primary purpose of curbing unnecessary spending by tracking all your transactions through your bank account.
PocketGuard comes in two different variations; a free, basic version and a paid, premium version that goes by PocketGuard Plus. PocketGuard Plus costs its users $79.99 per year, which seems plausible according to the app’s services.

EveryDollar

EveryDollar is a budgeting app that caters to your budgeting needs as well as tracking all your purchases. The app has been created on the zero-based budgeting philosophy that focuses on creating equilibrium between expenses and income.
The paid version of this application costs a whopping $129.99 per year, which may be a lot for some individuals, which is why it has the option of a free version. The central point that sets the two versions apart is that the user must manually add all the transactions to the app, which the paid version would do automatically.

You Need a Budget

You Need a Budget, or YNAB, is an application for those willing to invest some bucks to save some dollars.
The app, charging $84 annually, is one of the most acceptable applications for budgeting—the app sync to your bank account, which takes away your worry of manually adding each transaction. Due to the in-depth approach of the company towards budgeting, it has yielded excellent results in the past. It claims to save $600 in the first two months of usage.
The app is known for being completely safe and strict on data protection as it uses high-level encryption.
Those who may be concerned about paying a considerable amount could always avail of the 34-day free trial that the company offers. It would be enough time for you to realize if the app is for you.

If you’re looking for a free application to create a domestic budgeting plan for you, Mint should be your first option due to its remarkable results and user-friendly programming. But if you are ready to pay for the services, you should invest in YNAB because of the promising results with the application. 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 you’re starting a new business, you would likely require the help of investors to fund your venture. This monetary funding, of course, comes at a cost that is often a certain percentage of the business. But to get to that point, one must have the confidence to catch a big fish. Every investor would be willing to invest in your venture as long as they see potential in you and your pitch. It may not be that easy, but it is certainly not impossible. So, get ready and flash that smile because you are just about to get those investors to invest.
Some tactics are helpful when one is trying to gain an investor’s confidence. These seemingly simple steps could ultimately make or break your game.

Entice Them Through Your Results

The way your venture performs is what decides its fate.
Investors need to, first, understand the product or company in which they are investing. If your company has performed well in the past, there is a high chance it would perform even better with a more significant investment onboard.
While making your pitch, make sure to include the results of your previous sales; this will increase your confidence and leave a lasting impact on the investor. The mention of your past results would build an air of faith, increasing your chances of getting a fund to improve your venture.
Let’s be honest! Everyone is in it for the money. If you can show them that you have what it takes to make a business flourish, they would automatically trust you with their money.

Pitch Your Idea While Networking

Known as a “soft sell,” you could pitch your idea online to any potential investors. Such a pitch is always a great idea because it is not intrusive but gets the idea across conveniently.
For this purpose, the social media marketing of your business must be immaculate. The picture you present of your business online is what the potential investors have to judge you on. Any lacking in this department may hinder your path in getting them on your side. If your business catches their eye, there is a chance that a proposal would get you the investment of your dreams.

Sound Confident

If you sound unsure about the pitch you are presenting, even for a second, a potential investor would not even think twice about the offer you are making.
It’s natural to get jittery in such a situation, but you must put your best foot forward and present your pitch. If you have confidence in yourself, your investors will have confidence in you. The best tip in such a situation is to rehearse the pitch a few times, which would help you sound confident. Make sure to add only the essential bits so their attention remains glued to the words coming out of your mouth.

Ask For Their Help

Rather than approaching a potential investor directly, take a more calculated route which may increase your chances of getting the fund.
Understand their area of expertise and ask them for their guidance to get your business on a better track; this may work as a way to get the investor interested in your venture. If they take out the time to guide you, there is a high chance they will take out that money too.
Such a technique would work great for you as it would allow you to pitch the plan without making it too obvious. It would also give the investor a chance to analyze the opportunities that your business may have.
Getting an investment may not always be easy, but it indeed is crucial for the business. Be confident, know what your company stands for, realize why you need an investment, and convey your idea to potential investors. Ensure that your pitch makes you stand out in the room, which will get you to catch the eye of those investors.
Now get out there and get your investment! 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 you have recently been in action with the IRS, you may want to read about Partial Pay Installment Agreements and Offer in Compromise. These are two payment plans for the people who are under the radar of the IRS.

IRS is the Internal Revenue Service. It is a wing of the United States federal government that deals with the taxation department. The IRS is known for being adamant about the payments that business owners might owe them. If you have recently fallen under the radar of the IRS, ensure that you pay the dues promptly. There are two plans for people who would like some ease in the payments.

Please read below to understand which one would be the best possible option for you, considering your financial health.

Partial Pay Installment Agreements (PPIA)

A Partial Pay Installment Agreement is an agreement between the IRS and the business owner. In such a situation, the business owner makes monthly payments to the IRS to fulfill the payment plan as soon as possible. Despite being a complex deal to strike, a PPIA is an excellent plan for business owners who struggle to collect all the funds required to clear their dues.

The ease that the government provides in this situation is removing all the levies imposed on the organization to easily make the rest of the payments. The levies include all those placed on an individual’s bank accounts and properties. Garnering such a deal is considered impossible, which is why someone who finds themselves in a sticky situation should always try to get a lawyer to deal with the IRS. If they are interested in striking this deal, they would be able to.

Keep in mind that once you agree to a PPIA with the IRS, you practically allow the IRS to peep into your financial records every two years. The IRS snooping around is something that many business owners do not appreciate, which is why they often end up going for Offer in Comprise. Unaware of what that is? Continue reading.

Offer in Compromise (OIC)

An Offer in Compromise is an arrangement between the taxpayer and the IRS. When the taxpayer cannot pay off the debt, the IRS intervenes to develop a number that it thinks would be the most reasonable amount to acquire while keeping the statute of limitations in mind.

OIC’s often happen when the IRS is unsure whether the taxpayer would ever pay the total amount, which is why the IRS compromises on a comparatively lesser amount that they think would be paid by the taxpayer. People who often accept this deal believe it as compensation since they get to spend a lesser amount.

Working out such an agreement is always a great idea and is appreciated both by the taxpayer and the IRS. It is obvious why the debtor would think of this as a great idea. The IRS supports such a deal because it feels like this is a fresh start for the debtor. Letting them off at a significantly lesser payment package seems like a great idea, especially if the taxpayer struggles to make ends meet.

Payment Plan Installation Agreement (PPIA) or Offer in Compromise (OIC)?

Both the plans are brilliant ways out for those who are stuck in the business of unpaid taxes. The IRS has always struck up ways to ease people’s lives while ensuring they receive all the due payments.

A Payment Plan Installation Agreement (PPIA) is an excellent option for those looking for dividend payments. They would pay the total amount but in monthly installations. Monthly installations ease out the entire payment process for them. But those who do not wish to have the IRS peeking into their financial records every two years should not opt for this plan.

Offer in Compromise (OIC) is a comparatively more convenient option, although businesses must pay upfront, allowing you to pay a lesser amount and get done with the entire 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.

First, let’s get the facts out of the way. More often than not, banks deny business loan applications. It happens to everyone; big names in the market as well as small businesses. Do not despair because we will let you know what you might have done wrong in your previous application and how you can fix it now.

Banks must inform you as to why it is denying your application. The chances are that if the bank rejects your business loan application, you might receive an email stating the reason why. If you have not received such an email, you can always reach out to the bank. And if you do not wish to, you can self-analyze by seeing if one of the four reasons mentioned below has anything to do with you.

So, let’s jump in and understand why you didn’t bag that check.

1. Too New:

Your loan application may not have made it through if your business has just kick-started. Lenders pay close attention to the history of the company to understand the potential it holds. If the results cannot vouch for you, it makes the lenders fear you may never return the loan.

To get your loan application accepted, make sure that you show them the numbers you want to see. If you give them a rough idea of how successful your business has previously been, you are surely going to get that loan application accepted.

2. Risky Business:

If the industry you’re delving into has a higher failure rate, you may not be able to receive a financial loan to strengthen your business.

Lenders and loaning businesses wish to see you start a company that would promise them a return. If there are doubts regarding the industry you are stepping into, they may not be as comfortable loaning you the money. In case of a business failure, you may not be able to return the loan, which would put you in perpetual debt while causing the lender a substantial financial loss.

Try to research the business you’re starting to understand beforehand if it has a chance in the market.

3. Low Return:

If your business has not been performing too well, lenders would not be willing to take the risk of lending you a loan. An unsatisfactory performance would mean that the cash inflow is not very sound. A lack of positive cash flow may lead the lenders to question if you would be capable of returning the loan.

When writing an application, try emphasizing the numbers that your business has brought in historically. A solid financial history will give the bank or the lenders a sense of confidence in your business, giving you a better chance of getting that loan application approved.

4. Incomplete Application:

Incomplete applications are the most common reason why lenders reject loan applications without even considering them; incomplete information on the application. If your application does not have the required documentation, it wouldn’t even make it into the reviewing stage.

Specific documentation is required so that the bank or the lender can analyze the company while also checking it for its authenticity. Trusting someone with a considerable sum of money is a game of risk, but a calculated risk nonetheless. The lender needs to understand the complexities of your business before they trust you with their money.

If you provide incomplete information, this will plant a seed of doubt in their minds, leading them to question your integrity.

If a lender denies your loan application, there’s no harm in trying again. Complete your documentation and realize your mistake to improve your loan application which may magnify your chances of getting it approved.

Loan application rejections should not set you back from your goals as they can genuinely be eye-openers for you to review and revise your business model. Work on the contents of your application while also paying attention to the performance of your business.

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.

An accounting statement is an insight into the company’s financial status, which would explain its rate of performance, future cash flow, and the company’s operations. These statements have become a necessity for companies because they serve as a preview for the world to see.
Whether a company is on a small-scale or a huge industry, whether one has taken it upon themselves to develop accounting statements or has a whole team for it, accounting statements’ role is unmatched. The accounting statement is a statement of proof that would aid you in highlighting the financial health of your company to all the stakeholders involved.
Business owners often tend to overlook these statements, but that is where things start going downhill for them. Being aware of the financial complexities of the company and laying them out in a neat way would only make things better for the company.
Listed below are a few reasons why you should pay more heed to your accounting statements:

1. As mentioned, the stakeholders involved in the business need to have constant assurance regarding the company’s financial health. Through these accounting statements, they would stay aware of what is going on behind closed doors.
2. Any potential investors you may approach for your business would ask to see your financial statements. It would allow them to judge the potential of your business.
3. The business’s managerial staff would inquire to see the financial records so they can plan all future endeavors for the company accordingly.
4. Any lender or bank needs financial statements to analyze the business before handing over a loan.
5. You could halt your supply of goods if the vendor does not see the potential in your company for payment, so you must show them your financial records.
6. It serves as a money trail for the government to track. It also helps in sorting your taxes.
7. The competition in the market uses these statements to analyze what they must deal with moving forward.
8. Your company’s financial statements may even help you build a rapport among the public, which would, of course, boost your business’s sales.

Accounting statements come in different shapes and forms. They all play the same role, but each focuses on another side of the financial situation. Mentioned below are three of the most common ways of presenting accounting statements.

Income statements:

Income statements are financial records that usually track the profits and losses that the company has gone through during a given period. These statements reflect the profits as well as the costs it had to sustain. Income statements would cover all economic activity and keep a clean record of it in a systemized manner. It would cover all expenses, from procuring goods for the company to the paychecks paid each month.

Balance sheets:

A balance sheet defines the financial situation of a business at a specific time. These sheets work as a financial summary to identify the liabilities that a company is prone to and the assets that it must preserve. Balance sheets are different from other accounting statements because they capture a specific time’s statistics rather than dealing with a prolonged period.

Cash flow statements:

As the name suggests, a cash flow statement covers the inflow and outflow of cash over a specified bookkeeping period. Cash flow statements cater to the monetary exchange and how it may affect the business in an aggregated form. It allows business owners to analyze the monetary situation by understanding the accumulation of funds. Cash flow statements also will enable the business owners to investigate the operations that a company is involved in at a given time.

Account statements are a necessity for all those people who wish to see their businesses succeed. If you haven’t paid much heed to it already, you can always start today. 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.

An accounting department of any business needs to be neatly tucked in and presented as a clean slate. Any business with a fine accounting department prospers because of the clarity in the financial statements. Having clean finances could serve many purposes for business owners and could have many advantages. Still, the most important one is that it gives the business owner a clear vision for the future.

Different individuals could work in the accounts department, but each department consists of differing positions. These positions vary by the duties the employee has to perform once they join your company. A competent accountant must be able to analyze your financial statement, clear out all your credit by the time the accounting cycle concludes, calculate profit and loss, as well as net income.

Now understanding these positions and then hiring the right person for your business can be challenging. We have broken down each class to help you know them better and then make sound decisions.

CFO (Chief Financial Officer):

A CFO sits on a high pedestal within the accounting department. They are the authority that is constantly in talks with the business owners as they report the financial findings to them. They oversee all the stakeholders and how they may be affected by the different decisions taken within the department. The chief financial officer combines the past data with the future statistics to come to plausible conclusions so that the company can make appropriate decisions. Preparing reports and strategies for risk management are also the jobs of a CFO.

A CFO has several bookkeepers, controllers, accountants, and clerks reporting back to them to know everything related to the business. They are also in charge of creating new policies for the organization that would affect its finances.

Only an extensive business should need a CFO because of the lack of financial affairs to manage in small businesses.

Bookkeeper:

A bookkeeper manages all the business’s financial records, including all purchases, due payments, loans, profit, losses, and income. A bookkeeper deals mainly with the numbers they receive.

A competent bookkeeper must cater to the needs of the business by tending to the journals and ledgers that carry all the financial data. Without the help of a bookkeeper, the business owner may not adequately complete this task, which could potentially affect the quality of business.

A business owner should start looking for a bookkeeper when they step foot into the world of business. A bookkeeper is necessary for even small companies because, unlike a CFO, a bookkeeper has to tackle all major and minor financial data of a business that is just as much part of a small business as a large corporation.

Controller:

A controller plays the role of a middle person because clerks and bookkeepers report directly to them while they have to document all their findings to a CFO.

The role of a controller is to supervise all the work of an accounting department. They could also play the role of a financial manager in an organization. They focus their energies on helping a CFO create different strategic game plans to increase the organization’s cash inflow.

Who to Hire?

This question often confuses a lot of business owners. While starting a business, they are often unaware of the hierarchy of the accounting department. Including the positions, they should be offering according to the company they run.

Before deciding, you should, first of all, assess the size of your business. The size of your business is what determines the financial data you would have to cater to once the company is up and running. Ensure that you make a thorough analysis to see how much your business can be affected by hiring the right person for it.

If your business is extensive and deals with a comparatively larger corporation, you should acquire a CFO and the rest of the subordinates. But if your company is limited and has a narrow approach in the market, a bookkeeper would be enough.

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.

Responsibilities make you realize that your income is no longer to spend and enjoy according to your ease. Instead, it is a fund you must pay according to your necessities while also making sure you leave some behind as savings for the future and unforeseen circumstances.

Although it depends on an individual’s preferences, there has been a long-drawn-out debate about how money should be divided to allow one to cater to their needs and have some savings for the future.

Continue reading to understand how you should prioritize your needs and divide your income accordingly—making sound and correct choices today can help you live a quality life tomorrow.

Why Are Savings Important?

There is a plethora of reasons why savings can be life-changing overall. Mentioned below are two of the most important reasons you should start saving immediately.

Save for your future

If you have saved to your name, you can tackle any unforeseen expenditures you may face in the future. You might question why you are holding right now for a requirement that has not even risen yet, but you will understand why in the future. If you own a savings account, it can easily tackle a medical emergency, debt, or other emergency expense.

Save to take risks

Savings could allow you to take a risk. This risk may be of any type. You could build a business from the ground above if you wish to at a time in your life. You will be able to kick it off the ground with the money you have saved over the years.

You could also use it to fulfill lifelong dreams, such as taking a trip around the world or building a dream house.

The 50-30-15-5 mantra

Elizabeth Warren devised a savings plan to help you understand how the art of budgeting works. Warren deduced that a 50-30-20 plan would work excellently for those who wish to spend and save.

The 50-30-20 plan breaks down into three separate parts: 50% of your income is spent on necessary items for your everyday life, 30% is for your desires you wish to fulfill, and 20% is for savings. Although the plan works perfectly well, a tiny variation now allows you to prioritize your protection and spend further.

The 50-30-15-5 plan is a proposal with a similar division of your income, but it allows you to make a better choice while taking care of your savings.

The 50

A total of 50% of your income is supposed to be allotted to your immediate needs. It would include things that you could not survive without. It would include:

• Rent
• Food
• Other utilities

The 30

30% of your income should be separated to cater to your spending, which may not necessarily be a priority. These could be called your “wants.” A person must also invest in their desires so that their interests in life stay alive. These desires could include:

• Vacations
• Fine dining
• Other hobbies

The 15

The first 15% of the total 20% of savings should go to your savings account. These savings should be put aside as your long-term savings. They would contribute to the goals that you intend to fulfill in the long term.

The final 5

These savings, the mere 5%, are supposed to help you fulfill your short-term goals, needs, or wants. This money could also serve as a help in a financial emergency.

These are simply basic ideas to help you divide and create a budget that would cater to your everyday requirements, help you put the food on the table, assist you in fulfilling your desires, and allow you to set aside an amount for all your future requirements. This division could work as a foundation, based on which they form a plan that would suit their needs. One does not necessarily have to follow this plan and can always do as they understand better.

Spending and saving are both necessary if one wishes to live a sound and happy life.

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.