Welcome to Small Businesses Tips

Current Assets

Current Assets are cash or other assets that are readily converted into cash. This often includes cash on hand (or in bank accounts), inventory, and accounts receivable.

Balance Sheet

The Balance Sheet is a statement of a company´s assets, liabilities, and capital at a specific period of time. Assets = Liabilities + Capital. The Balance Sheet is a "snapshot" of a company´s financial standing at one point in time. It is used to determine the financial status of a company, what the company´s present value is.

Accountant

An Accountant prepares and maintains the financial records of a business. With more training than a bookkeeper, an accountant has a larger responsibility, including preparing financial statements using the data recorded by the bookkeeper.

Strategic Alliance

A Strategic Alliance is an alliance between two people or businesses that benefits both parties.

Fixed Expenses

Fixed Expenses are those expenses that do not change with different levels of production or sales, for example: rent expense.

Variable Expenses

Variable Expenses change with the different levels of production or sales, for example: cost of goods sold and maybe even utilities or payroll.

Break-Even

Break-Even is the point at which sales revenues equal expenses.

ERISA

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) is a federal law that affects certain administrative aspects of employee benefit and retirement plans.

COBRA

If you have 20 or more employees, you are subject to a law known as the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, better known as COBRA. COBRA requires employers to offer individuals who would otherwise lose benefit protection the option of continuing to have group health care plan coverage. (From the CCH Business Owner´s Toolkit)

Bookkeeper

A Bookkeeper records and keeps all the financial transactions or "books" of a business.

Cost of Goods Sold

The Cost of Goods Sold is the direct cost of all items sold during an accounting period. In a retail type environment, this is usually calculated by taking the inventory held at the beginning of the period, adding inventory purchases, and subtracting the inventory held at the end of the period. In a manufacturing environment, these costs may include all of the supplies used to build the items sold as well as the amount paid to employees who built the items.

Current Liabilities

Current Liabilities are all obligations due and payable within one year. These obligations might be cash debts owed, or services paid for but not yet rendered, or goods received but not yet paid for.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts Receivable are amounts owed to a company by its customers, such as for services rendered not yet paid for or for goods delivered not yet paid for.

Accounts Payable

Accounts Payable are the amounts owed by a company to outside suppliers of goods and services. These may include inventory received that is not yet paid for, utility bills due, and other debts owed.

Bonding

Bonding is the process by which an employer can be indemnified for the loss of money or property sustained through dishonest acts of a "bonded" employee. This can cover many types of unlawful acts including embezzlement, forgery, larceny, theft, misappropriation, or other dishonest acts committed by an employee, alone or in collusion with others.

Benefits

Benefits comprise the second half of the compensation equation (the first half is pay). Most benefits are optional and include such items as medical and life insurance, reimbursement accounts, retirement plans, access to health clubs, profit-sharing programs, and even use of a company vehicle.

Accounting System

An Accounting System refers to the entire process of keeping track of all a business´ financial transactions and financial controls. Some basic elements of an accounting system include the Payables and Receivables systems, Inventory Tracking, Payroll, and Sales.

Income Statement

The Income Statement, also known as the Profit & Loss Statement (P&L) is the statement of net profit or loss in a specific accounting period. Often run monthly, quarterly, and annually to show net profit or loss for a particular month, quarter, or year. Often compared to prior months, quarters, or years to gauge progress or decline of business. Also used as a guide for budgeting future months, quarters, and years.